Page 201 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

will be bred to some of you.’
Then up spake stout Edward in a loud and angry voice,
‘Now I say nay! I am her father, and she shall marry Sir Ste-
phen and none other.’
Now all this time, while everything was in turmoil about
him, Sir Stephen had been standing in proud and scorn-
ful silence. ‘Nay, fellow,’ said he coldly, ‘thou mayst take thy
daughter back again; I would not marry her after this day’s
doings could I gain all merry England thereby. I tell thee
plainly, I loved thy daughter, old as I am, and would have
taken her up like a jewel from the sty, yet, truly, I knew not
that she did love this fellow, and was beloved by him. Maid-
en, if thou dost rather choose a beggarly minstrel than a
high-born knight, take thy choice. I do feel it shame that I
should thus stand talking amid this herd, and so I will leave
you.’ Thus saying, he turned and, gathering his men about
him, walked proudly down the aisle. Then all the yeomen
were silenced by the scorn of his words. Only Friar Tuck
leaned over the edge of the choir loft and called out to him
ere he had gone, ‘Good den, Sir Knight. Thou wottest old
bones must alway make room for young blood.’ Sir Stephen
neither answered nor looked up, but passed out from the
church as though he had heard nought, his men following
him.
Then the Bishop of Hereford spoke hastily, ‘I, too, have no
business here, and so will depart.’ And he made as though
he would go. But Robin Hood laid hold of his clothes and
held him. ‘Stay, my Lord Bishop,’ said he, ‘I have yet some-
what to say to thee.’ The Bishop’s face fell, but he stayed as

00 The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood