CHAPTER XXXII. A TAVERN BRAWL.
On the following day, accordingly, we started. But the news of the twokings' successes, and particularly the certainty which these had bred inmany minds that nothing short of a miracle could save Paris, had movedso many gentlemen to take the road that we found the inns crowded beyondexample, and were frequently forced into meetings which made the taskof concealing our identity more difficult and hazardous than I hadexpected. Sometimes shelter was not to be obtained on any terms, andthen we had to lie in the fields or in any convenient shed. Moreover,the passage of the army had swept the country so bare both of food andforage, that these commanded astonishing prices; and a long day's ridemore than once brought us to our destination without securing for us theample meal we had earned, and required.
Under these circumstances, it was with joy little short of transportthat I recognised the marvellous change which had come over my mistress.Bearing all without a murmur, or a frown, or so much as one complainingword, she acted on numberless occasions so as to convince me that shespoke truly--albeit I scarcely dared to believe it--when she said thatshe had but one trouble in the world, and that was the prospect of ourcoming separation.
For my part, and despite some gloomy moments, when fear of the futureovercame me, I rode in Paradise riding by my mistress. It was herpresence which glorified alike the first freshness of the morning, whenwe started with all the day before us, and the coolness of the lateevening, when we rode hand-in-hand. Nor could I believe without aneffort that I was the same Gaston de Marsac who she had once spurnedand disdained. God knows I was thankful for her love. A thousand times,thinking of my grey hairs, I asked her if she did not repent; and athousand times she answered No, with so much happiness in her eyes thatI was fain to thank God again and believe her.
Notwithstanding the inconvenience of the practice, we made it a ruleto wear our masks whenever we appeared in public; and this rule me keptmore strictly as we approached Paris. It exposed us to some comment andmore curiosity, but led to no serious trouble until we reached Etampes,twelve leagues from the capital; where we found the principal inn sonoisy and crowded, and so much disturbed by the constant coming andgoing of couriers, that it required no experience to predicate theneighbourhood of the army. The great courtyard seemed to be choked witha confused mass of men and horses, through which we made our way withdifficulty. The windows of the house were all open, and offered us aview of tables surrounded by men eating and drinking hastily, as themanner of travellers is. The gateway and the steps of the house werelined with troopers and servants and sturdy rogues; who scanned all whopassed in or out, and not unfrequently followed them with ribald jestsand nicknames. Songs and oaths, brawling and laughter, with the neighingof horses and the huzzas of the beggars, who shouted whenever a freshparty arrived, rose above all, and increased the reluctance with which Iassisted madame and mademoiselle to dismount.
Simon was no match for such an occasion as this; but the stalwart aspectof the three men whom Maignan had left with me commanded respect, andattended by two of these I made a way for the ladies--not without someopposition and a few oaths--to enter the house. The landlord, whom wefound crushed into a corner inside, and entirely overborne by the crowdwhich had invaded his dwelling, assured me that he had not the smallestgarret he could place at my disposal; but I presently succeeded infinding a small room at the top, which I purchased from the four men whohad taken possession of it. As it was impossible to get anything toeat there, I left a man on guard, and myself descended with madame andmademoiselle to the eating-room, a large chamber set with long boards,and filled with a rough and noisy crew. Under a running fire ofobservations we entered, and found with difficulty three seats in aninner corner of the room.
I ran my eye over the company, and noticed among them, besides a dozentravelling parties like our own, specimens of all those classes whichare to be found in the rear of an army. There were some officers andmore horse-dealers; half a dozen forage-agents and a few priests; with alarge sprinkling of adventurers, braves, and led-captains, and here andthere two or three whose dress and the deference paid to them by theirneighbours seemed to indicate a higher rank. Conspicuous among theselast were a party of four who occupied a small table by the door. Anattempt had been made to secure some degree of privacy for them byinterposing a settle between them and the room; and their attendants,who seemed to be numerous, did what they could to add to this by fillingthe gap with their persons. One of the four, a man of handsome dressand bearing, who sat in the place of honour, was masked, as we were. Thegentleman at his right hand I could not see. The others, whom I couldsee, were strangers to me.
Some time elapsed before our people succeeded in procuring us any food,and during the interval we were exposed to an amount of comment on thepart of those round us which I found very little to my liking. Therewere not half a dozen women present, and this and our masks rendered mycompanions unpleasantly conspicuous. Aware, however, of the importanceof avoiding an altercation which might possibly detain us, and wouldbe certain to add to our notoriety, I remained quiet; and presently theentrance of a tall, dark-complexioned man, who carried himself witha peculiar swagger, and seemed to be famous for something or other,diverted the attention of the company from us.
The new-comer was somewhat of Maignan's figure. He wore a back andbreast over a green doublet, and had an orange feather in his cap and anorange-lined cloak on his shoulder. On entering he stood a moment in thedoorway, letting his bold black eyes rove round the room, the while hetalked in a loud braggart fashion to his companions. There was a lack ofbreeding in the man's air, and something offensive in his look; which Inoticed produced wherever it rested a momentary silence and constraint.When he moved farther into the room I saw that he wore a very longsword, the point of which trailed a foot behind him.
He chose out for his first attentions the party of four whom I havementioned; going up to them and accosting them with a ruffling air,directed especially to the gentleman in the mask. The latter lifted hishead haughtily on finding himself addressed by a stranger, but did notoffer to answer. Someone else did, however, for a sudden bellow likethat of an enraged bull proceeded from behind the settle. The words werelost in noise, the unseen speaker's anger seeming so overpowering thathe could not articulate; but the tone and voice, which were in some wayfamiliar to me, proved enough for the bully, who, covering his retreatwith a profound bow, backed out rapidly, muttering what was doubtless anapology. Cocking his hat more fiercely to make up for this repulse,he next proceeded to patrol the room, scowling from side to side as hewent, with the evident intention of picking a quarrel with someone lessformidable.
By ill-chance his eye lit, as he turned, on our masks. He said somethingto his companions; and encouraged, no doubt, by the position ofour seats at the board, which led him to think us people of smallconsequence, he came to a stop opposite us.
'What! more dukes here?' he cried scoffingly. 'Hallo, you sir!' hecontinued to me, 'will you not unmask and drink a glass with me?'
I thanked him civilly, but declined.
His insolent eyes were busy, while I spoke, with madame's fair hair andhandsome figure, which her mask failed to hide. 'Perhaps the ladies willhave better taste, sir,' he said rudely. 'Will they not honour us with asight of their pretty faces?'
Knowing the importance of keeping my temper I put constraint on myself,and answered, still with civility, that they were greatly fatigued andwere about to retire.
'Zounds!' he cried, 'that is not to be borne. If we are to lose them sosoon, the more reason we should enjoy their BEAUX YEUX while we can.A short life and a merry one, sir. This is not a nunnery, nor, I dareswear, are your fair friends nuns.'
Though I longed to chastise him for this insult, I feigned deafness,and went on with my meal as if I had not heard him; and the table beingbetween us prevented him going beyond words. After he had uttered one ortwo coarse jests of a similar character, which cost us less as we weremasked, and our emotions could only be g
uessed, the crowd about us,seeing I took the thing quietly, began to applaud him; but more as itseemed to me out of fear than love. In this opinion I was presentlyconfirmed on hearing from Simon who whispered the information in myear as he handed a dish--that the fellow was an Italian captain in theking's pay, famous for his skill with the sword and the many duels inwhich he had displayed it.
Mademoiselle, though she did not know this, bore with his insolence witha patience which astonished me; while madame appeared unconscious of it.Nevertheless, I was glad when he retired and left us in peace. I seizedthe moment of his absence to escort the ladies through the room andupstairs to their apartment, the door of which I saw locked and secured.That done I breathed more freely; and feeling thankful that I had beenable to keep my temper, took the episode to be at an end.
But in this I was mistaken, as I found when I returned to the room inwhich we had supped, my intention being to go through it to the stables.I had not taken two paces across the floor before I found my roadblocked by the Italian, and read alike in his eyes and in the facesof the company--of whom many hastened to climb the tables to see whatpassed--that the meeting was premeditated. The man's face was flushedwith wine; proud of his many victories, he eyed me with a boastfulcontempt my patience had perhaps given him the right to feel.
'Ha! well met, sir,' he said, sweeping the floor with his cap in anexaggeration of respect, 'now, perhaps, your high-mightiness willcondescend to unmask? The table is no longer between us, nor are yourfair friends here to protect their CHER AMI!'
'If I still refuse, sir,' I said civilly, wavering between anger andprudence, and hoping still to avoid a quarrel which might endangerus all, 'be good enough to attribute it to private motives, and to nodesire to disoblige you.'
'No, I do not think you wish to disoblige me,' he answered, laughingscornfully--and a dozen voices echoed the gibe. 'But for your privatemotives, the devil take them! Is that plain enough, sir?'
'It is plain enough to show me that you are an ill-bred man!' Ianswered, choler getting the better of me. 'Let me pass, sir.'
'Unmask!' he retorted, moving so as still to detain me, 'or shall I callin the grooms to perform the office for you?'
Seeing at last that all my attempts to evade the man only fed hisvanity, and encouraged him to further excesses, and that the motleycrowd, who filled the room and already formed a circle round us, hadmade up their minds to see sport, I would no longer balk them; I couldno longer do it, indeed, with honour. I looked round, therefore, forsomeone whom I might enlist as my second, but I saw no one with whomI had the least acquaintance. The room was lined from table to ceilingwith mocking faces and scornful eyes all turned to me.
My opponent saw the look, and misread it; being much accustomed, Iimagine, to a one-sided battle. He laughed contemptuously. 'No, myfriend, there is no way out of it,' he said. 'Let me see your prettyface, or fight.'
'So be it,' I said quietly. 'If I have no other choice, I will fight.'
'In your mask?' he cried incredulously.
'Yes,' I said sternly, feeling every nerve tingle with long-suppressedrage. 'I will fight as I am. Off with your back and breast, if you area man. And I will so deal with you that if you see to-morrow's sun youshall need a mask for the rest of your days!'
'Ho! ho!' he answered, scowling at me in surprise, 'you sing in adifferent key now. But I will put a term to it. There is space enoughbetween these tables, if you can use your weapon; and much more than youwill need to-morrow.'
'To-morrow will show,' I retorted.
Without more ado he unfastened the buckles of his breast-piece, andrelieving himself of it, stepped back a pace. Those of the bystanderswho occupied the part of the room he indicated--a space bounded byfour tables, and not unfit for the purpose, though somewhatconfined--hastened to get out of it, and seize instead upon neighbouringposts of 'vantage. The man's reputation was such, and his fame so great,that on all sides I heard naught but wagers offered against me at odds;but this circumstance, which might have flurried a younger man andnumbed his arm, served only to set me on making the most of suchopenings as the fellow's presumption and certainty of success would besure to afford.
The news of the challenge running through the house had brought togetherby this time so many people as to fill the room from end to end, andeven to obscure the light, which was beginning to wane. At the lastmoment, when we were on the point of engaging, a slight commotion markedthe admission to the front of three or four persons, whose consequenceor attendants gained them this advantage. I believed them to be theparty of four I have mentioned, but at the time I could not be certain.
In the few seconds of waiting while this went forward I examined ourrelative positions with the fullest intention of killing the man--whoseglittering eyes and fierce smile filled me with a loathing which wasvery nearly hatred--if I could. The line of windows lay to my right andhis left. The evening light fell across us, whitening the row of faceson my left, but leaving those on my right in shadow. It occurred to meon the instant that my mask was actually an advantage, seeing that itprotected my sight from the side-light, and enabled me to watch his eyesand point with more concentration.
'You will be the twenty-third man I have killed!' he said boastfully, aswe crossed swords and stood an instant on guard.
'Take care!' I answered. 'You have twenty-three against you!'
A swift lunge was his only answer. I parried it, and thrust, and we fellto work. We had not exchanged half a dozen blows, however, before I sawthat I should need all the advantage which my mask and greater cautiongave me. I had met my match, and it might be something more; but thatfor a time it was impossible to tell. He had the longer weapon, and Ithe longer reach. He preferred the point, after the new Italian fashion,and I the blade. He was somewhat flushed with wine, while my arm hadscarcely recovered the strength of which illness had deprived me.
On the other hand, excited at the first by the cries of his backers,he played rather wildly; while I held myself prepared, and keeping up astrong guard, waited cautiously for any opening or mistake on his part.
The crowd round us, which had hailed our first passes with noisy criesof derision and triumph, fell silent after a while, surprised and takenaback by their champion's failure to spit me at the first onslaught. Myreluctance to engage had led them to predict a short fight and an easyvictory.
Convinced of the contrary, they began to watch each stroke with batedbreath; or now and again, muttering the name of Jarnac, broke intobrief exclamations as a blow more savage than usual drew sparks from ourblades, and made the rafters ring with the harsh grinding of steel onsteel.
The surprise of the crowd, however, was a small thing compared with thatof my adversary. Impatience, disgust, rage and doubt chased one anotherin turn across his flushed features. Apprised that he had to do witha swordsman, he put forth all his power. With spite in his eyes helaboured blow on blow, he tried one form of attack after another, hefound me equal, if barely equal, to all. And then at last there came achange. The perspiration gathered on his brow, the silence disconcertedhim; he felt his strength failing under the strain, and suddenly, Ithink, the possibility of defeat and death, unthought of before, burstupon him. I heard him groan, and for a moment he fenced wildly. Thenhe again recovered himself. But now I read terror in his eyes, and knewthat the moment of retribution was at hand. With his back to the table,and my point threatening his breast, he knew at last what those othershad felt!
He would fain have stopped to breathe, but I would not let him though myblows also were growing feeble, and my guard weaker; for I knew thatif I gave him time to recover himself he would have recourse to othertricks, and might out-manoeuvre me in the end. As it was, my blackunchanging mask, which always confronted him, which hid all emotionsand veiled even fatigue, had grown to be full of terror to him--fullof blank, passionless menace. He could not tell how I fared, or what Ithought, or how my strength stood. Superstitious dread was on him, andthreatened, to overpower him. Ignorant who I was or
whence I came,he feared and doubted, grappling with monstrous suspicions, which thefading light encouraged. His face broke out in blotches, his breathcame and went in gasps, his eyes began to protrude. Once or twice theyquitted mine for a part of a second to steal a despairing glance at therows of onlookers that ran to right and left of us. But he read no pitythere.
At last the end came--more suddenly than I had looked for it, but Ithink he was unnerved. His hand lost its grip of the hilt, and a parrywhich I dealt a little more briskly than usual sent the weaponflying among the crowd, as much to my astonishment as to that of thespectators. A volley of oaths and exclamations hailed the event; and fora moment I stood at gaze, eyeing him watchfully. He shrank back; then hemade for a moment as if he would fling himself upon me dagger inhand. But seeing my point steady, he recoiled a second time, his facedistorted with rage and fear.
'Go!' I said sternly. 'Begone! Follow your sword! But spare the next manyou conquer.'
He stared at me, fingering his dagger as if he did not understand, oras if in the bitterness of his shame at being so defeated even life wereunwelcome. I was about to repeat my words when a heavy hand fell on myshoulder.
'Fool!' a harsh growling voice muttered in my ear. 'Do you want him toserve you as Achon served Matas? This is the way to deal with him.'
And before I knew who spoke or what to expect a man vaulted over thetable beside me. Seizing the Italian by the neck and waist, he flung himbodily--without paying the least regard to his dagger--into the crowd.'There!' the new-comer cried, stretching his arms as if the effort hadrelieved him, 'so much for him! And do you breathe yourself. Breatheyourself, my friend,' he continued with a vain-glorious air ofgenerosity. 'When you are rested and ready, you and I will have a bout.Mon dieu! what a thing it is to see a man! And by my faith you are aman!'
'But, sir,' I said, staring at him in the utmost bewilderment, 'we haveno quarrel.'
'Quarrel?' he cried in his loud, ringing voice. 'Heaven forbid! Whyshould we? I love a man, however, and when I see one I say to him, "I amCrillon! Fight me!" But I see you are not yet rested. Patience! There isno hurry. Berthon de Crillon is proud to wait your convenience. In themeantime, gentlemen,' he continued, turning with a grand air to thespectators, who viewed this sudden BOULEVERSEMENT with unboundedsurprise, 'let us do what we can. Take the word from me, and cry all,"VIVE LE ROI, ET VIVE L'INCONNU!"'
Like people awaking from a dream--so great was their astonishment thecompany complied and with the utmost heartiness. When the shout diedaway, someone cried in turn, 'Vive Crillon!' and this was honoured witha fervour which brought the tears to the eyes of that remarkable man,in whom bombast was so strangely combined with the firmest and mostreckless courage. He bowed again and again, turning himself about in thesmall space between the tables, while his face shone with pleasure andenthusiasm. Meanwhile I viewed him with perplexity. I comprehended thatit was his voice I had heard behind the settle; but I had neither thedesire to fight him nor so great a reserve of strength after my illnessas to be able to enter on a fresh contest with equanimity. When heturned to me, therefore, and again asked, 'Well, sir, are you ready?'I could think of no better answer than that I had already made to him,'But, sir, I have no quarrel with you.'
'Tut, tut!' he answered querulously, 'if that is all, let us engage.'
'That is not all, however,' I said, resolutely putting up my sword. 'Ihave not only no quarrel with M. de Crillon, but I received at his handswhen I last saw him a considerable service.'
'Then now is the time to return it,' he answered briskly, and as ifthat settled the matter.
I could not refrain from laughing. 'Nay, but I have still an excuse,'I said. 'I am barely recovered from an illness, and am weak. Even so,I should be loth to decline a combat with some; but a better man than Imay give the wall to M. de Crillon and suffer no disgrace.'
'Oh, if you put it that way--enough said,' he answered in a tone ofdisappointment. 'And, to be sure, the light is almost gone. That is acomfort. But you will not refuse to drink a cup of wine with me? Yourvoice I remember, though I cannot say who you are or what service I didyou. For the future, however, count on me. I love a man who is brave aswell as modest, and know no better friend than a stout swordsman.'
I was answering him in fitting terms--while the fickle crowd, which afew minutes earlier had been ready to tear me, viewed us from a distancewith respectful homage--when the masked gentleman who had before been inhis company drew near and saluted me with much stateliness.
'I congratulate you, sir,' he said, in the easy tone of a great mancondescending. 'You use the sword as few use it, and fight with yourhead as well as your hands. Should you need a friend or employment,you will honour me by remembering that you are known to the Vicomte deTurenne.'
I bowed low to hide the start which the mention of his name causedme. For had I tried, ay, and possessed to aid me all the wit of M.de Brantome, I could have imagined nothing more fantastic than thismeeting; or more entertaining than that I, masked, should talk with theVicomte de Turenne masked, and hear in place of reproaches and threatsof vengeance a civil offer of protection. Scarcely knowing whether Ishould laugh or tremble, or which should occupy me more, the divertingthing that had happened or the peril we had barely escaped, I made shiftto answer him, craving his indulgence if I still preserved my incognito.Even while I spoke a fresh fear assailed me: lest M. de Crillon,recognising my voice or figure, should cry my name on the spot, andexplode in a moment the mine on which we stood.
This rendered me extremely impatient to be gone. But M. le Vicomtehad still something to say, and I could not withdraw myself withoutrudeness.
'You are travelling north like everyone else?' he said, gazing at mecuriously. 'May I ask whether you are for Meudon, where the King ofNavarre lies, or for the Court at St. Cloud?'
I muttered, moving restlessly under his keen eyes, that I was forMeudon.
'Then, if you care to travel with a larger company,' he rejoined, bowingwith negligent courtesy, 'pray command me. I am for Meudon also, andshall leave here three hours before noon.'
Fortunately he took my assent to his gracious invitation for granted,and turned away before I had well begun to thank him. From Crillon Ifound it more difficult to escape. He appeared to have conceived agreat fancy for me, and felt also, I imagine, some curiosity as tomy identity. But I did even this at last, and, evading the obsequiousoffers which were made me on all sides, escaped to the stables, whereI sought out the Cid's stall, and lying down in the straw beside him,began to review the past, and plan the future. Under cover of thedarkness sleep soon came to me; my last waking thoughts being dividedbetween thankfulness for my escape and a steady purpose to reach Meudonbefore the Vicomte, so that I might make good my tale in his absence.For that seemed to be my only chance of evading the dangers I had chosento encounter.
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