ROBIN HOOD THE OUTLAW by Dumas Alexandre (père)

Author:Dumas, Alexandre (père) [Dumas, Alexandre (père)]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Collected Works of Alexandre Dumas père
Publisher: Delphi Classics
Published: 2012-04-28T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER VIII

A month after the events just related, Robin Hood, his wife, and the whole of his band of Merrie Men were installed once again beneath the trees of Sherwood Forest.

About this time, a number of Normans, liberally paid for their military services by Henry II., came to take possession of the domains given them by the King’s generosity. Some of these Normans, who were obliged to cross Sherwood Forest to reach their new estates, were constrained to pay their way liberally by the merry band of outlaws. The newcomers protested loudly, and carried their complaints to the authorities in the town of Nottingham. But these complaints were taxed with exaggeration, and received no reply, and the reason of this apathy on the part of the Reeve and other important personages was as follows.

Many of Robin Hood’s men were related to the inhabitants of Nottingham, and quite naturally these latter used their influence with the civil and military authorities to prevent any rigorous measures being taken against the Foresters. These worthy men were terribly afraid that if, in consequence of a successful attack, the Merrie Men were driven from their green dwelling-place, they might some morning have the melancholy satisfaction of seeing one of their own kinsmen hanging by the neck from the town gallows.

However, as it was necessary to make a pretence of righteous indignation and justice, they doubled the reward promised to any one who should succeed in capturing Robin Hood. Whoever applied for it could at once obtain a warrant for arresting the famous Outlaw. Many men of great physical strength or of a determined spirit had made the attempt, but an unexpected thing happened they had all become, by their own wish, members of the band of merry Foresters.

One morning Robin and Will Scarlett were strolling through the Forest when Much suddenly appeared before them streaming with perspiration and panting for breath.

“What hath happened, Much?” asked Robin, anxiously. “Are you pursued? You are soaking with perspiration.”

“Never fear, Robin,” replied the young man, wiping his crimson face. Thanks be to Heaven, I have had no dangerous encounter. I have only come from a bout with quarter-staves with Peaceful Arthur. Good Lord! the lad hath the strength of a giant in his arm.”

“You speak truly, my dear Much, and ‘tis indeed a rough job to fight with Arthur when he is in earnest...”

“Arthur always keeps cool,” replied Much; “but as he is ignorant of the real rules of the game, he owes his success only to his tremendous muscle.”

“Did he make you cry for quarter?”

“I should think so. But for that, he would have knocked all the breath out of me. At this moment he is trying a bout with Little John, but with such an adversary Arthur’s defeat cannot be doubted, for when he begins to strike hard, Little John doth e’en lift his staff and give him some shrewd blows on the shoulders, to teach him to moderate the transports of his strength.”

“For what reason did you engage with the indomitable Arthur?” asked Robin.

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