Part 52 (1/2)
Faithful Stuteley helped his master to win freedo; and, with the reenwood life The King's guard was broken up, for the King had no need of it, nor never would again
Legends are told of Robin's scorned defiance of the laws, but they are intangible and unauthentic It is a sure thing, howbeit, that he did not revert to Sherwood and Barnesdale as some aver, but rather took up his quarters near Haddon Hall, in Derbyshi+re There is a curious pile of stones and rocks shown to this day as the ruins of Robin's Castle, where the bold outlaw is believed to have lived and defied his eneher than the others These are supposed to be the seats in the hall of this vanished stronghold whereon Robin and Little John sat delivering judgives these stones as being the scene of a wondrous leap done by Robin, to show his th and ere his yet
”Robin Hood's stride,” folks say
One thing is sure--that Prince John did not easily forgive or forget him After h in all conscience, Robin and his men were allowed to be at peace In one of these encounters Robin was sorely wounded; and none but Little John knew of it
The wound was in Robin's breast, and looked but a small place It bled little, yet would not heal; and slowly became inflamed in wider circles
Inwardly it burned hith was sapped out froer could he split an arrow at forty paces, as in olden days
At last he took Little John on one side ”Dear heart,” said he, ”I do not feel able to shoot another arrow, and soon the rest will know I am stricken sore I have it in ive ive you all amnesty here”
”Sooner would I see you dead than you should do such a thing,” cried Little John; ”I swear it by my soul and by my body! Now listen, dear master, and I will tell you that I have heard of a wondrous cure for thee An old beggar caely, when he spied st us ill and hopeless”
”This beggar--where is he?”
”He waits below,” said Little John, hurriedly ”I bethought ar told me that the Abbess of Kirklees had stayed hi past her Priory: 'Go to Haddon, brother, and there you will find Robin Hood sick unto death Say that in the woods near by there is one who is practising e of Robin Hood At each change of the moon this rascal doth stick a needle into the waxen heart of this ie, and so doth Robin slowly die Tell him that the name of the ht as much What villainy! What foul villainy! Get me a horse, John, and one each for thyself and Stuteley”
The beggar had gone when they went to the hall None had offered to stay hio quietly, swiftly,” said Robin, ”for I feel that h the day and night, and ca, surrounded by heavy trees
The journey and fierce excite red-hot irons into his heart; hardly could they get hi the bell loudly, and anon the door was opened by a woman shrouded in black She spoke in a cold low voice ”Is this Robin Earl of Huntingdon?” asked she ”I pray God that ithis very death”
”Tell us where this ood ether, ”and not all the ic in the world shall save him from our swords!”
”Go out yonder to the left, where ye will find a little stream; near by it is a tree blasted by Heaven's fires Under the tree is the man Carfax[A]--I have watched and known him for many days Go quickly, and I will tend your h!”
[Footnote A: Carfax was then actually in France, acting against Richard]
The two , with a fury of impatience; then, with brandished swords, ran swiftly in search of the wizard Robin had swooned, and lay a dead weight in the arth and tenderness she lifted his slight body and bore it to a little room, near to the entrance of the Priory She laid the unconscious ht arm