سر ریچارد به راهب پول پرداخت کرد

CHAPTER 7 - Sir Richard Pays the Abbot

At twelve o’clock the next day, the Abbot of St Mary’s was in his great dining room. On the table there were bags of gold. He went to the window and looked out.

‘Sir Richard of Lee is here at the right time, I see,’ he thought.

‘But his clothes are poor, and his horse is old. Good! I think my friend, the sheriff, is right. Sir Richard cannot pay my one thousand, one hundred pounds. So this evening, I will be Lord of his house and his lands!’

A few minutes later, Sir Richard and Little John came into the room.

‘Well,’ said the abbot, ‘you are here at the right time. Do you have my money ?’

‘My Lord Abbot,’ Sir Richard began, ‘you are a church man. I hope you will be kind. Next year …’

‘Stop!’ shouted the abbot. ‘Do not ask for more time! I want my money now Pay me the one thousand, one hundred pounds, or your house and lands will be mine this evening!’

Sir Richard then put six bags of gold on the abbot’s table. ‘Here are six hundred pounds, My Lord,’ he said quietly. ‘There is one hundred in each bag. It is a lot of money for me. Next year I hope …’

‘Not next year, or next month, or next week!’ shouted the abbot again. ‘I want all my money today! Do you have my gold -yes or no?’ Then Little John put five more bags on the table.

‘Here you are, My Lord,’ he said. ‘Five hundred more pounds. This good man and his family will sleep in their home tonight.’ The abbot looked at the money, then he looked at Little John. The abbot’s face was very red. He opened his mouth and then closed it again.

What could he say?

Later, in the forest, Little John told the story to Robin Hood and the other men.

‘The abbot’s face was wonderful,’ said Little John. ‘He was angry, but he had to take the money’

They laughed for a long time, but then Robin said, ‘This was a fine adventure. But the abbot will tell the sheriff, and the sheriff will also be angry. They are dangerous men. Sir Richard has to be careful.’