John Burnet of Barns: A Romance

by John Buchan

  CHAPTER VI

  THE FIRST MONDAY OF MARCH

  Nicol wakened me before dawn and I made haste to get ready. I looked tosee that my sword was in fit condition, for it was a stoutcut-and-thrust blade of the kind which speedily takes the rust. Thenhaving taken a draught of strong ale to brace my nerves for theencounter, I left the house and set off with my servant for the collegegardens.

  The morning was clear and fresh. The sun had not yet fully arisen, butit was light enough to see two hundred yards before me. A sharp windfluttered my cloak, and sent a thrill of strength through me, for itminded me of the hill breezes which were wont to blow on the heights ofScrape. There was scarce anyone stirring save a few drowsy burgherswhom it behoved to be attending to their business in the early morn. Ikept my cloak well over my face, for I did not relish the notion ofbeing recognised by anyone on my errand.

  Now, from the college gardens there stretches down to the great canal amost beautiful pleasaunce, all set with flower beds and fountains.Beyond this, again, is a more rugged land--a grove with great patches ofgrass in it, and here it was that gentlemen of the Scots regiment werewont to settle their differences. The morning had been chosen as thetime when it was less likely that some interloping busybody mightinterrupt us.

  I cannot tell how I felt as I walked through the cool morning air amongthe young herbs and trees which still bore the dew upon them. It mindedme so keenly of the mornings at home in Tweeddale, when I was used torise before daylight and go far up Tweed with my rod, and bring back, ifmy luck were good, great baskets of trout. Now I was bound on adifferent errand. It was even possible that I might see my own land nomore. But this thought I dismissed as unworthy of one who would bethought a cavalier.

  In time we came to the spot which the others had fixed on. There Ifound my men already waiting me; my cousin stripped to his sark andsmall-clothes, with his blade glimmering as he felt its edge; hiscompanions muffled up in heavy cloaks and keeping guard over Gilbert'sstripped garments. They greeted me shortly as I came up, so withoutmore ado I took off my coat and vest, and gave them into my servant'skeeping. Then going up co my opponent I took his hand.

  "Let there be no malice between us, Gilbert," said I. "I was rashmaybe, but I am here to give account of my rashness."

  "So be it, cousin," he said, as he took my hand coldly.

  We both stepped back a pace and crossed swords, and in a trice we hadfallen to.

  My first thought, and I am not ashamed to confess it, when I felt mysteel meet the steel of my foe, was one of arrant and tumultuous fear.I had never before crossed swords with anyone in deadly hatred; and inmy case the thing was the harder, for the feeling against my cousin wasnot so violent a passion as to make me heedless of aught else. Beforeme, behind the back of my antagonist, the thick underwood was alreadyfilled with the twittering of birds, and a great feeling of longing cameupon me to get well through with the affair and escape death. For now afeeling which I had not reckoned with came to oppress me--the fear ofdeath. Had my wits been more about me, I might have reflected that mycousin was too good a swordsman to kill me and lay himself open to manypenalties. But my mind was in such a confusion that I could think ofnaught but an overwhelming danger.

  Howbeit, in a little this fit passed, and once more I was myself.Gilbert, for what reason I know not, fenced swiftly and violently. Blowcame upon blow till I scarce could keep my breath. I fell at once uponthe defensive, and hazarded never a cut, but set all my powers topreserving my skin. And in truth this was no easy task, for he hadacquired a villainous trick of passing suddenly from the leg-cut to thehead-stroke, so that more than once I came not up to guard in time andhad his sword almost among my hair. I could not guess what he meant bythis strategy, for I had ever believed that a man who began in a hot-fitended in a languor. He sought, I doubt not, to speedily put an end tothe encounter by putting forth his greater strength, hoping to beat downmy guard or bewilder me with the multiplicity of his flourishes.

  Now this conduct of my opponent had an effect the very counter of whathe proposed. I became completely at my ease; indeed, I swear I neverfelt more cool in my life. This has ever been the way with me, for Ihave always been at my best in the extremest perils. Oftentimes whenthings went very sore with me, I was at a loss and saw no way of escape;but let them get a little worse and I was ready to meet them. So now Iwas on the watch to frustrate every moment, and since no man can fightrapidly and fight well, I kept him at bay till he deemed it prudent togive up this method.

  But now when he came down to slow, skilful fence I found my real danger.We were well matched, as had been proved in many a harmless encounter onthe turf by the Tweed. I was something lighter, he somewhat stronger inthe arm and firmer in the body; but taking us all in all we were asequal a pair as ever crossed swords. And now there was an uttersilence; even the birds on the trees seemed to have ceased. The othersno longer talked. The sharp clatter and ring of the swords had gone,and in its place was a deadly _swish--swish_, which every man who hasheard it dreads, for it means that each stroke grazes the vitals. Iwould have given much in that hour for another inch to my arm. I putforth all my skill of fence. All that I had learned from Tam Todd, allthat I had found out by my own wits was present to me; but try as Iwould, and I warrant you I tried my utmost, I could not overreach myopponent. Yet I fenced steadily, and if I made no progress, I did notyield my ground.

  With Gilbert the case was otherwise. His play was the most brilliant Ihad ever seen, full of fantastic feints and flourishes such as is theFrench fashion. But I could not think that a man could last for ever inthis style, since for one stroke of my arm there were two of his andmuch leaping from place to place. But beyond doubt he pressed me close.Again and again I felt his steel slipping under my guard, and it wasonly by a violent parry that I escaped. One stroke had cut open mysleeve and grazed my arm, but beyond this no one of us had sufferedhurt.

  But soon a thing which I had scarcely foreseen began to daunt me. I wasplaced facing the east, and the rising sun began to catch my eyes. Theground was my own choosing, so my ill-luck was my own and no fault ofGilbert's. But it soon began to interfere heavily with my play. Icould only stand on guard. I dared not risk a bold stroke, lest, myeyes being dazzled by the light, I should miscalculate the distance. Iown I began to feel a spasm of fear. More than one of my opponent'sstrokes came within perilous nearness. The ground too was not firm, andmy foot slid once and again when I tried to advance. To add to it allthere was Gilbert's face above the point of the swords, cold, scornful,and triumphant. I began to feel incredibly weak about the small of theback, and I suppose my arm must have wavered, for in guarding ashoulder-cut I dropped my point, and my enemy's blade scratched my leftarm just above the elbow. I staggered back with the shock of the blow,and my cousin had a moment's breathing-space. I was so obviously theloser in the game, that Gilbert grew merry at my expense.

  "Well, John," he cried, "does't hurt thee? My arm is somewhat rougherthan Marjory's."

  There seems little enough in the words, yet I cannot tell how that tauntangered me. In the mouth of another I had not minded it, but I had away of growing hot whenever I thought of my cousin and my lady in thesame minute of time. It called to my mind a flood of bitter memories.In this encounter, at any rate, it was the saving of me. Once more Iwas myself, and now I had that overmastering passionate hate which Ilacked before. When I crossed swords again I felt no doubt of the issueand desired only to hasten it. He on his part must have seen somethingin my eyes which he did not like, for he ceased his flourishes and fellon defence.

  Then it was that the real combat of the day commenced. Before it hadbeen little more than a trial of skill, now it was a deadly anddetermined battle. In my state of mind I would have killed my foe witha light heart, however much I might have sorrowed for it after. And nowhe began to see the folly of his conduct in the fore-part of the fight.I was still fresh and
stout of arm; he was a little weary and hisself-confidence a little gone.

  "By God, Gilbert, you will eat your words," I cried, and had at him withmight and main.

  I fenced as I had never fenced before, not rashly, but persistently,fiercely, cunningly. Every attempt of his I met and foiled. Again andagain I was within an ace of putting an end to the thing, but for sometrifling obstacle which hindered me. He now fought sullenly, with fearin his eyes, for he knew not what I purposed concerning him. I warranthe rued his taunt a hundred times in those brief minutes.

  At last my opportunity came. He made a desperate lunge forward, swunghalf round and exposed his right arm. I thrust skilfully and true.Straight through cloth and skin went my blade, and almost ere I knew Ihad spitted him clean through the arm just above the elbow. The sworddropped from his helpless hand.

  I had put forth too much strength, for as he stumbled back with theshock of the wound I could not check my course, but staggered heavilyagainst him and together we rolled on the ground.

  In a second I was on my feet and had drawn out my weapon. With loweredpoint I awaited his rising, for he was now powerless to continue.

  "Well," said I, "have you had satisfaction?"

  He rose to his feet with an ugly smile. "Sufficient for the present,cousin John," said he. "I own you have got the better of me this time.Hi, Stephen, will you lend me a kerchief to bind this cursed wound?"

  One of his companions came up and saw to his wants. I made to go away,for there was no further need of my presence, but my cousin called meback.

  "Farewell, John," he said. "Let us not part in anger, as before.Parting in anger, they say, means meeting in friendship. And, 'faith, Iwould rather part from you in all love and meet you next in wrath."

  "Farewell," I said carelessly as I departed, though I was amazed to heara man with a pierced arm speak so lightly. Courage was not a qualitywhich my cousin had to seek. So I left him in high good humour withmyself, much pleased at my own prowess, and sensible that all immediateannoyance from that quarter was at an end.

  Little man knows what God hath prepared for him. Had it not been for hisdefeat, Gilbert had not left Holland, and my greater misfortunes hadnever happened. And yet at that hour I rejoiced that I had rid myselfof a torment.

  Nicol was awaiting me, and soon I was arrayed in my coat once more, forthe air was shrewdly cold. My servant was pale as I had never seen himbefore, and it was clear that he had watched the combat with muchforeboding.

  "Eh, Maister John," he cried, "ye're a braw fechter. I never likit yehalf as weel. I thocht a' was up whiles, but ye aye cam to yoursel' assprig as a wull-cat. Ye're maybe a wee thing weak i' the heid-cuts,though," he added. "I'll hae to see to ye. It's no what ye micht ca'profitable to be aye proddin' a man in the wame, for ye may prick him a'ower and him no muckle the waur. But a guid cleavin' slash on the harnsis maist judeecious. It wad kill a stirk."

  It was still early and we had breakfasted sparely, so we sought a tavernof good repute, _The Three Crows_, and made a hearty meal, washing itdown with the best Rhenish. I was so mightily pleased with my victory,like a child with its toy, that I held my head a full inch higher, andwould yield the causeway to no man. I do believe if M. Balagny or thegreat Lord Herbert had challenged me I would not have refused.

  Some three days later I had sure tidings that my cousin had sailed forLeith and was thought to have no design of returning.