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pinioned： give me a sword； and set any odds of your men against me； and
let me die the death of a man； like the descendant of a noble house； which
has never yet been stained with ignominy。〃
〃No； no；〃 said the sheriff； 〃I have had enough of setting odds against
you。 I have sworn you shall be hanged； and hanged you shall be。〃
〃Then God have mercy on me；〃 said young Gamwell； 〃and now； holy
friar； shrive my sinful soul。〃
The friar approached。
〃Let me see this friar；〃 said the sheriff： 〃if he be the friar of the
bridge； I had as lief have the devil in Nottingham； but he shall find me too
much for him here。〃
〃The friar of the bridge；〃 said Little John； 〃as you very well know；
sheriff； was father Michael of Rubygill Abbey； and you may easily see that
this is not the man。〃
〃I see it；〃 said the sheriff； 〃and God be thanked for his absence。〃
Young Gamwell stood at the foot of the ladder。 The friar approached
him； opened his book； groaned； turned up the whites of his eyes； tossed up
his arms in the air； and said 〃Dominus vobiscum。〃 He then crossed both
his hands on his breast under the folds of his holy robes； and stood a few
moments as if in inward prayer。 A deep silence among the attendant crowd
accompanied this action of the friar； interrupted only by the hollow tone of
the death…bell； at long and dreary intervals。 Suddenly the friar threw off
his holy robes； and appeared a forester clothed in green； with a sword in
his right hand and a horn in his left。 With the sword he cut the bonds of
William Gamwell； who instantly snatched a sword from one of the
sheriff's men； and with the horn he blew a loud blast； which was answered
at once by four bugles from the quarters of the four winds； and from each
quarter came five…and…twenty bowmen running all on a row。
〃Treason！ treason！〃 cried the sheriff。 Old Sir Guy sprang to his son's
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side； and so did Little John； and the four setting back to back； kept the
sheriff and his men at bay till the bowmen came within shot and let fly
their arrows among the sheriff's men； who； after a brief resistance； fled in
all directions。 The forester； who had personated the friar； sent an arrow
after the flying sheriff； calling with a strong voice； 〃To the sheriff's left
arm； as a keepsake from Robin Hood。〃 The arrow reached its destiny；
the sheriff redoubled his speed； and； with the one arrow in his arm； did not
stop to breathe till he was out of reach of another。
The foresters did not waste time in Nottingham； but were soon at a
distance from its walls。 Sir Guy returned with Alice to Gamwell…Hall；
but thinking he should not be safe there； from the share he had had in his
son's rescue； they only remained long enough to supply themselves with
clothes and money； and departed； under the escort of Little John； to
another seat of the Gamwells in Yorkshire。 Young Gamwell； taking it for
granted that his offence was past remission； determined on joining Robin
Hood； and accompanied him to the forest； where it was deemed expedient
that he should change his name； and he was rechristened without a priest；
and with wine instead of water； by the immortal name of Scarlet。
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CHAPTER IX
Who set my man i' the stocks？ I set him there； Sir but his
own disorders Deserved much less advancement。Lear。
The baron was inflexible in his resolution not to let Matilda leave the
castle。 The letter； which announced to her the approaching fate of young
Gamwell； filled her with grief； and increased the irksomeness of a
privation which already preyed sufficiently on her spirits； and began to
undermine her health。 She had no longer the consolation of the society
of her old friend father Michael： the little fat friar of Rubygill was
substituted as the castle confessor； not without some misgivings in his
ghostly bosom； but he was more allured by the sweet savour of the good
things of this world at Arlingford Castle； than deterred by his awe of the
lady Matilda； which nevertheless was so excessive； from his recollection
of the twang of the bow…string； that he never ventured to find her in the
wrong； much less to enjoin any thing in the shape of penance； as was the
occasional practice of holy confessors； with or without cause； for the sake
of pious discipline； and what was in those days called social order； namely；
the preservation of the privileges of the few who happened to have any； at
the expense of the swinish multitude who happened to have none； except
that of working and being shot at for the benefit of their betters； which is
obviously not the meaning of social order in our more enlightened times：
let us therefore be grateful to Providence； and sing Te Deum laudamus in
chorus with the Holy Alliance。
The little friar； however； though he found the lady spotless； found the
butler a great sinner： at least so it was conjectured； from the length of
time he always took to confess him in the buttery。
Matilda became every day more pale and dejected： her spirit； which
could have contended against any strenuous affliction； pined in the
monotonous inaction to which she was condemned。 While she could freely
range the forest with her lover in the morning； she had been content to
return to her father's castle in the evening； thus preserving underanged the
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balance of her duties； habits； and affections； not without a hope that the
repeal of her lover's outlawry might be eventually obtained； by a judicious
distribution of some of his forest spoils among the holy fathers and saints
that…were…to…be；pious proficients in the ecclesiastic art equestrian； who
rode the conscience of King Henry with double…curb bridles； and kept it
well in hand when it showed mettle and seemed inclined to rear and
plunge。 But the affair at Gamwell feast threw many additional difficulties
in the way of the accomplishment of this hope； and very shortly afterwards
King Henry the Second went to make up in the next world his