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him with all the vigour of the church militant on earth； in spite of his
ejaculations of 〃Hey； friar Michael！ What means this； honest friar？ Hold；
ghostly friar！ Hold； holy friar！〃till Matilda interposed； and delivered
the battered sheriff to the care of the foresters。 The friar continued
flourishing his staff among the sheriff's men； knocking down one；
breaking the ribs of another； dislocating the shoulder of a third； flattening
the nose of a fourth； cracking the skull of a fifth； and pitching a sixth into
the river； till the few； who were lucky enough to escape with whole bones；
clapped spurs to their horses and fled for their lives； under a farewell
volley of arrows。
Sir Ralph's squire； meanwhile； was glad of the excuse of attending his
master's wound to absent himself from the battle； and put the poor knight
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to a great deal of unnecessary pain by making as long a business as
possible of extracting the arrow； which he had not accomplished when
Matilda； approaching； extracted it with great facility； and bound up the
wound with her scarf； saying； 〃I reclaim my arrow； sir knight； which
struck where I aimed it； to admonish you to desist from your enterprise。 I
could as easily have lodged it in your heart。〃
〃It did not need；〃 said the knight； with rueful gallantry； 〃you have
lodged one there already。〃
〃If you mean to say that you love me；〃 said Matilda； 〃it is more than I
ever shall you： but if you will show your love by no further interfering
with mine； you will at least merit my gratitude。〃
The knight made a wry face under the double pain of heart and body
caused at the same moment by the material or martial； and the
metaphorical or erotic arrow； of which the latter was thus barbed by a
declaration more candid than flattering； but he did not choose to put in any
such claim to the lady's gratitude as would bar all hopes of her love： he
therefore remained silent； and the lady and her escort； leaving him and the
sheriff to the care of the squire； rode on till they came in sight of
Arlingford Castle； when they parted in several directions。 The friar rode
off alone； and after the foresters had lost sight of him they heard his voice
through the twilight； singing；
A staff； a staff； of a young oak graff； That is both stoure and
stiff； Is all a good friar can needs desire To shrive a proud sheriffe。
And thou； fine fellowe； who hast tasted so Of the forester's
greenwood game； Wilt be in no haste thy time to waste In seeking
more taste of the same： Or this can I read thee； and riddle thee well；
Thou hadst better by far be the devil in hell； Than the sheriff of
Nottinghame。
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CHAPTER VII
Now； master sheriff； what's your will with me？ Henry IV。
Matilda had carried her point with the baron of ranging at liberty
whithersoever she would； under her positive promise to return home； she
was a sort of prisoner on parole： she had obtained this indulgence by
means of an obsolete habit of always telling the truth and keeping her
word； which our enlightened age has discarded with other barbarisms； but
which had the effect of giving her father so much confidence in her； that
he could not help considering her word a better security than locks and
bars。
The baron had been one of the last to hear of the rumours of the new
outlaws of Sherwood； as Matilda had taken all possible precautions to
keep those rumours from his knowledge； fearing that they might cause the
interruption of her greenwood liberty； and it was only during her absence
at Gamwell feast； that the butler； being thrown off his guard by liquor；
forgot her injunctions； and regaled the baron with a long story of the right
merry adventure of Robin Hood and the abbot of Doubleflask。
The baron was one morning； as usual； cutting his way valorously
through a rampart of cold provision； when his ears were suddenly assailed
by a tremendous alarum； and sallying forth； and looking from his castle
wall； he perceived a large party of armed men on the other side of the
moat； who were calling on the warder in the king's name to lower the
drawbridge and raise the portcullis； which had both been secured by
Matilda's order。 The baron walked along the battlement till he came
opposite to these unexpected visitors； who； as soon as they saw him； called
out； 〃Lower the drawbridge； in the king's name。〃
〃For what； in the devil's name？〃 said the baron。
〃The sheriff of Nottingham；〃 said one； 〃lies in bed grievously bruised；
and many of his men are wounded； and several of them slain； and Sir
Ralph Montfaucon； knight； is sore wounded in the arm； and we are
charged to apprehend William Gamwell the younger； of Gamwell Hall；
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and father Michael of Rubygill Abbey； and Matilda Fitzwater of
Arlingford Castle； as agents and accomplices in the said breach of the
king's peace。〃
〃Breach of the king's fiddlestick！〃 answered the baron。 〃What do you
mean by coming here with your cock and bull； stories of my daughter
grievously bruising the sheriff of Nottingham？ You are a set of vagabond
rascals in disguise； and I hear； by the bye； there is a gang of thieves that
has just set up business in Sherwood Forest： a pretty presence； indeed； to
get into my castle with force and arms； and make a famine in my buttery；
and a drought in my cellar； and a void in my strong box； and a vacuum in
my silver scullery。〃
〃Lord Fitzwater；〃 cried one； 〃take heed how you resist lawful authority：
we will prove ourselves〃
〃You will prove yourselves arrant