is knavish outlaw should be let to escape in
this wise; for, let him but get back to Sherwood Forest safe and sound,
and he may snap his fingers at king and king's men."

At these words the King raised his eyes and looked grimly upon the
Bishop. "Sayst thou so?" quoth he. "Now, I will show thee, in good
time, how much thou dost err, for, when the forty days are past and
gone, I will seize upon this thieving outlaw, if I have to tear down all
of Sherwood to find him. Thinkest thou that the laws of the King of
England are to be so evaded by one poor knave without friends or money?"

Then the Bishop spoke again, in his soft, smooth voice:

"Forgive my boldness, Your Majesty, and believe that I have nought but
the good of England and Your Majesty's desirings at heart; but what
would it boot though my gracious lord did root up every tree of
Sherwood? Are there not other places for Robin Hood's hiding? Cannock
Chase is not far from Sherwood, and the great Forest of Arden is not far
from Cannock Chase. Beside these are many other woodlands in Nottingham
and Derby, Lincoln and York, amid any of which Your Majesty might as
well think to seize upon Robin Hood as to lay finger upon a rat among
the dust and broken things of a garret. Nay, my gracious lord, if he
doth once plant foot in the woodland, he is lost to the law forever."

At these words the King tapped his fingertips upon the table beside him
with vexation. "What wouldst thou have me do, Bishop?" quoth he. "Didst
thou not hear me pledge my word to the Queen? Thy talk is as barren as
the wind from the bellows upon dead coals."

"Far be it from me," said the cunning Bishop, "to point the way to one
so clear-sighted as Your Majesty; but, were I the King of England, I
should look upon the matter in this wise: I have promised my Queen, let
us say, that for forty days the cunningest rogue in all England shall
have freedom to come and go; but, lo! I find this outlaw in my grasp;
shall I, then, foolishly cling to a promise so hastily given? Suppose
that I had promised to do Her Majesty's bidding, whereupon she bade me
to slay myself; should I, then, shut mine eyes and run blindly upon my
sword? Thus would I argue within myself. Moreover, I would say unto
myself, a woman knoweth nought of the great things appertaining to state
government; and, likewise, I know a woman is ever prone to take up a
fancy, even as she would pluck a daisy from the roadside, and then throw
i