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following the direction of her eyes； looked simultaneously to the window；
where they had just time to catch a glimpse of an apparition of an armed
head； with its plumage tossing in the storm； on which the light shone from
within； and which disappeared immediately。
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CHAPTER XV
O knight； thou lack'st a cup of canary。 When did I see thee so put
down？Twelfth Night。
Several knocks； as from the knuckles of an iron glove； were given to
the door of the cottage； and a voice was heard entreating shelter from the
storm for a traveller who had lost his way。 Robin arose and went to the
door。
〃What are you？〃 said Robin。
〃A soldier；〃 replied the voice： 〃an unfortunate adherent of
Longchamp； flying the vengeance of Prince John。〃
〃Are you alone？〃 said Robin。
〃Yes；〃 said the voice： 〃it is a dreadful night。 Hospitable cottagers；
pray give me admittance。 I would not have asked it but for the storm。 I
would have kept my watch in the woods。〃
〃That I believe；〃 said Robin。 〃You did not reckon on the storm when
you turned into this pass。 Do you know there are rogues this way？〃
〃I do；〃 said the voice。
〃So do I；〃 said Robin。
A pause ensued； during which Robin listening attentively caught a
faint sound of whispering。
〃You are not alone；〃 said Robin。 〃Who are your companions？〃
〃None but the wind and the water；〃 said the voice； 〃and I would I had
them not。〃
〃The wind and the water have many voices；〃 said Robin； 〃but I never
before heard them say； What shall we do？〃
Another pause ensued： after which；
〃Look ye； master cottager；〃 said the voice； in an altered tone； 〃if you
do not let us in willingly； we will break down the door。〃
〃Ho！ ho！〃 roared the baron； 〃you are become plural are you； rascals？
How many are there of you； thieves？ What； I warrant； you thought to rob
and murder a poor harmless cottager and his wife； and did not dream of a
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Maid Marian
garrison？ You looked for no weapon of opposition but spit； poker； and
basting ladle； wielded by unskilful hands： but； rascals； here is short
sword and long cudgel in hands well tried in war； wherewith you shall be
drilled into cullenders and beaten into mummy。〃
No reply was made； but furious strokes from without resounded upon
the door。 Robin； Marian； and the baron threw by their pilgrim's attire；
and stood in arms on the defensive。 They were provided with swords； and
the cottager gave them bucklers and helmets； for all Robin's haunts were
furnished with secret armouries。 But they kept their swords sheathed；
and the baron wielded a ponderous spear； which he pointed towards the
door ready to run through the first that should enter； and Robin and Marian
each held a bow with the arrow drawn to its head and pointed in the same
direction。 The cottager flourished a strong cudgel （a weapon in the use
of which he prided himself on being particularly expert）； and the wife
seized the spit from the fireplace； and held it as she saw the baron hold his
spear。 The storm of wind and rain continued to beat on the roof and the
casement； and the storm of blows to resound upon the door； which at
length gave way with a violent crash； and a cluster of armed men appeared
without； seemingly not less than twelve。 Behind them rolled the stream
now changed from a gentle and shallow river to a mighty and impetuous
torrent； roaring in waves of yellow foam； partially reddened by the light
that streamed through the open door； and turning up its convulsed surface
in flashes of shifting radiance from restless masses of half…visible shadow。
The stepping…stones； by which the intruders must have crossed； were
buried under the waters。 On the opposite bank the light fell on the stems
and boughs of the rock…rooted oak and ash tossing and swaying in the
blast； and sweeping the flashing spray with their leaves。
The instant the door broke； Robin and Marian loosed their arrows。
Robin's arrow struck one of the assailants in the juncture of the shoulder；
and disabled his right arm： Marian's struck a second in the juncture of
the knee； and rendered him unserviceable； for the night。 The baron's long
spear struck on the mailed breastplate of a third； and being stretched to its
full extent by the long…armed hero； drove him to the edge of the torrent；
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and plunged him into its eddies； along which he was whirled down the
darkness of the descending stream； calling vainly on his comrades for aid；
till his voice was lost in the mingled roar of the waters and the wind。 A
fourth springing through the door was laid prostrate by the cottager's
cudgel： but the wife being less dexterous than her company； though an
Amazon in strength； missed her pass at a fifth； and drove the point of the
spit several inches into the right hand door…post as she stood close to the
left； and thus made a new barrier which the invaders could not pass
without dipping under it and submitting their necks to the sword： but one
of the assailants seizing it with gigantic rage； shook it at once from the
grasp of its holder and from its lodgment in the post； and at the same time
made good the irruption of the rest of his party into the cottage。
Now raged an unequal combat； for the assailants fell two to one on
Robin； Marian； the baron； and the cottager； while the wife； being deprived
of her spit； converted every thing that was at hand to a missile； and rained
pots； pans； and pipkins on the armed heads of the enemy。 The baron
raged like a tiger； and the cottager laid about him like a thresher。 One of
the soldiers struck Robin's sword from his hand and brought him on his
knee； when the boy； who had been roused by the tumult and had been
peeping through the inner door； leaped forward in his shirt； picked up the
sword and replaced it in Robin's hand； who instantly springing up；
disarmed and wounded one of his an