Chapter 20 Chapter Twenty

In the long and melancholy autumn nights, The forest path is dim and dark, At this time, the sound of the hermit chanting scriptures How sweet to the lonely traveler's ear! Faith is aided by the melody of music, Music grows wings of faith, They cheer like birds to the sun, Soaring in the air, circling and flying to the sky. The Hermit of St. Clement's Spring After a three-hour walk, two of Cedric's servants and their mysterious guide arrived at a small clearing in the woods, in the center of which stood a mighty oak tree, with crossed branches and leaves stretching all around. , covering the ground.Four or five peasants stretched out and lay in the shade of the trees.The other person seemed to be on guard, pacing up and down under the hazy moonlight.

Hearing the sound of approaching footsteps, the sentry immediately issued a warning, and the lying person stood up suddenly, and picked up the bow and arrow.Six arrows were strung to the bowstring, and aimed in the direction of the visitor, but when they recognized their guide, they immediately became joyful, and greeted him with respect and enthusiasm; The smoke cleared. Where is the miller?is his first question. He has gone to Rotherham. How many people did you bring?asked the guide, and it seemed he was a leader. With six people, if St. Nicholas blesses, he will be able to return with a full reward.

Just have faith, said Locksley. Where's Alan Adair? Go up Watling Avenue and scout Elder Jurvaux's whereabouts. That's a good idea, the leader said, where is the monk? in his own cabin. I'll go there, then, said Locksley, and you split up and find your mates, and gather as many as you can, because there's a big deal to do, and it's going to take some effort to get it off the ground.Meet me here before dawn.Oh wait, he said again, I forgot one most essential thing.The two of you set off at once, and take a trip to Torquay Stone, the castle of General Buffalo.A group of warriors disguised as us are sending a group of captives there.Keep an eye on them, for even if they reach the castle before our forces are assembled, we will punish them, it is a matter of our honor, and we must try to do so.They need to be closely monitored, and you have to assign a buddy, the fastest one, to inquire about the situation of the fellow villagers in that area, and report to me immediately.

Assuring that they would absolutely do so, they flew away with their respective tasks; at the same time their leader, and his two companions who had now admired him and respected and feared him, set off immediately and hurried to The Hermitage of Copmanhurst. Soon they came to the small open space under the moonlight, and saw the sacred but dilapidated chapel and the simple hermitage, which really seemed to be a place isolated from the world and practicing hard, so Wang Ba whispered to Ge Si : If this is a robber's dwelling, then the old saying is true: the closer you are to church, the further you are from God.I could swear on my clown hat, that phrase is even more appropriate here.Listen, what nonsense hymns they sing in the hermitage!

Indeed, the hermit and his guest were singing an old drinking song with loud, stout voices, which repeated these lines over and over again: Come, fill the bowl with wine and pass it to me, Good boy, oh boy, Come, fill the bowl with wine and pass it to me, Jolly bastard, don't drink and play with me, Come, fill the bowl with wine and pass it to me. Yo, this song is not bad, Wang Ba said, and hummed a few lines along with it, but I swear by the name of the saint, in the hermit's practice room, who would have expected that in the middle of the night, drinking and singing loudly !

Come on, don't make a fuss, said Ge Si, everyone knows that the priest in Copmanhurst has always been free, and half of the deer poached in this area are killed by him.It was said that the forest ranger had reported him to his superiors, and that if he did not correct himself he would have to strip his turban and cassock. While they were thus talking, Locksley's loud shouts and repeated knocks at the door finally woke the hermit and his guest out of their joy, by my rosary, said the hermit, hastening to a loud chorus, Another guest is coming to stay overnight.I'm a monk, but I can't let them see what we've done.Lazy man, every man has his adversary; some are vicious, I just treat you to dinner for three hours because you are tired from traveling, and they will spread rumors and say it's carnival and mischief, As if it were a crime against my profession and my character.

These nonsense villains!replied the knight, I should like to whip them.But you are right, Father, that every man has his opponent; and there are many in this land, to whom I would rather speak through the bars of my helmet than to have them see my true face. Put your iron hat on then, lazier boy, don't dawdle, hurry up, said the hermit, and let me clear up these drinking vessels; somehow the wine seems to have run into my head, saying Really, it gets foggy.Hey, please sing along with me, and sing louder, lest people hear the clatter of bottles and cans.It doesn't matter what to sing, even I don't know what to sing.

Saying so, he opened his voice and sang, like thunder, I beg you from the abyss [Note: Christian hymn. 】, and at the same time, under the cover of singing, clear away the utensils on the dining table.The knight laughed aloud, taking the opportunity to put on his helmet and visor, suppressing his laughter from time to time as much as he could, and cheering his master loudly. What the hell are you praying at this time?the voice outside the door asked. May God forgive you, Mr Traveler!replied the Hermit; his own cry, and perhaps the drink of the night, had prevented him from recognizing the voice so familiar to him, and in the name of God and St. Dunstan, go your way, Do not disturb the prayers of me and my brother monks.

The priest went mad, said the voice outside the door, open the door, I am Locksley! Now you can rest assured that nothing will happen.said the hermit to his companions. But who is he?The knight in black armor said, this has a lot to do with me, and I must know. who is he!The hermit answered, I tell you, he is a friend. But what friends?asked the knight, because he may be your friend, but not mine. What friend!The hermit replied that the question was easy to ask but not easy to answer.What friend!Well, he asked me to think about it, yes, it was the upright forester I told you just now. Yes, as you are, you are a pious monk, and he is a righteous forester, answered the knight, no doubt about it, but you will open the door, lest he break the hinges.

At this time, the two dogs who barked so terribly at the beginning of the negotiation seemed to have recognized the voice of the person outside the door, and their attitudes changed suddenly. While pawing at the door, they barked sadly, as if they were pleading for him , to let him into the house.The hermit immediately unbolted the door, and Loxley and his two companions entered the house. Why, hermit, the farmer asks this question when he sees the knight, is this your friend who sings and drinks with you?who is he? A brother of our order, replied the monk, shaking his head, we spent the night in prayer here.

He's a Brother of the Army Order, I suppose, replied Locksley, and there are plenty of such people out there, and I tell you, Brother, you've got to put down your rosary and take up your stick; All are called together, whether he is a monk or a layman.But, he said, pull him aside, you're crazy, aren't you?Letting an unknown knight into your house?Have you forgotten our rules? do not know?The friar bravely replied, I know him as well as a beggar knows his plate. So what's his name?Locksley asked. His name is Hermit Road, and he's Brother Anthony of Scrumble Abbey; you think I'll drink with a man whose name I don't know! You have had too much to drink, monk.The farmer said, I am afraid he also said a lot of things that should not be said. Good farmer, said the knight, don't be angry with my merry master.He just invited me to have a meal. In fact, if he refused, I would force him to invite me. You force me!The monk said, "Just wait and see, when I take off this gray cloth clothes, put on a green coat, and pick up an iron-headed wooden stick, if I don't beat you to the bum, even if I'm not a real monk, I can't be considered a good hunter." As he said, he took off his robe, revealing a tight-fitting coarse black jacket and trousers, then put on a green coat and overalls of the same color, please do me a favor and fasten these belts tightly, he said to Wang Ba Said, I can give you a glass of wine, I will not ask you to do it for nothing. Thank you for being old, Wang Ba replied, but is it illegal for me to help you turn a monk into a robber? Don't be afraid, the hermit said, I will repent of the sins I committed in my green coat to the monks in my gray coat, and everything will be averted. That's great!The clown replied, the coarse cloth coat has committed a crime, and the linen coat will confess for him. I, the one in the colorful clown coat, did something bad, and you, the one in the monk's robe, can also help you out of the misfortune. As he spoke, he helped the monk fasten the countless straps connecting his jacket and trousers one by one. While they were doing this, Locksley called the knight aside and said to him: Don't deny it, Mr. Knight, you were the one who helped the English side beat the foreigners at Ashby's tournament on the second day. So what, my friend, if you guessed right?asked the knight. Then I think, you are the friend of the weak.replied the peasant. This is the minimum duty of a real knight, the black-armored warrior replied, I naturally don't want others to see me that way. But in my opinion, says the farmer, you ought not only to be a good knight, but a good Englishman; The responsibility is especially heavy for those who were actually born in the UK. No one will value the interests of the UK more than I do, and care more about the lives of every British person, so you can rest assured.replied the knight. That's what I want to believe, said the redneck, because this country has never needed the support of those who love it.Hear me, there's a great thing to do now, and if you're as good as you say, you too can take part in this honorable operation.A gang of thugs, disguised as nobler men than themselves, took away a righteous Englishman called Cedric the Saxon, and his adopted daughter, Athelstan of Coningsberg, a friend of his, and put They were imprisoned in Torquaystone Castle in this forest.You, a good knight and a good Englishman, I ask you, will you do your part to save them? By my oath, I ought to do so, replied the knight, but you ask me to help them, and I wish to know who you are? I'm just a nobody, said the peasant, but I'm a friend of my country and a friend of my country's friend.I can only go so far, and you don't have to ask, especially since you yourself don't want to be named.But believe me, my word is true, as reliable as a knight's oath. I am sure of it, said the knight. I have always been good at watching people's faces, and I see integrity and firmness in yours.Therefore I will not ask any more questions, but I will help you to set free those oppressed captives; and when that is done, I trust that we shall gain a better understanding and mutual satisfaction. At this time, with the help of Wang Ba, the monk finished dressing up.The clown walked to the other side of the room, heard the result of the conversation, and said to Ge Si: So we found another helper?I believe the bravery of a knight is more useful than the prayers of a hermit and the integrity of a countryman; for the fellow Loxley is like a deer-hunting thief in the woods, and the friar a hypocrite. Don't talk too much, Mr. Ge Si replied, everything may be as you guessed, but if the devil tells me that he is willing to help and save Cedric and Miss Rowena, I am afraid I will not refuse because of my faith in God. Help of the devil, tell him to leave my business alone. Now the monk is fully dressed as a farmer, holding a knife and shield, carrying a bow and arrow, and carrying a thick halberd.He led the group out of the house, carefully locked the door, and hid the key under the threshold. How is your current situation? Is that big bowl of wine still playing tricks on your mind?Locksley said. Just one more drink of St. Dunstan's spring and I'll be all right, replied the priest. My head is still buzzing, and my legs are a little weak, but you see, it will all pass in a moment. As he spoke, he walked towards the stone urn. The bubbles formed when the spring water fell were dancing under the clear moonlight. He bent down and took a long gulp, as if he wanted to drink up a basin of water. I am afraid you have never drank so much water at one gulp, my priest of Copmanhurst?Said the black armored knight. No, once my cask leaked, and the wine slipped through that illicit tunnel, and I got nothing to drink, but lived on the charity of my patron saint, and I drank as much in one gulp then.replied the monk. Then he plunged his hands and head into the spring water, and washed away all traces of the night's great eating and drinking. Now the happy monk finally came to his senses, looking radiant, lifted the heavy halberd with two fingers as if holding a reed, swung it three times above his head, and shouted loudly: Where are the goddam thugs who rob women?If I can't handle ten of them, I'm the fucking grandson of the devil! Father, do you want to curse?said the black knight. Don't call me priest, replied the priest in disguise, by St. George and the White Dragon, I'm a monk with shaved hair in my gray cassock.As long as I put on my green coat, I'll be drinking, swearing, and chasing girls like any other merry mate in the West End woods. Come on, stop messing around.Be quiet, said Locksley, you are making more noise than the whole monastery on festival nights after the elders go to bed.You guys, please go too, don't be slow, just talk; really, we have to go fast, we must muster all our forces, as many as possible, because this is to attack the castle of the bull-faced general Reginald . What!Is that General Cow Noodle?Said the black knight, he robbed the king's subjects on the road?He really became a thief, can't he oppress the common people? He has always oppressed civilians.Locksley said. As for the thief, said the priest, I tell you, he is twice as bad as many robbers I know. Father, go quickly, don't talk anymore, the farmer said, you'd better lead the way and lead everyone to the assembly point; don't say anything you shouldn't say, you should be more solemn and cautious.