What can a young lassie do wi’an auld1 man?
Burns.
“Here is but five shillings and a ring,” said Little John, “and the young man has spoken true.”
“Then,” said Robin2 to the stranger, “if want of money be the cause of your melancholy3, speak. Little John is my treasurer4, and he shall disburse5 to you.”
“It is, and it is not,” said the stranger; “it is, because, had I not wanted money I had never lost my love; it is not, because, now that I have lost her, money would come too late to regain6 her.”
“In what way have you lost her?” said Robin: “let us clearly know that she is past regaining7, before we give up our wishes to restore her to you.”
“She is to be married this day,” said the stranger, “and perhaps is married by this, to a rich old knight8; and yesterday I knew it not.”
“What is your name?” said Robin.
“Allen,” said the stranger.
“And where is the marriage to take place, Allen?” said Robin.
“At Edwinstow church,” said Allen, “by the bishop9 of Nottingham.”
“I know that bishop,” said Robin; “he dined with me a month since, and paid three hundred pounds for his dinner. He has a good ear and loves music. The friar sang to him to some tune10. Give me my harper’s cloak, and I will play a part at this wedding.
“These are dangerous times, Robin,” said Marian, “for playing pranks12 out of the forest.”
“Fear not,” said Robin; “Edwinstow lies not Nottingham-ward, and I will take my precautions.”
Robin put on his harper’s cloak, while Little John painted his eyebrows13 and cheeks, tipped his nose with red, and tied him on a comely14 beard. Marian confessed, that had she not been present at the metamorphosis, she should not have known her own true Robin. Robin took his harp11 and went to the wedding.
Robin found the bishop and his train in the church porch, impatiently expecting the arrival of the bride and bridegroom. The clerk was observing to the bishop that the knight was somewhat gouty, and that the necessity of walking the last quarter of a mile from the road to the churchyard probably detained the lively bridegroom rather longer than had been calculated upon.
“Oh! by my fey,” said the music-loving bishop, “here comes a harper in the nick of time, and now I care not how long they tarry. Ho! honest friend, are you come to play at the wedding?”
“I am come to play anywhere,” answered Robin, “where I can get a cup of sack; for which I will sing the praise of the donor15 in lofty verse, and emblazon him with any virtue16 which he may wish to have the credit of possessing, without the trouble of practising.
“A most courtly harper,” said the bishop; “I will fill thee with sack; I will make thee a walking butt17 of sack, if thou wilt18 delight my ears with thy melodies.”
“That will I,” said Robin; “in what branch of my art shall I exert my faculty19? I am passing well in all, from the anthem20 to the glee, and from the dirge21 to the coranto.”
“It would be idle,” said the bishop, “to give thee sack for playing me anthems22, seeing that I myself do receive sack for hearing them sung. Therefore, as the occasion is festive23, thou shalt play me a coranto.”
Robin struck up and played away merrily, the bishop all the while in great delight, noddling his head, and beating time with his foot, till the bride and bridegroom appeared. The bridegroom was richly apparelled, and came slowly and painfully forward, hobbling and leering, and pursing up his mouth into a smile of resolute24 defiance25 to the gout, and of tender complacency towards his lady love, who, shining like gold at the old knight’s expense, followed slowly between her father and mother, her cheeks pale, her head drooping26, her steps faltering27, and her eyes reddened with tears.
Robin stopped his minstrelsy, and said to the bishop, “This seems to me an unfit match.”
“What do you say, rascal28?” said the old knight, hobbling up to him.
“I say,” said Robin, “this seems to me an unfit match. What, in the devil’s name, can you want with a young wife, who have one foot in flannels29 and the other in the grave?”
“What is that to thee, sirrah varlet?” said the old knight; “stand away from the porch, or I will fracture thy sconce with my cane30.”
“I will not stand away from the porch,” said Robin, “unless the bride bid me, and tell me that you are her own true love.”
“Speak,” said the bride’s father, in a severe tone, and with a look of significant menace. The girl looked alternately at her father and Robin. She attempted to speak, but her voice failed in the effort, and she burst into tears.
“Here is lawful31 cause and just impediment,” said Robin, “and I forbid the banns.”
“Who are you, villain32?” said the old knight, stamping his sound foot with rage.
“I am the Roman law,” said Robin, “which says that there shall not be more than ten years between a man and his wife; and here are five times ten: and so says the law of nature.”
“Honest harper,” said the bishop, “you are somewhat over-officious here, and less courtly than I deemed you. If you love sack, forbear; for this course will never bring you a drop. As to your Roman law, and your law of nature, what right have they to say any thing which the law of Holy Writ33 says not?”
“The law of Holy Writ does say it,” said Robin; “I expound34 it so to say; and I will produce sixty commentators35 to establish my exposition.”
And so saying, he produced a horn from beneath his cloak, and blew three blasts, and threescore bowmen in green came leaping from the bushes and trees; and young Allen was the first among them to give Robin his sword, while Friar Tuck and Little John marched up to the altar. Robin stripped the bishop and clerk of their robes, and put them on the friar and Little John; and Allen advanced to take the hand of the bride. Her cheeks grew red and her eyes grew bright, as she locked her hand in her lover’s, and tripped lightly with him into the church.
“This marriage will not stand,” said the bishop, “for they have not been thrice asked in church.”
“We will ask them seven times,” said Little John, “lest three should not suffice.”
“And in the meantime,” said Robin, “the knight and the bishop shall dance to my harping36.”
So Robin sat in the church porch and played away merrily, while his foresters formed a ring, in the centre of which the knight and bishop danced with exemplary alacrity37; and if they relaxed their exertions38, Scarlet39 gently touched them up with the point of an arrow.
The knight grimaced40 ruefully, and begged Robin to think of his gout.
“So I do,” said Robin; “this is the true antipodagron: you shall dance the gout away, and be thankful to me while you live. I told you,” he added to the bishop, “I would play at this wedding; but you did not tell me that you would dance at it. The next couple you marry, think of the Roman law.”
The bishop was too much out of breath to reply; and now the young couple issued from church, and the bride having made a farewell obeisance41 to her parents, they departed together with the foresters, the parents storming, the attendants laughing, the bishop puffing42 and blowing, and the knight rubbing his gouty foot, and uttering doleful lamentations for the gold and jewels with which he had so unwittingly adorned43 and cowered44 the bride.
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1
auld
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| adj.老的，旧的 | |
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robin
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| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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treasurer
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| n.司库，财务主管 | |
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disburse
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| v.支出，拨款 | |
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regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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regaining
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| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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8
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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harp
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| n.竖琴；天琴座 | |
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pranks
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| n.玩笑，恶作剧( prank的名词复数 ) | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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comely
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| adj.漂亮的，合宜的 | |
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donor
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| n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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anthem
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| n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌 | |
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dirge
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| n.哀乐，挽歌，庄重悲哀的乐曲 | |
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anthems
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| n.赞美诗( anthem的名词复数 )；圣歌；赞歌；颂歌 | |
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festive
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| adj.欢宴的，节日的 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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faltering
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| 犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的 | |
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rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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flannels
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| 法兰绒男裤； 法兰绒( flannel的名词复数 ) | |
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cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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writ
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| n.命令状，书面命令 | |
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expound
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| v.详述；解释；阐述 | |
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commentators
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| n.评论员( commentator的名词复数 )；时事评论员；注释者；实况广播员 | |
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harping
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| n.反复述说 | |
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alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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39
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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grimaced
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| v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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obeisance
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| n.鞠躬，敬礼 | |
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42
puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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44
cowered
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的过去式 ) | |
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