Collected Poems Volume II Part 63

THIRD MASKER

Or shall I say that I Was out in Palestine?

[_They pa.s.s. Enter little ARTHUR PLANTAGENET. He comes up to ROBIN HOOD._]

ARTHUR

Are you not Robin Hood?

ROBIN

Hush, Arthur. Don't you see I wear a mask Like all the rest to-night?

ARTHUR

Why do they wear Masks?

ROBIN

They must always wear some sort of mask At court. Sometimes they wear them all their lives.

ARTHUR

You are jesting, Robin. Now I wanted you To tell me tales of Sherwood. Tell me how You saved Will Scarlet.

ROBIN

Why, I've told you that A score of times.

ARTHUR

I know, I want to hear it Again. Well, tell me of that afternoon When Lion-Heart came home from the Crusade.

I have often thought of that. It must have been Splendid! You weren't expecting it at all?

ROBIN

No, not at all; but, Arthur, tell me first Have you seen Lady Marian?

ARTHUR

Yes, I saw her Treading a measure with my Uncle John!

ROBIN

Stand where you are and watch; and, if you see her, Beckon her. Then I'll tell you how the King Came home from the Crusade.

ARTHUR

First, let me tell you Just how I think it was. It must have been Like a great picture. All your outlaws there Sitting around your throne of turf, and you Judging the rich and poor. That's how it was Last night, I dreamed of it; and you were taking The baron's gold and giving it to the halt And blind; and then there was a great big light Between the trees, as if a star had come Down to the earth and caught among the boughs, With beams like big soft swords amongst the ferns And leaves, and through the light a mighty steed Stepped, and the King came home from the Crusade.

Was it like that? Was there a s.h.i.+ning light?

ROBIN

I think there must have been, a blinding light,

ARTHUR

Filling an arch of leaves?

ROBIN

Yes!

ARTHUR

That was it!

That's how the King came home from the Crusade.

ROBIN

But there--you've told the story!

ARTHUR

Ah, not all!

ROBIN

No, not quite all. What's that?

[_The music suddenly stops. The maskers crowd together whispering excitedly._]

ARTHUR

Why have they stopped The music? Ah, there's Hubert. Shall I ask him?

ROBIN

Yes, quickly, and come back!

[_ARTHUR runs up to a masker. Several go by hurriedly._]

FIRST MASKER

The King is dead!

SECOND MASKER

Where did it happen? France?