Free The Chronicles of Robin Hood by Rosemary Sutcliff Page A

humbly, ‘you must intercede for me with her, for she has not sent me some money she owes me, and I fear she is angry with me.’
    ‘But, Master,’ said Little John comfortingly (but hiseyes twinkled); ‘if this good monk is her cellarer, no doubt he is her messenger also, and has brought you the money.’
    Robin nodded and glanced up at Little John, with laughter twitching at the corners of his mouth. Then he turned gravely back to the cellarer, saying: ‘Sir Monk, Our Lady stood surety for a loan between me and a certain knight, and the money is due to be repaid to-day; so if you bring it with you, give it to me now.’
    At this the ancient cellarer became more terrified than ever. ‘I know of no such suretyship,’ he protested shrilly. ‘I am a poor man, with only twenty marks in my coffers.’
    ‘If that is the truth,’ said Robin, ‘I’ll not touch a penny of it; indeed, I will lend you anything you may need. But if there is more than twenty marks, not a copper coin will I leave, for a monk should have no use for money.’ And seeing the anxious eye which the old sinner cast in the direction of his sumpter-mules, he was sure that there was a goodly store of gold somewhere in the pack-saddles. So he made a sign to Little John to search the bags and coffers; and while it was being done, he sat enjoying the expression on the face of St. Mary’s cellarer, who was in an agony of mingled greed and fear.
    Little John went steadily to work. He spread a cloak upon the ground, and opening the coffers, poured their contents into it. When he had finished, he counted the pile of gold and silver coins which lay there, and then, gathering the cloak by its four corners, brought it to Robin.
    ‘The monk spoke truly, Master. Here are his twenty marks, and here with them are the eight hundred pounds which Our Lady sends you in repayment of your loan.’
    Robin flung back his head and laughed; then clapping the shrinking cellarer on the shoulder, he cried: ‘Did I not say so, Sir Monk? Is not Our Lady the best surety a man could have? I lent only four hundred pounds, and she has repaid me twice over! Go back to your abbey in peace, man, and remember to tell your brethren of the good dinner Robin Hood gave you in Barnesdale Forest.’ Grumbling and muttering that his dinner had cost him dear (though he was careful not to do so above his breath) the ancient cellarer was hoisted by willing hands on to his horse. The outlaws kept his sumpter-mules. ‘For,’ explained Will Scarlet, ‘we would save you the trouble of driving such troublesome brutes single-handed.’ And two of their number went with him to set him on the nearest track that led to York.
    Late in the afternoon Sir Richard and his little troop rode into the Stane Ley, and the good knight swung down from his saddle as Robin strode forward to greet him. The two clasped hands, looking gladly into each other’s eyes, like the friends they were. Sir Richard craved pardon for his delay and explained the cause of it. Then he turned to take his coffer from the saddle-bow; but Robin stayed him with a hand on his wrist.
    ‘No, Sir Richard, let your coffer be.’
    ‘But there are four hundred pounds in it, for the repayment of my debt,’ said Sir Richard, with a puzzled smile.
    ‘Your debt is already paid, and paid twice over.’ And Robin told him the story of St. Mary’s cellarer, drawing him away to sit beside him in the shade of the giant lime tree while he told it. ‘Our Lady owed me four hundred pounds, and she has returned me eight hundred. So youmust take the half, with my blessing; and if ever you should need more, come to me, and I will share with you whatever I have, whether it be much or little.’
    Sir Richard strove to speak, but words were beyond him just then and he could only wring his friend’s hand in silence. Meanwhile, his men, aided by some of the outlaws, had unstrapped the bows and peacock-flighted arrows from the backs of the pack-horses, and