Приключения Робин Гуда
The Shooting Match at Nottingham Town
Andnowbutthreemenwereleftofallthosethathadshotbefore.OnewasGillo’theRedCap,onethetatteredstrangerinscarlet,andoneAdamo’theDellofTamworthTown.Thenallthepeoplecalledaloud,somecrying,"HoforGilberto’theRedCap!"andsome,"HeyforstoutAdamo’Tamworth!"Butnotasinglemaninthecrowdcalleduponthestrangerinscarlet.
"Now,shootthouwell,Gilbert,"criedtheSheriff,"andifthinebethebestshaft,fivescorebroadsilverpennieswillIgivetotheebesidetheprize."
"TrulyIwilldomybest,"quothGilbertrightsturdily."Amancannotdoaughtbuthisbest,butthatwillIstrivetodothisday."Sosaying,hedrewforthafairsmootharrowwithabroadfeatherandfitteditdeftlytothestring,thendrawinghisbowwithcarehespedtheshaft.Straightflewthearrowandlitfairlyintheclout,afinger’s-breadthfromthecenter."AGilbert,aGilbert!"shoutedallthecrowd;and,"Now,bymyfaith,"criedtheSheriff,smitinghishandstogether,"thatisashrewdshot."
Thenthetatteredstrangersteppedforth,andallthepeoplelaughedastheysawayellowpatchthatshowedbeneathhisarmwhenheraisedhiselbowtoshoot,andalsotoseehimaimwithbutoneeye.Hedrewthegoodyewbowquickly,andquicklyloosedashaft;soshortwasthetimethatnomancoulddrawabreathbetwixtthedrawingandtheshooting;yethisarrowlodgednearerthecenterthantheotherbytwicethelengthofabarleycorn.
"NowbyallthesaintsinParadise!"criedtheSheriff,"thatisalovelyshaftinverytruth!"
ThenAdamo’theDellshot,carefullyandcautiously,andhisarrowlodgedclosebesidethestranger’s.