Read Ebook: Stalemate in Space by Harness Charles L McWilliams Al Illustrator

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Ebook has 1437 lines and 45195 words, and 29 pages

"Don't I tell you he's fast asleep?"

"Yes; but the guard may hear."

"Not they; and what matter if they did? Now then; shall I attack you?"

"Yes," said the doctor quietly. "Would you like a place marked-out upon my chest?"

"There, now you are mocking at me."

"Yes: I was."

"Well, you shall attack. But had I better get some buttoned swords? I shouldn't like to hurt you, sir."

"I'll take care you do not," said the doctor quietly; "and there will be no need, for I will not hurt you."

The lad coloured slightly as the thought flashed through him that he should like to humble the other's confidence and pride. The next moment he was looking on, half astonished, as his adversary slipped off his long robe-like gown and stood before him in his tight doublet and hose, upright, keen, and active as a man of half his years, ready to fall into position the next moment and challenge him to come on.

The lad required no second invitation, for, calling up all he knew of fencing, he crossed swords and attacked vigorously, with the sensation the next moment that he had received a sharp jerk of the wrist as his rapier described a curve in the air and the doctor leaped up, making a snatch with his left hand, and catching it by the middle of the blade as it fell, to hold it to its owner with a smile.

"Bad," he said. "Don't let me do that again."

"You can't," cried the lad defiantly, as, tingling with annoyance, he attacked once more, to feel his adversary's blade seem as if endowed with snake-like vitality, and twine round his own, which then twitched and fell with a sharp jingle upon the oaken boards.

"Oh," cried the lad impatiently, "I can't fence a bit! But tell me, doctor; is there any--no, absurd--stuff! I don't believe in magic. I'd give anything, though, if you would teach me how to do that."

"You must learn to fence first, my boy, and work hard. I did not learn to do that in one lesson. Now attack again, and keep a good grip of your hilt. There, come on."

"No, not now, sir," said the boy huskily. "This has made me hot and angry, and one ought to be cool when handling pointed weapons. I shouldn't like to hurt you, sir."

"Neither should I, my lad," said the doctor calmly; "but you need not fear doing that. Come on, I tell you. There, I'm not speaking boastingly, Denis, my lad. I am no master of fence, but I can do precisely what I please with your weapon, disarm you at every encounter, or turn your point whichever way I choose. There: you see." For nettled by his words, and in a futile effort to prove that they were untrue, the lad attacked sharply once again, made about a dozen passes, to find himself perfectly helpless in his adversary's hands, and at last stopped short, lowered his point to the floor, and stood with both hands resting on the hilt.

"You are right, sir," he said. "It's horrible. I thought I could; but I can't fence a bit."

At that moment there was a sharp click of the outer door, and the doctor hurriedly began to sheathe his rapier, but not quickly enough for his action to be unseen. The arras was thrown aside, and a tall handsome young cavalier strode into the ante-chamber and stopped short in astonishment.

"Words and wonder!" he cried. "A duel? or young Denis defending his Majesty from an attempted assassination on the part of Master Leoni with a sword instead of physic?"

"Does it ever occur to you, Saint Simon, that your tongue runs at times somewhat too fast?" said the doctor coldly.

"Oh yes, often," was the laughing reply; "but it's a habit it has. What have I interrupted, though?"

"Master Leoni was giving me a fencing lesson, Saint Simon," cried the lad eagerly.

"Then you are the luckiest fellow at Court," cried the new arrival. "Why was I not here? There, pray go on, and let me stand by and learn."

HIS MAJESTY.

Denis glanced at the doctor, grasping his hilt tightly the while, and ready to spring into position for a fresh encounter; but at the same moment he noted the change which came over his adversary, who from being tense, erect and active, suddenly seemed to grow limp of body, though his face was more animated than ever. He hung his head till his chin rested upon his chest, his eyes literally flashed, and he gazed up through his bushy brows at the young courtier who had just joined them, while for answer to his request he slowly finished sheathing his rapier and then took his heavy gown from where he had thrown it upon a chair, and held it out to Denis.

"Help me," he said. "I am growing old and stiff."

The lad looked at him wonderingly as he recalled the marvellous activity of a few minutes earlier, and then helped his instructor to resume his garment.

"What!" cried Saint Simon warmly. "You will not go on? Why, doctor, I want to learn."

The doctor gave him a peculiar, double sinister look, and said, with his unpleasant smile playing about his thin lips:

"The time to bend and train the wand is while it is young and green. You, sir, have grown too old and tough and stubborn to learn."

"At five and twenty?" cried the young man, flushing.

"Yes, at five and twenty. The soil of a court makes a tree old before its time, and--hark! Did I not hear his Majesty ring?"

"Yes," cried Denis quickly, and hurriedly smoothing his hair, which hung loose from his late exertions, and then, readjusting his doublet and seeing to the hang of his sword, he hurried through the arras, those who waited hearing the click of the door latch as he passed into the King's chamber.

"You don't like me, doctor," said Saint Simon, as soon as they were alone.

"I don't dislike you," said the other, smiling. "Have I ever treated you as an enemy?"

"No; but--"

"Hist!" whispered the doctor, as voices were heard beyond the hangings; the door fastening clicked again, and the lad appeared, carrying himself in stiff and formal fashion.

"Gentlemen," he said, "enter. His Majesty will give you audience."

"Both? Together?" said the doctor.

"Yes. His Majesty asked who waited. I told him, and he bade me show both in."

"There, doctor," said Saint Simon; "it is not my doing, so don't visit this upon my head. I daresay he will soon send me away."

Then, following their young escort, the two men stepped into the darkened chamber where his Majesty, heavy-eyed, as if he was hardly yet awakened from sleep, lolled back in a short fur-trimmed robe in the corner of a couch, his left hand behind his neck, his right resting upon the shaggy head of a huge boar-hound which glanced suspiciously at the new-comers and uttered a deep muttering growl.

The King's fingers closed tightly upon the animal's ear, and he gave it a jerk.

"Quiet, Tonnerre!" he said. "Can't you see they are friends?"

"Brute!" cried the King. "You see, gentlemen, he seeks the company of the wild boar so much that he has acquired his uncouth expressions. Well, Saint Simon, you want to see me?"

"Always, your Majesty," said the young man lightly. "You told me to wait upon you this afternoon."

"Did I? Well, I don't know that I want you. But to return your compliment, the place seems dull when you are not here."

The young man smiled and darted a triumphant glance at the saturnine-looking doctor, before turning to give Denis a look, his eyes sparkling with pleasure the while.

"And you, Leoni," said the King, yawning. "Tut, tut!" he added impatiently. "I am hardly awake. I was tired, gentlemen. Tonnerre and his brother here led us such a race yesterday that I feel it yet. Well, Leoni, what do you want?"

"Your Majesty told me that I might come and continue our little debate of yesterday--"

"To be sure, yes," said the King, yawning again. "Let me see; it was a sort of historical, half prophetic discourse, very learned and hard for a hunting man to understand, about the past and the future, and the safety of my throne, and its depending upon the recovery of a certain mystic stone carried off--carried off--let me see, Leoni, who did you say carried it off?"

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