"Far be
it from me," said he, "to do aught that could bring Your Majesty's anger
upon me. Yet, sooner would I face Your Majesty's wrath than suffer
aught of harm that I could stay to fall upon Robin Hood and his band;
for to them I owe life, honor, everything. Should I, then, desert him
in his hour of need?"
Ere the knight had done speaking, one of the mock friars that stood near
the King came forward and knelt beside Sir Richard, and throwing back
his cowl showed the face of young Sir Henry of the Lea. Then Sir Henry
grasped his father's hand and said, "Here kneels one who hath served
thee well, King Richard, and, as thou knowest, hath stepped between thee
and death in Palestine; yet do I abide by my dear father, and here I say
also, that I would freely give shelter to this noble outlaw, Robin Hood,
even though it brought thy wrath upon me, for my father's honor and my
father's welfare are as dear to me as mine own."
King Richard looked from one to the other of the kneeling knights, and
at last the frown faded from his brow and a smile twitched at the
corners of his lips.
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