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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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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 antagonists； while the other was laid
prostrate under the dint of a brass cauldron launched by the Amazonian
dame。 Robin now turned to the aid of Marian； who was parrying most
dexterously the cuts and slashes of her two assailants； of whom Robin
delivered her from one； while a well…applied blow of her sword struck off
the helmet of the other； who fell on his knees to beg a boon； and she
recognised Sir Ralph Montfaucon。 The men who were engaged with the
baron and the peasant； seeing their leader subdued； immediately laid down
their arms and cried for quarter。 The wife brought some strong rope； and
the baron tied their arms behind them。
〃Now； Sir Ralph；〃 said Marian； 〃once more you are at my mercy。〃
〃That I always am； cruel beauty；〃 said the discomfited lover。
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〃Odso！ courteous knight；〃 said the baron； 〃is this the return you make
for my beef and canary； when you kissed my daughter's hand in token of
contrition for your intermeddling at her wedding？ Heart； I am glad to see
she has given you a bloody coxcomb。 Slice him down； Mawd！ slice him
down； and fling him into the river。〃
〃Confess；〃 said Marian； 〃what brought you here； and how did you
trace our steps？〃
〃I will confess nothing；〃 said the knight。
〃Then confess you； rascal；〃 said the baron； holding his sword to the
throat of the captive squire。
〃Take away the sword；〃 said the squire； 〃it is too near my mouth； and
my voice will not come out for fear： take away the sword； and I will
confess all。〃 The baron dropped his sword； and the squire proceeded； 〃Sir
Ralph met you； as you quitted Lady Falkland's castle； and by representing
to her who you were； borrowed from her such a number of her retainers as
he deemed must ensure your capture； seeing that your familiar the friar
was not at your elbow。 We set forth without delay； and traced you first by
means of a peasant who saw you turn into this valley； and afterwards by
the light from the casement of this solitary dwelling。 Our design was to
have laid an ambush for you in the morning； but the storm and your
observation of my unlucky face through the casement made us change our
purpose； and what followed you can tell better than I can； being indeed
masters of the subject。〃
〃You are a merry knave；〃 said the baron； 〃and here is a cup of wine for
you。〃
〃Gramercy；〃 said the squire； 〃and better late than never： but I lacked a
cup of this before。 Had I been pot…valiant； I had held you play。〃
〃Sir knight；〃 said Marian； 〃this is the third time you have sought the
life of my lord and of me； for mine is interwoven with his。 And do you
think me so spiritless as to believe that I can be yours by compulsion？
Tempt me not again； for the next time shall be the last； and the fish of the
nearest river shall commute the flesh of a recreant knight into the fast…day
dinner of an uncarnivorous friar。 I spare you now； not in pity but in scorn。
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Yet shall you swear to a convention never more to pursue or molest my
lord or me； and on this condition you shall live。〃
The knight had no alternative but to comply； and swore； on the honour
of knighthood； to keep the convention inviolate。 How well he kept his oath
we shall have no opportunity of narrating： Di lui la nostra istoria piu non
parla。
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