"Marry, Sir Richard," quoth the King, "thou art a
bold-spoken knight, and thy freedom of speech weigheth not heavily
against thee with me. This young son of thine taketh after his sire both
in boldness of speech and of deed, for, as he sayeth, he stepped one
time betwixt me and death; wherefore I would pardon thee for his sake
even if thou hadst done more than thou hast. Rise all of you, for ye
shall suffer no harm through me this day, for it were pity that a merry
time should end in a manner as to mar its joyousness."
Then all arose and the King beckoned Robin Hood to come to him. "How
now," quoth he, "is thine ear still too deaf to hear me speak?"
"Mine ears would be deafened in death ere they would cease to hear Your
Majesty's voice," said Robin. "As for the blow that Your Majesty struck
me, I would say that though my sins are haply many, methinks they have
been paid up in full thereby."
"Thinkest thou so?" said the King with somewhat of sternness in his
voice. "Now I tell thee that but for three things, to wit, my
mercifulness, my love for a stout woodsman, and the loyalty thou hast
avowed for me, thine ears, mayhap, might have been more tightly closed
than ever a buffet from me could have shut them.
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