osterous charges, but contented herself merely with a single glance
towards them of malignant hate. Then she was gone; and people stirred
themselves uneasily, as folks do when having been within touch of the
plague.

The Sheriff had stared with protruding eyes of horror and dismay upon
his daughter. When he saw that she was gone, that the dreadful episode
was done, he gasped hurriedly and sat down. His mind became confused,
his vision obscured as by a cloud. The service was finished. Robin and
Marian, Geoffrey and Aimee (no longer of Aragon) were joined together
for the rest of their lives. The Bishop pronounced a blessing; and
forgetting himself utterly in the emotion of the moment, spoke fervently
and with purpose.

The King kissed the brides, and after him their husbands kissed them
also. Then all signed their names in the church books, and the
trumpeters and heralds made music for them.

They returned through the streets of Nottingham, gay now with flags and
merry with a joyful populace. Loud cheerings rent the air, and people
showered flowers and blessings upon them. Before the happy couples ran
six of the greenwood men, loyal subjects now, flinging largesse upon the
people right and left from out of well-filled bags. All the treasure
that they had accumulated in their caves at Barnesdale the King's bowmen
freely distributed this day. All were happy--the nightmare of unjust
dealings, of Norman oppression, of laws for the poor and none for the
rich, was ended. The King had said it, and the King had already made
good the promise in his words.

Afterward, at Gamewell, Richard conferred upon Montfichet full rank as
Baron of the Realm, with power to speak and vote in the Upper Court of
Appeal, the highest rank in the land, next to the King himself. Sir
Richard of the Lee and his son became members of the Star Chamber, with
grants of land in perpetuity.

Turning to Marian, the King wished her every joy that she could wish
herself, and gave to her the lands of Broadweald in Lancashire to hold
in her own right for ever. "Thus you shall have wealth to share with
your Robin; and I counsel you both to make good use of your days. My
subjects who are loyal to me shall have no cause to regret it. I will
give you, Aimee, the Castle of Acquitaine, which I held under my
father's grant until his death. You know how fair a spot it is, and how
sweet the sky of France! Help her to administer her riches, Geoffrey,
wisely and well;