Volume II Part 29 (2/2)

SCENE II. _A banqueting hall in FITZWALTER'S castle. The guests are a.s.sembling for the betrothal feast of ROBIN and MARIAN. Some of ROBIN HOOD'S men, clad in Lincoln green, are just arriving at the doors.

SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF runs forward to greet them._

SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF

Come in, my sc.r.a.ps of Lincoln green; come in, My slips of greenwood. You're much wanted here!

Head, heart and eyes, we are all pent up in walls Of stone--nothing but walls on every side-- And not a rose to break them--big blind walls, Neat smooth stone walls! Come in, my ragged robins; Come in, my jolly minions of the moon, My straggling hazel-boughs! Hey, bully friar, Come in, my knotted oak! Ho, little Much, Come in, my sweet green linnet. Come, my cushats, Larks, yellow-hammers, fern-owls, Oh, come in, Come in, my Dian's foresters, and drown us With may, with blossoming may!

FITZWALTER

Out, Shadow-of-a-Leaf!

Welcome, welcome, good friends of Huntingdon, Or Robin Hood, by whatsoever name You best may love him.

CRIES

Robin! Robin! Robin!

[_Enter ROBIN HOOD._]

FITZWALTER

Robin, so be it! Myself I am right glad To call him at this bright betrothal feast My son.

[_Lays a hand on ROBIN'S shoulder._]

Yet, though I would not cast a cloud Across our happy gathering, you'll forgive An old man and a father if he sees All your glad faces thro' a summer mist Of sadness.

ROBIN

Sadness? Yes, I understand.

FITZWALTER

No, Robin, no, you cannot understand.

ROBIN

Where's Marian?

FITZWALTER

Ay, that's all you think of, boy.

But I must say a word to all of you Before she comes.

ROBIN

Why--what?...

FITZWALTER

No need to look So startled; but it is no secret here; For many of you are sharers of his wild Adventures. Now I hoped an end had come To these, until another rumour reached me, This very day, of yet another prank.

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