Page 161 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

all the world.
To all this the yeomen listened in silence, the clatter of
many voices, jesting and laughing, sounding around them,
and the red light of the fire shining on their faces and in
their eyes. So simple were the poor boy’s words, and so deep
his sorrow, that even Little John felt a certain knotty lump
rise in his throat.
‘I wonder not,’ said Robin, after a moment’s silence, ‘that
thy true love loved thee, for thou hast surely a silver cross
beneath thy tongue, even like good Saint Francis, that could
charm the birds of the air by his speech.’
‘By the breath of my body,’ burst forth Little John, seek-
ing to cover his feelings with angry words, ‘I have a great
part of a mind to go straightway and cudgel the nasty life
out of the body of that same vile Sir Stephen. Marry, come
up, say I—what a plague—does an old weazen think that
tender lasses are to be bought like pullets o’ a market day?
Out upon him!—I— but no matter, only let him look to
himself.’
Then up spoke Will Scarlet. ‘Methinks it seemeth but ill
done of the lass that she should so quickly change at others’
bidding, more especially when it cometh to the marrying
of a man as old as this same Sir Stephen. I like it not in her,
Allan.’
‘Nay,’ said Allan hotly, ‘thou dost wrong her. She is as soft
and gentle as a stockdove. I know her better than anyone
in all the world. She may do her father’s bidding, but if she
marries Sir Stephen, her heart will break and she will die.
My own sweet dear, I—‘ He stopped and shook his head, for

1 0 The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood