Page 198 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

quoth the Bishop, frowning on Robin. ‘Yet, I must needs
bear with thee. Look, Prior, hither cometh our cousin Sir
Stephen, and his ladylove.’
And now, around the bend of the highroad, came others,
riding upon horses. The first of all was a tall, thin man, of
knightly bearing, dressed all in black silk, with a black vel-
vet cap upon his head, turned up with scarlet. Robin looked,
and had no doubt that this was Sir Stephen, both because of
his knightly carriage and of his gray hairs. Beside him rode
a stout Saxon franklin, Ellen’s father, Edward of Deirwold;
behind those two came a litter borne by two horses, and
therein was a maiden whom Robin knew must be Ellen. Be-
hind this litter rode six men-at-arms, the sunlight flashing
on their steel caps as they came jingling up the dusty road.
So these also came to the church, and there Sir Stephen
leaped from his horse and, coming to the litter, handed fair
Ellen out therefrom. Then Robin Hood looked at her, and
could wonder no longer how it came about that so proud
a knight as Sir Stephen of Trent wished to marry a com-
mon franklin’s daughter; nor did he wonder that no ado
was made about the matter, for she was the fairest maid-
en that ever he had beheld. Now, however, she was all pale
and drooping, like a fair white lily snapped at the stem; and
so, with bent head and sorrowful look, she went within the
church, Sir Stephen leading her by the hand.
‘Why dost thou not play, fellow?’ quoth the Bishop, look-
ing sternly at Robin.
‘Marry,’ said Robin calmly, ‘I will play in greater wise
than Your Lordship thinks, but not till the right time hath

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