Meantime the stranger, who had been walking so slowly that all this talk was held before he came opposite the place where they were, neither quickened his pace nor seemed to see that such a man as Robin Hood was in the world.  So Robin stood in the middle of the road, waiting while the other walked slowly forward, smelling his rose, and looking this way and that, and everywhere except at Robin.

“Hold!” cried Robin, when at last the other had come close to him.  “Hold!  Stand where thou art!”

“Wherefore should I hold, good fellow?” said the stranger in soft and gentle voice.  “And wherefore should I stand where I am?  Ne’ertheless, as thou dost desire that I should stay, I will abide for a short time, that I may hear what thou mayst have to say to me.”

“Then,” quoth Robin, “as thou dost so fairly do as I tell thee, and dost give me such soft speech, I will also treat thee with all due courtesy.  I would have thee know, fair friend, that I am, as it were, a votary at the shrine of Saint Wilfred who, thou mayst know, took, willy-nilly, all their gold from the heathen, and melted it up into candlesticks.  Wherefore, upon such as come hereabouts, I levy a certain toll, which I use for a better purpose, I hope, than to make candlesticks withal.  Therefore, sweet chuck, I would have thee deliver to me thy purse, that I may look into it, and judge, to the best of my poor powers, whether thou hast more wealth about thee than our law allows.  For, as our good Gaffer Swanthold sayeth, ’He who is fat from overliving must needs lose blood.’”

All this time the youth had been sniffing at the rose that he held betwixt his thumb and finger.  “Nay,” said he with a gentle smile, when Robin Hood had done, “I do love to hear thee talk, thou pretty fellow, and if, haply, thou art not yet done, finish, I beseech thee.  I have yet some little time to stay.”

“I have said all,” quoth Robin, “and now, if thou wilt give me thy purse, I will let thee go thy way without let or hindrance so soon as I shall see what it may hold.  I will take none from thee if thou hast but little.”

“Alas!  It doth grieve me much,” said the other, “that I cannot do as thou dost wish.  I have nothing to give thee.  Let me go my way, I prythee.  I have done thee no harm.”

“Nay, thou goest not,” quoth Robin, “till thou hast shown me thy purse.”

“Good friend,” said the other gently, “I have business elsewhere.  I have given thee much time and have heard thee patiently.  Prythee, let me depart in peace.”

“I have spoken to thee, friend,” said Robin sternly, “and I now tell thee again, that thou goest not one step forward till thou hast done as I bid thee.”  So saying, he raised his quarterstaff above his head in a threatening way.

“Alas!” said the stranger sadly, “it doth grieve me that this thing must be.  I fear much that I must slay thee, thou poor fellow!” So saying, he drew his sword.