Part 39 (1/2)
”I have, of ht ”Here they are, and I wish they were a hundred ti fellow soon had knowledge of its contents
It was as the knight said, no uest a bun for Little John to hand back the pouch
”Pledge e me heartily, for these be sorry times I see that your armor is bent and that your clothes are worn Tell ht by force? Or have you been bad steward to yourself and wasted your property in lawsuits and the like? Be not bashful with me, we shall not betray your secrets”
”I aht; and I have always lived a sober and quiet life,” the sorrowful knight replied ”My father, and his father, and his father's father were all knights of the King; but, as is often the case, friend Robin, rich men sometimes find their riches fly away from them Until within this last year I have contrived by dint of care and labor, to live on the few hundreds of rent and the like which fall to me year by year; but now I have only these ten pennies of silver and my wife and children three”
Robin asked how his h”I have a son--a good youth--hen he was but twenty years of age, could play prettily in jousts and tournaames He had the ill luck to push his sports too far; and did kill a knight of Lancashi+re in a battle _a outrance_ To save e h, in the end I have had to borrow money from my lord of Hereford”
”A most worthy Bishop,” said Robin, ironically; ”I know him well”
”He seeht; ”and since I cannot pay him the four hundred pieces he has proe on our home”
”Have you not any friends ould becohtfully
”None My friends have fallen away from me in mine adversity as leaves froht,” Robin commanded; and he turned to whisper a word in Marian's ear She nodded, and beckoned Little John and Much the Miller to her side
”Here is health and prosperity to you, gallant Robin,” the knight said, tilting his goblet, ”and ht make better recompense”
The two outlaith Mistress Marian, had now consulted the others, and all seereed Warrenton, as treasurer to the band, was sent into one of the inner caves, and presently returned, bearing a bag of gold He counted it out before the knight; and there were four tiolden pieces
”Take this loan froht, and pay your debt to the Bishop,”
Robin told hi creditors
Mayhap we shall not be so hard on you as was the Christian Bishop; yet again, we may be harder Who can say, where hu a bale of cloth ”The knight should have a suit worthy of his rank, master, do you not think?”
”Measure him twenty ells of it,” Robin ordered
”Give hiift which will come back to you fourfold, for this is a worthy iven also, and Robin bade Arthur-a-Bland ride as esquire to the knight; to be good use and to fulfil his first duty as one of the band
The knight was sorrowful no longer He could scarcely voice his thanks to theh overco
”God save you, coive rateful heart”
”We shall wait for you twelve months fro cheerfully ”And then you will repay us for the loan of the gold”
”I shall return it to you within a year,” replied the knight, firmly