  Scene I. Sherwood Forest: An open glade, showing on the right the mouth of the outlaw's cave. It is about sunset. The giant figure of Little John comes out of the cave, singing. know! I thought your woes,Those tawdry relics of your treacheries, Wrongs quite unparalleled. I would have fought Roland himself to prove you spotless then. ELINOR Oh, you speak thus to me! Robin, beware! I have come to you, I have trampled on my pride, Set all on this one cast! If you should now Reject me, humble me to the dust before That girl, beware! I never forget, I warn you; I never forgive. ROBIN Are you so proud of that? ELINOR Ah, well, forgive me, Robin. I'll save you yet From all these troubles of your outlawry! Trust me—for I can wind my poor Prince John Around my little finger. Who knows—with me To help you—there are but my two sons' lives That greatly hinder it—why, yourself might reign Upon the throne of England. ROBIN Are you so wrapped In treacheries, helplessly false, even to yourself, That now you do not know falsehood from truth, Darkness from light? ELINOR O Robin, I was true At least to you. If I were false to others, At least I— ROBIN No—not that—that sickening plea Of truth in treachery. Treachery cannot live With truth. The soul wherein they are wedded dies Of leprosy. ELINOR [Coming closer to him.] Have you no pity, Robin, No kinder word than this for the poor creature That crept—Ah, feel my heart, feel how it beats! No pity? ROBIN Five years ago this might have moved me! ELINOR No pity? ROBIN None. There is no more to say. My men shall guide you safely through the wood. ELINOR I never forgive! [Enter Marian from the cave; she stands silent and startled.] ROBIN My men shall guide you back. [Calls.] Ho, there, my lads! [Enter several of the Outlaws.] This lady needs a guide Back thro' the wood. ELINOR Good-bye, then, Robin, and good-bye to you, Sweet mistress! You have wronged me! What of that? For—when we meet—Come, lead on, foresters! [Exeunt the Queen and her guides.] MARIAN O Robin, Robin, how the clouds begin To gather—how that woman seems to have brought A nightmare on these woods. ROBIN Forget it all! She is so tangled in those lies the world Draws round some men and women, none can help her. Marian, for God's sake, let us quite forget That nightmare! Oh, that perfect brow of yours, Those perfect eyes, pure as the violet wells That only mirror heaven and are not dimmed Except by clouds that drift thro' heaven and catch God's glory in the sunset and the dawn. MARIAN It is enough for them simply to speak The love they hold for you. But—I still fear. Robin—think you—she might have overheard Your plan—the rescue of Will Scarlet? ROBIN Why— No—No—some time had passed, and yet—she seemed To have heard your charge against her! No, she guessed it. Come—let us brush these cobwebs from our minds. Look how the first white star begins to tremble Like a big blossom in that sycamore. Now you shall hear our forest ritual. Ho, Little John! Summon the lads together! [The Outlaws come out of the cave. Little John blows a bugle and others come in from the forest.] Friar, read us the rules. FRIAR TUCK First, shall no man Presume to call our Robin Hood or any By name of Earl, lord, baron, knight or squire, But simply by their names as men and brothers: Second, that Lady Marian while she shares Our outlaw life in Sherwood shall be called Simply Maid Marian. Thirdly, we that follow Robin, shall never in thought or word or deed Do harm to widow, wife or maid; but hold, Each, for his mother's or sister's or sweetheart's sake, The glory of womanhood, a sacred thing, A star twixt earth and heaven. Fourth, whomsoever Ye meet in Sherwood ye shall bring to dine With Robin, saving carriers, posts and folk That ride with food to serve the market towns Or any, indeed, that serve their fellow men. Fifth, you shall never do the poor man wrong, Nor spare a priest or usurer. You shall take The waste wealth of the rich to help the poor, The baron's gold to stock the widow's cupboard, The naked ye shall clothe, the hungry feed, And lastly shall defend with all your power All that are trampled under by the w "i18">[Curtain.] |
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