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and tripped lightly with him into the church。
〃This marriage will not stand；〃 said the bishop； 〃for they have not been
thrice asked in church。〃
〃We will ask them seven times；〃 said Little John； 〃lest three should not
suffice。〃
〃And in the meantime；〃 said Robin； 〃the knight and the bishop shall
dance to my harping。〃
So Robin sat in the church porch and played away merrily； while his
foresters formed a ring； in the centre of which the knight and bishop
danced with exemplary alacrity； and if they relaxed their exertions； Scarlet
gently touched them up with the point of an arrow。
The knight grimaced ruefully； and begged Robin to think of his gout。
〃So I do；〃 said Robin； 〃this is the true antipodagron： you shall dance
the gout away； and be thankful to me while you live。 I told you；〃 he added
to the bishop； 〃I would play at this wedding； but you did not tell me that
you would dance at it。 The next couple you marry； think of the Roman
law。〃
The bishop was too much out of breath to reply； and now the young
couple issued from church； and the bride having made a farewell
obeisance to her parents； they departed together with the foresters； the
parents storming； the attendants laughing； the bishop puffing and blowing；
and the knight rubbing his gouty foot； and uttering doleful lamentations
for the gold and jewels with which he had so unwittingly adorned and
cowered the bride。
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CHAPTER XIV
As ye came from the holy land Of blessed Walsinghame； Oh
met ye not with my true love； As by the way ye came？Old Ballad。
In pursuance of the arrangement recorded in the twelfthCHAPTER；
the baron； Robin； and Marian disguised themselves as pilgrims returned
from Palestine； and travelling from the sea…coast of Hampshire to their
home in Northumberland。 By dint of staff and cockle…shell； sandal and
scrip； they proceeded in safety the greater part of the way （for Robin had
many sly inns and resting…places between Barnsdale and Sherwood）； and
were already on the borders of Yorkshire； when； one evening； they passed
within view of a castle； where they saw a lady standing on a turret； and
surveying the whole extent of the valley through which they were passing。
A servant came running from the castle； and delivered to them a message
from his lady； who was sick with expectation of news from her lord in the
Holy Land； and entreated them to come to her； that she might question
them concerning him。 This was an awkward occurrence： but there was
no presence for refusal； and they followed the servant into the castle。
The baron； who had been in Palestine in his youth； undertook to be
spokesman on the occasion； and to relate his own adventures to the lady as
having happened to the lord in question。 This preparation enabled him to
be so minute and circumstantial in his detail； and so coherent in his replies
to her questions； that the lady fell implicitly into the delusion； and was
delighted to find that her lord was alive and in health； and in high favour
with the king； and performing prodigies of valour in the name of his lady；
whose miniature he always wore in his bosom。 The baron guessed at this
circumstance from the customs of that age； and happened to be in the
right。
〃This miniature；〃 added the baron； 〃I have had the felicity to see； and
should have known you by it among a million。〃 The baron was a little
embarrassed by some questions of the lady concerning her lord's personal
appearance； but Robin came to his aid； observing a picture suspended
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opposite to him on the wall； which he made a bold conjecture to be that of
the lord in question； and making a calculation of the influences of time
and war； which he weighed with a comparison of the lady's age； he gave a
description of her lord sufficiently like the picture in its groundwork to be
a true resemblance； and sufficiently differing from it in circumstances to
be more an original than a copy。 The lady was completely deceived； and
entreated them to partake her hospitality for the night； but this they
deemed it prudent to decline； and with many humble thanks for her
kindness； and representations of the necessity of not delaying their
homeward course； they proceeded on their way。
As they passed over the drawbridge； they met Sir Ralph Montfaucon
and his squire； who were wandering in quest of Marian； and were entering
to claim that hospitality which the pilgrims had declined。 Their
countenances struck Sir Ralph with a kind of imperfect recognition； which
would never have been matured； but that the eyes of Marian； as she passed
him； encountered his； and the images of those stars of beauty continued
involuntarily twinkling in his sensorium to the exclusion of all other ideas；
till memory； love； and hope concurred with imagination to furnish a
probable reason for their haunting him so pertinaciously。 Those eyes； he
thought； were certainly the eyes of Matilda Fitzwater； and if the eyes were
hers； it was extremely probable； if not logically consecutive； that the rest
of the body they belonged to was hers also。 Now； if it were really Matilda
Fitzwater； who were her two companions？ The baron？ Aye； and the elder
pilgrim was something like him。 And the earl of Huntingdon？ Very
probably。 The earl and the baron might be good friends again； now that
they were both in disgrace together。 While he was revolving these
cogitations； he was introduced to the lady； and after claiming and
receiving the promise of hospitality； he inquired what she knew of the
pilgrims who had just departed？ The lady told him they were newly
returned from Palestine； having been long in the Holy Land。 The knight
expressed some scepticism on this point。 The lady replied； that they had
given her so minute a detail of her lord's proceedings； and so accurate a
description of his person； that she could not be deceived in them。 This
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staggered the knight's confidence in his own penetration； and if it had not
been a heresy in knighthood to suppose for a moment that there could be
in rerum natura such another pair of eyes as those of his mistress； he
would have acquiesced implicitly in the lady's judgment。 But while the
lady and the knight were conversing； the warder blew his bugle…horn； and
presently entered a confidential messenger from Palestine； who gave her
to understand that her lord was well； but entered into a detail of his
adventures most completely at variance with the baron's narrative； to
which not the correspondence of a single incident gave the remotest
colouring of similarity。 It now became manifest that the pilgrims were not
true men； and Sir Ralph Montfaucon sate down to supper with his head
full of cogitations； which we shall leave him to chew and digest with his
pheasant and canary。
Meanwhile our three pilgrims proceeded on their way。 The evening set
in black and lowering； when Robin turned aside from the main track； to
seek an asylum for the night； along a narrow way that led between rocky
and woody hills。 A peasant observed the pilgrims as they entered that
narrow pass； and called after them： 〃Whither go you； my masters？ there
are rogues in that direction。〃
〃Can you show us a direction；〃 said Robin； 〃in which there are none？
If so we will take it in preference。〃 The peasant grinned； and walked
away whistling。
The pass widened as they advanced； and the woods grew thicker and
darker around them。 Their path wound along the slope of a woody
decliv