Page 391 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

he could watch the place that Robin abided, like some great,
faithful dog turned away from the door where his master
has entered.
After the women had gotten Robin Hood to the room
beneath the eaves, the Prioress sent all of the others away;
then, taking a little cord, she tied it tightly about Robin’s
arm, as though she were about to bleed him. And so she did
bleed him, but the vein she opened was not one of those that
lie close and blue beneath the skin; deeper she cut than that,
for she opened one of those veins through which the bright
red blood runs leaping from the heart. Of this Robin knew
not; for, though he saw the blood flow, it did not come fast
enough to make him think that there was anything ill in it.
Having done this vile deed, the Prioress turned and left
her cousin, locking the door behind her. All that livelong
day the blood ran from Robin Hood’s arm, nor could he
check it, though he strove in every way to do so. Again and
again he called for help, but no help came, for his cousin had
betrayed him, and Little John was too far away to hear his
voice. So he bled and bled until he felt his strength slipping
away from him. Then he arose, tottering, and bearing him-
self up by the palms of his hands against the wall, he reached
his bugle horn at last. Thrice he sounded it, but weakly and
faintly, for his breath was fluttering through sickness and
loss of strength; nevertheless, Little John heard it where he
lay in the glade, and, with a heart all sick with dread, he
came running and leaping toward the nunnery. Loudly he
knocked at the door, and in a loud voice shouted for them to
let him in, but the door was of massive oak, strongly barred,

0 The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood