Queen Eleanor sat in her royal bower, through the open casements of
which poured the sweet yellow sunshine in great floods of golden light.
All about her stood her ladies-in-waiting chatting in low voices, while
she herself sat dreamily where the mild air came softly drifting into
the room laden with the fresh perfumes of the sweet red roses that
bloomed in the great garden beneath the wall. To her came one who said
that her page, Richard Partington, and four stout yeomen waited her
pleasure in the court below. Then Queen Eleanor arose joyously and bade
them be straightway shown into her presence.
Thus Robin Hood and Little John and Will Scarlet and Allan a Dale came
before the Queen into her own royal bower. Then Robin kneeled before
the Queen with his hands folded upon his breast, saying in simple
phrase, "Here am I, Robin Hood. Thou didst bid me come, and lo, I do
thy bidding. I give myself to thee as thy true servant, and will do thy
commanding, even if it be to the shedding of the last drop of my life's
blood."
But good Queen Eleanor smiled pleasantly upon him, bidding him to arise.
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