ode six men-at-arms, the sunlight flashing on their steel caps as they
came jingling up the dusty road.

So these also came to the church, and there Sir Stephen leaped from his
horse and, coming to the litter, handed fair Ellen out therefrom. Then
Robin Hood looked at her, and could wonder no longer how it came about
that so proud a knight as Sir Stephen of Trent wished to marry a common
franklin's daughter; nor did he wonder that no ado was made about the
matter, for she was the fairest maiden that ever he had beheld. Now,
however, she was all pale and drooping, like a fair white lily snapped
at the stem; and so, with bent head and sorrowful look, she went within
the church, Sir Stephen leading her by the hand.

"Why dost thou not play, fellow?" quoth the Bishop, looking sternly at
Robin.

"Marry," said Robin calmly, "I will play in greater wise than Your
Lordship thinks, but not till the right time hath come."

Said the Bishop to himself, while he looked grimly at Robin, "When this
wedding is gone by I will have this fellow well whipped for his saucy
tongue and bold speech."

And now fair Ellen and Sir Stephen stood before the altar, and the
Bishop himself came in his robes and opened his book, whereat fair Ellen
looked up and about her in bitter despair, like the fawn that finds the
hounds on her haunch. Then, in all his fluttering tags and ribbons of
red and yellow, Robin Hood strode forward. Three steps he took from the
pillar whereby he leaned, and stood between the bride and bridegroom.

"Let me look upon this lass," he said in a loud voice. "Why, how now!
What have we here? Here be lilies in the cheeks, and not roses such as
befit a bonny bride. This is no fit wedding. Thou, Sir Knight, so old,
and she so young, and thou thinkest to make her thy wife? I tell thee it
may not be, for thou art not her own true love."

At this all stood amazed, and knew not where to look nor what to think
or say, for they were all bewildered with the happening; so, while
everyone looked at Robin as though they had been changed to stone, he
clapped his bugle horn to his lips and blew three blasts so loud and
clear, they echoed from floor to rafter as though they were sounded by
the trump of doom. Then straightway Little John and Will Stutely came
leaping and stood upon either side of Robin Hood, and quickly drew their
broadswords, the while a mighty voice rolled over the heads of all,
"Here be I, good master, when thou wa