c "Aha!" cried Will, 'you have caught a cold through sleeping in some chamber; your voice is as hoarse as the Baron Fitz Alwine's an hour agone." Nay, it is no ailing of the system that makes my voice a little thicken," cried Tuck; "it was a little impish sprite, one of the elfs of memory, that tugged at my heart-strings and reminded me that, in days long gone, I aspired-no, perhaps it is wrong to say so— but, without any hopes or reflections upon the subI, some years since, believed that little witch clinging to you a pearl of great price, a jewel of countless value, that it would have given me the most unquestionable satisfaction to have called my own." "What! you, Tuck, in love with my Maude!" "Well, perhaps-" "Perhaps-pooh!-ah! you knew her before Robin." "I did-long before him." "To be sure! then why do you say perhaps? Why, of course you loved her. How could you be flesh and blood and not love her? Did not Robin Hood love her? and did not I, the first moment my eyes fell upon her-and now- -oh Maude!" He imprinted a fervent kiss upon her lips, which had many times that morning received a warm impression of his own. When he had a little recovered this delicious little episode, he turned his glittering eyes upon the Friar, and it struck him that his features by no means displayed a responsive satisfaction to that which his own bore. His eyes changed their expression, and opened to their full extent, and his face for the moment grew grave. neither an amiable nor an amicable one. The "Well, I have a word to say," exclaimed Tuck, with a resolute effort to speak clearly, but his voice was husky, and it was with some difficulty that he quite cleared his throat. "Why, Tuck, you have not been a sufferer by my happiness ?" he asked quietly and eagerly. "You have not borne the pangs of hopeless unrequited, love? You have not in secret mourned for the loss of one who, in your heart of hearts, you prayed might be yours? Have you wasted and pined—?” The He paused. That last word upset the whole of the sympathy which really breathed through his words. Friar Tuck wasted and pined! he was full fifteen stone, with a face like a rising harvest moon. serious which each bore changed with the swiftof an electrical movement, the faces lit up, and all three burst into a hearty laugh; it was repeated again and again, until their cheeks were literally bedewed with tears, created by their convulsive laughter. When somewhat recovered, Friar Tuck stretched both his hands out heartily, and took one of each of Maude's and Will's; he pressed them earnestly, and said in a full-toned voice "By our Lady's grace! I wish ye both the most entire happiness it is possible for human lot to be endowed with. By the mass! sweet Maude, you pierced my heart through and through with shafts from your enchanting eyes, and many, aye, many many times made me feel that I had too much of the old leaven in me to well assort with the gown and shaven crown; but soon I found the coveted prize was not for me. There were others brighter, younger, comelier than I to woo and win; so I e'en {patched up the hollows and the holes which were in my heart, and looked out into the world for some other object to fill my eyes and head with, and I found it." "You found it!" cried Maude and Will, in one voice. "I found it," repeated Tuck, with a chuckle. The Friar laughed a gleeful chuckling laugh. a time and oft." tering, diamond-like eye, and lips that vie with the gaze upon her, look her in the eyes, and then say, if brightest ruby, friend Will; but whether she appre-thou darest, thou hast not kissed her ruby lips many ciated my worth, sweet Maude-ha! ha! that is another matter truly-I believe that she is as fond of others as I, quite as liberal in her favours, and returns kiss for kiss most impartially." "And you love her?" asked Will, with a look of unmistakeable incredulity. "Well, I openly confess I do, although she does bestow her favours without discrimination." "She is no true maiden," gently observed Maude, looking upon the grass. "Maude!" exclaimed Will, astounded, and looking his astonishment most unequivocally. "What, I?-ha! ha! What do you mean. Tuck? You are dreaming. I kiss your ladye love ?" "Aye, often, and I can prove it." Maude half screamed. "Prove it then, this instant," cried Will, with vehemence. "Prove it! This is not a joke, Tuck; no, no, this is too serious. Where is the maiden? { shew her to me, confront me with her, bring me face to face with her, and let me see if she will shamelessly persist in an assertion so untrue." "So untrue!" chuckled Tuck, the water running down his cheeks. "It is thou who dost persist in the untruth. Bring her face to face with thee, aye, that will I; aye, and lip to lip too." "No, no, no, no!" cried Maude, with sudden energy, and laid hold of Will's arm, as if to prevent any such appropriation of property in which she had such a vested right. "Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Tuck. "My life on't, he kisses the maiden when he sees her." "No," said Will, doubtfuliy. As he concluded, he drew from beneath his gown a silver flagon; he disengaged the massive silver chain by which it was attached to his body, and held it up close before the eyes of Will Scarlet-so close as to make him retreat a step or two backwards. chuckling, merry laugh was echoed by both Maude and Will, and the latter, seizing the flagon from the hands of the jolly Friar, cried mirthfully His "I acknowledge my error, I confess my sins, good Friar Tuck. I have kissed these lips many a time and oft, right honestly do I confess it; but, oh! father, right reverend lover of so free and bright a damsel, Í never abused her favours, and she has never played me false; and now, in the presence of my own dearly beloved little wife, will I kiss the ripe ruby lips again, and she, my own fairy, will not quarrel with me for it." "Not unless thou dost too freely kiss the tempting lips; and shouldst thou, Will, thou knowest that thou wilt suffer accordingly." "Said I not that I would not abuse her favours, neither will I, but on her lips, dear Maude, will I fervently pray happiness to us both while God grants us the sweet joy of walking on this earth together." "Amen! benedicite! amen!" cried Tuck, and added with much heartiness of manner-"Nay, I will press her lips to mine, while I give breath to that toast, and hug her, hug her, my boy, while her spirit flies through her lips to my heart." And he did drink the toast right heartily, draining the flagon in his enthusiasm ; and then, pressing the hands of his friends with true sincerity, he wished them earnestly the happiest term possible on earth. It would have mightily suited his feelings, and the fervour which he felt, to have sealed his good wishes upon the lips of the fair Maude; but there rose up many little remembrances to prevent his even offering such a token of his good will, and so with a jolly wave of the hand, he suffered them to pass on, and himself plunged with a better spirit into another part of the wood to mix with the many blythe spirits there assembled. And truly he had not gone far before he was encountered by a band of merry youths and maidens; and, before he even surmised their intention, they formed a circle round him, clasped firmly “No, indeed, I am sure he will not," cried Maude, hold of hands, and whirled round him until the sight positively. "Where is she? let me see her," demanded Will. "Nay, never heed her, dear Will," exclaimed Maude, with a small twinge of jealousy, "thou canst not wish to meet her, and I fear me, though beloved by our friend Tuck, she can be no meet companion for your-your wife, Will." of their rapidly passing figures made him grow so She uttered the last words very gently. The word 'wife' seemed to make Will feel taller, and fill his heart with rapture. He gave her a comforting squeeze to his heart, he kissed her forehead, and said earnestly—she "My own dear, dear little wife!" Then turning to Tuck, he added Say as thou wilt, Tuck, thou shalt not move me from the best of humour, although thou dost so unblushingly aver I have oft times kissed thy mistress, which thou knowst to be abominably wide of the truth." The young maid laughed, and shook her head, and vowed there was no truth in the assertion; but the nut-brown forester persisted in his story, and Friar Tuck affecting to believe him, said, with an unmistakeably wicked look twinkling in his eyes, "Nay, sweet one, be not afraid, I am ready to receive thy confession; remember, what thou hast to say will be' said to me alone-it is not for the ears of the sinful-there is a copse hard by-" "No! no! no!" cried the laughing youths, with a shout of glee, "No! here on this spot; no, no, good father, no secret confessions in a copse; here she must confess before us all." "No," cried the maiden, "how foolish! I have nothing to confess." "Aha!" cried her swain, "mere timidity; you must confess." "What?" asked she, in affected ignorance. "What!" he iterated, "Why, have not I been making a clean breast to thee; have I not been shrived by thee?" "By me! no." "Ah,-shamelessly uttered, by the mass! Have I not been confessing to thee that I love thee better than all the world, ever since I have known thee, which is a full two hours agone!" "Ha! ha! ha!" laughed the merry group. "And now it is only fair," continued the forester, as soon as he could obtain a hearing, "that thou shouldst confess my love is returned to the full, heartily, truly, and completely. Is not this fair, good father. Is not this a true confession to be demanded ?" "Well," exclaimed Tuck, with a shake of the head, "I admit that the confession may be demanded; but it rests with the maiden to say if thy ravishing charms hath had the same effect upon her which hers have had upon thee. Mark me, worthy youth, her eyes are blue and beautiful, her skin is fair, her cheeks rosebuds, her features lovely and her lips-pos- { sibly paradise-I cannot, however, pass that judgment positively unless I were to taste them." He was interrupted by a shout of laughter, and the finger of the forester was raised warningly, and he cried lustily— "Forbidden fruit, O friar! forbidden fruit!" Tuck bowed his head, and crossed his hands over his breast with affected humility. "Granted, O son! granted-at least to me," he said; and then added quickly, "that is, I am to presume so-however to my argument: this maiden hath charms of feature and beauty of form, making her certainly a little fairy-like mortal, not only to be admired, but to be loved; while thou, master forester, for face hath—" "Hold thy hand, good father," interrupted the forester, with a laugh, "I admit thy skill in painting the maiden, but I doubt the truth of thy limner-like abilities, when at work upon me." "Proceed, and spare him not," cried the maiden, with a merry laugh. "No, no, thank you, father," cried the forester, with a merry laugh," she will away with me as thou seest." He caught her round the waist, and ran off with her, followed by the rest, shouting in the wildest delight, leaving Tuck alone. He quaffed a draught from his flagon, and then sought out another group of revellers. All that day the gaiety and joy went on without the slightest check or drawback. Robin introduced Much to Barbara, and told her to make much of him, and whispered something about him being the husband he had promised her; but she laughed, shook her head, and would not hear him. Little John, who was not formed for merry tricks, came quite out on this day in his exhibition of sprightliness; but he engrossed the company of Winifred Gamwell all to himself, which, when it was noticed, drew forth sundry important yet smirking nods and significant winks. To Allan and Christabel this was a day of joy-the more so as they had waded to it through years of disappointment and wearying hope deferred; the debility produced by her mental agony prevented her joining the sports as the rest did, but she sat like a {fairy queen presiding at a great festivity of her people among the trees and flowers. "And is this the way you live in the green wood, dear Robin ?” asked Marian. "Even thus as you see," returned he. "Then will I take up my abode with you here, living as you live, until the unjust decree of the law is removed from you; and be the future good or evil— such as it is now, or surrounded with toil and privation-I shall never seek to change, or repine at my situation, so that thou'rt with me; and here we will live together, while life is ours, in joy and love, in calm content and happiness, until death shall separate us." "Bless thee, my sweet love, my dear wife!" said Robin, imprinting a passionate kiss upon her fore "Spare him not-spare him not!" cried many voices. "Well, thou hast a head," proceeded the friar, "and } head. so had the beast which bore Balaam." "Ha! ha! ha!" laughed the merry group. It was a happy day that wedding day of Robin Hood! END OF BOOK 11. |