"Yet I did see him, sir, and he knew me. Now here is my mother, who shall tell you how long we talked together yesterday. It is not likely that I would forget his voice."
"Well, well, perhaps you are right," said the Squire. "At any rate, we"ll keep sharp eyes for the rogue. Have you seen the miracle-play, Sister Nell?" he added now to Mistress Fitzooth.
"I have been waiting here for you," answered she, briefly, "Robin, what do you think of it all?"
Robin"s reply was drowned in the noise of the music made within the tents. It was so dreadful a din that all were fain to move away.
"See, mother, here is a wizard; let us go in here!" Robin had spied a dim, mysterious booth, outside of which were triangles and cones and fiery serpents coming forth from a golden pot, with cabalistic signs and figures about the sides of it. Standing there was a tall, aged man, clad in a long red robe and leaning upon a star-capped wand.
"Will you have the stars read to you, lording?" he asked, gravely.
"Ay, surely!" clamored Robin. "Come, mother mine; come, sir, let us ask him questions of Locksley, and hear what my father may be doing."
"Do you think that you will hear truth, child? Well, have your way. Will you join us, Nell--the business is a pleasing one, for these knaves have the tricks of their trade. But harkee, friends, give no real heed to the mummery."
The wizard ushered them into his tent. Then he dropped the edge of the canvas over the opening, shrouding them in complete darkness.
The Squire began an angry protest, thinking that now was a good chance for any confederate to rob them or cut their pockets: but the wizard, unheeding, struck suddenly upon a small gong. A little blue flame sprang up from a brazier at the far end of the tent.
In the strange light one could now see the furniture and appurtenances of this quaint place. They were curious enough, although few in number.
A globe, and a small table covered with a black cloth; a bench strewn with papers and parchments; and a skeleton of an ape, terribly deformed, were the chief items of the collection.
A curtain concealed part of the tent. Behind the brazier were hanging shelves covered with little bottles and phials. The wizard stretched his wand out towards the dancing blue flame, and it forthwith leaped up into a golden glory.
"Approach, Robin, son of Fitzooth the Ranger," commanded the wizard.
"Place your hand upon the globe and look down upon this table." He pushed away the black cloth, showing that the center of the table was made of flat green gla.s.s. "Look steadily, and tell me what you see."
"I see through it the gra.s.s of the ground on which we stand," said Robin. "There is naught else."
"Look again, Robin of Locksley."
Robin strained his eyes in the hope of discovering something of mystery.
But the flat gla.s.s was clear and disappointing.
"Let me take your place, Robin," said Mistress Fitzooth, impatiently.
But now the green of the gla.s.s began to fade; and it seemed to become opaque and misty. Robin dimly saw in it a sudden miniature picture of a glade in the forest of Sherwood, the trees moving under a south-west wind, and the gra.s.ses and flowers bowing together and trembling.
It seemed to be summer; the bracken was high and green. A man, clad in doublet and hose of Lincoln green, strode forward into the center of the picture. He was a slim fellow, not over tall, with a likeable face, bearded and bronzed; and a forester, too, if one might judge by the longbow which he carried. He wore no badge nor mark of servitude, however, and walked as a free man. His face, vaguely familiar, wore an expectant look. He turned his glances right and left. A low call sounded from the bushes on his left. Robin could hear it as a sound afar off.
The man cautiously moved towards the verge of the glade, and as he did so there came a shower of light laughter from the undergrowth. Pushing aside the bracken came forth two arms; a merry face appeared; then, quick as a flash, upstood a page, gaily clad, with black curly hair and strange eyes.
The man opened his arms to the lad, and then Robin saw that "twas no boy at all. It was a maid, joyous with life, playing such a prank as this that she might bring herself to her true love"s side.
Robin watched them delightedly. In some way he knew that in this mirrored picture _he_ was concerned to a curious degree; and when a cold cloud pa.s.sing above the glade took the sun and the light from it Robin felt an intense anxiety.
"Can you see aught now, Robin of the Woods?" murmured the soft voice of the wizard, and Robin would have asked him who was the man, if his tongue had been at command.
His eyes took all the strength of his brain. They waited furiously for the cloud to pa.s.s.
When all had become clear again the man was alone. His face was sorrowful, ill, and old. He was fitting an arrow to his bow, and his hand trembled as his fingers drew the string. He drew it slowly, almost wearily, yet with a practised gesture. Robin, watching him, saw the arrow leap forth from the picture.
"He is dying and shoots his last arrow--is it not so?" he uttered thickly, striving to understand.
While he spoke the vision faded and was gone.
CHAPTER IV
Robin started back angrily and faced the Squire. He began a confused complaint against the wizard, who had vanished behind the curtain on the left. Master Montfichet shrugged his shoulders indulgently.
"Give not so earnest a mind to these mummeries, child. "Twas all a trick! What did you see? A golden fortune and a happy life?"
"I did see a man, sir, dressed all in Lincoln green. He was like unto my father, in a way, and yet was not my father. Also there was a stripling page, who turned into a maid. Very beautiful she was, and I would know her again in any guise."
"Ah, Master Robin, have you eyes for the maids already?"
"This was so sweet a lady, sir, and in some manner I do think she died.
And the man shot an arrow, meaning me to see where it fell, since there would be her grave. That is what I think he meant. But then the picture was gone as quickly as it came."
"Sister Nell, do you hear these marvels? Take your place and let us see what the crystal can show to you. Most worthy conjurer of dreams, take up your wand again: we all are waiting impatiently to know what is in store for us!"
"These things are true that the gla.s.s mirror shows, lording," answered the wizard, reappearing. "The crystal cannot lie."
He spoke unwittingly in a natural key. Robin turned round upon him very shrewdly.
"Friend wizard," said the youth, half at random, "have you ever played at archery in that greenwood which your gla.s.s showed us so prettily?"
"Like as not, young master, though I am an old man."
"Fie on you, friend!" cried Robin, exulting in a sudden discovery.
"Remember that the crystal cannot lie. It tells me now that you and I will meet in rivalry, to shoot together for a strange prize--the freedom of Sherwood!"
The wizard hastily drew near and pretended to peer into the gla.s.s. "What would you do?" he whispered, fiercely.
"I can be generous, Will o" th" Green," spoke back Robin, quite sure now. "Keep your secret, for I will not betray you."
At this moment there uprose without the booth a most deafening tumult.
Forthwith all ran to the opening of the tent to see what might be amiss; but Master Will, who peeped out first, needed no more than one glance.
He gave way to the others very readily and retreated unperceived by the Squire and Mistress Fitzooth to the rear of the tent.
Cries of: "A Nottingham! A Nottingham!" rent the air, and added to the clangor of bells and trumpetings. As the Squire and Robin looked forth they beheld a flying crowd of men and women, all running and shouting.
Before them fled the stroller and his three sons, capless and terrified.
The old man"s triangle had been torn from him and was being jangled now by Nottingham fingers.