His journey
from London had been hard and long, and in a se'ennight he had traveled
sevenscore and more of miles. He thought now to travel on without
stopping until he had come to Sherwood, but ere he had gone a half a
score of miles he felt his strength giving way beneath him like a river
bank which the waters have undermined. He sat him down and rested, but
he knew within himself that he could go no farther that day, for his
feet felt like lumps of lead, so heavy were they with weariness. Once
more he arose and went forward, but after traveling a couple of miles
he was fain to give the matter up, so, coming to an inn just then, he
entered and calling the landlord, bade him show him to a room, although
the sun was only then just sinking in the western sky. There were but
three bedrooms in the place, and to the meanest of these the landlord
showed Robin Hood, but little Robin cared for the looks of the place,
for he could have slept that night upon a bed of broken stones. So,
stripping off his clothes without more ado, he rolled into the bed and
was asleep almost ere his head touched the pillow.
Not long after Robin had so gone to his rest a great cloud peeped
blackly over the hills to the westward. Higher and higher it arose
until it piled up into the night like a mountain of darkness. All around
beneath it came ever and anon a dull red flash, and presently a short
grim mutter of the coming thunder was heard. Then up rode four stout
burghers of Nottingham Town, for this was the only inn within
five miles' distance, and they did not care to be caught in such a
thunderstorm as this that was coming upon them.
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