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Rubygill Abbey； where he shot the second into the abbey…garden； then
back past Gamwell…Hall to the borders of Sherwood Forest； where he shot
the third into the wood。 Now the first of these arrows lighted in the nape
of the neck of Lord Fitzwater； and lodged itself firmly between his skin
and his collar； the second rebounded with the hollow vibration of a
drumstick from the shaven sconce of the abbot of Rubygill； and the third
pitched perpendicularly into the centre of a venison pasty in which Robin
Hood was making incision。
Matilda ran up to her father in the court of Arlingford Castle； seized
the arrow； drew off the letter； and concealed it in her bosom before the
baron had time to look round； which he did with many expressions of rage
against the impudent villain who had shot a blunt arrow into the nape of
his neck。
〃But you know； father；〃 said Matilda； 〃a sharp arrow in the same place
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would have killed you； therefore the sending a blunt one was very
considerate。〃
〃Considerate； with a vengeance！〃 said the baron。 〃Where was the
consideration of sending it at all？ This is some of your forester's pranks。
He has missed you in the forest； since I have kept watch and ward over
you； and by way of a love…token and a remembrance to you takes a
random shot at me。〃
The abbot of Rubygill picked up the missile…missive or messenger
arrow； which had rebounded from his shaven crown； with a very unghostly
malediction on the sender； which he suddenly checked with a pious and
consolatory reflection on the goodness of Providence in having blessed
him with such a thickness of skull； to which he was now indebted for
temporal preservation； as he had before been for spiritual promotion。 He
opened the letter； which was addressed to father Michael； and found it to
contain an intimation that William Gamwell was to be hanged on Monday
at Nottingham。
〃And I wish；〃 said the abbot； 〃father Michael were to be hanged with
him： an ungrateful monster； after I had rescued him from the fangs of civil
justice； to reward my lenity by not leaving a bone unbruised among the
holy brotherhood of Rubygill。〃
Robin Hood extracted from his venison pasty a similar intimation of
the evil destiny of his cousin； whom he determined； if possible； to rescue
from the jaws of Cerberus。
The sheriff of Nottingham； though still sore with his bruises； was so
intent on revenge； that he raised himself from his bed to attend the
execution of William Gamwell。 He rode to the august structure of
retributive Themis； as the French call a gallows； in all the pride and pomp
of shrievalty； and with a splendid retinue of well…equipped knaves and
varlets； as our ancestors called honest serving…men。
Young Gamwell was brought forth with his arms pinioned behind him；
his sister Alice and his father； Sir Guy； attending him in disconsolate mood。
He had rejected the confessor provided by the sheriff； and had insisted on
the privilege of choosing his own； whom Little John had promised to bring。
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Little John； however； had not made his appearance when the fatal
procession began its march； but when they reached the place of execution；
Little John appeared； accompanied by a ghostly friar。
〃Sheriff；〃 said young Gamwell； 〃let me not die with my hands
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