CHAPTER FIVE.
ROY TAKES HIS NEXT LESSON.
The clock in the little turret which stood out over the gate-way facingLady Royland's garden had not done striking six when Roy entered thearmoury next morning, to find Ben hard at work fitting the interior of alight helmet with a small leather cap which was apparently well stuffedwith wool.
"Morning, Ben," said the boy. "What's that for?"
"You, sir."
"To wear?"
"Of course. Just as well to take care of your face and head when you'rehandling swords. You can use it with the visor up or down, 'cording towhat we're doing. You see, I want to learn you how to use a sword likea soldier, and not like a gentleman who never expects to see trouble."
"Ready?"
"Yes, sir, quite; and first thing 's morning we'll begin where we leftoff, and you shall try to learn that you don't know how to thrust.Nothing like finding out how bad you are. Then you can begin to seebetter what you have to learn."
"Very well," said Roy, eagerly. "You'll have to look out now then, Ben,for I mean to learn, and pretty quickly."
"Oh, yes; you'll learn quickly enough," said Ben, placing the helmetupon the table and taking the pair of sticks up from where he had placedthem. "But say, Master Roy, I have been working here. Don't you thinkthe place looks better?"
"I think my father would be proud of the armoury if he could see theweapons," said Roy, as he looked round. "Everything is splendid."
The old soldier smiled as he walked from suit to suit of armour, some ofwhich were obsolete, and could only be looked upon as curiosities of theday; but, in addition, there were modern pieces of defensive armour,beautifully made, with carefully cleaned and inlaid headpieces of thenewest kind, and of those the old soldier seemed to be especially proud.Then he led the way on to the stands of offensive weapons, whichnumbered quaint, massive swords of great age, battle-axes, and maces,and so on to modern weapons of the finest steel, with, guns, petronels,and horse-pistols of clumsy construction, but considered perfect then.
"Yes, sir, I'm proud of our weepuns," said Ben; "but I aren't a bitproud of the old castle, which seems to be going right away to ruin."
"That it isn't," cried Roy, indignantly. "It has been repaired andrepaired, whenever it wanted doing up, again and again."
"Ah! you're thinking about roofs and tiles and plaster, my lad. I wasthinking about the defences. Such a place as this used to be. Look atthe gun-carriages,--haven't been painted for years, nor the gunscleaned."
"Well, mix up some paint and brush it on," said Roy, "and clean up theguns. They can't be rusty, because they're brass."
"Well, not brass exactly, sir," said the man, thoughtfully. "It's moreof a mixtur' like; but to a man like me, sir, it's heart-breaking."
"What! to see them turn green and like bronze?"
"Oh, I don't mind that so much, sir; it's seeing of 'em come down somuch, like. Why, there's them there big guns as stands in thecourt-yard behind the breastwork."
"Garden, Ben."
"Well, garden, sir. Why, there's actooally ivy and other 'nockshusweeds growing all over 'em."
"Well, it looks peaceful and nice."
"Bah! A gun can't look peaceful and nice. But that aren't the worst ofit, sir. I was along by 'em a bit ago, and, if you'll believe me, whenI put my hand in one, if there warn't a sharp, hissing noise!"
"A snake? Got in there?"
"Snake, sir? No! I wouldn't ha' minded a snake; but there's no snakeshere."
"There was one, Ben, for I brought it up out of the woods, and kept itin a box for months, till it got away. Then that's where it is."
"Nay. It were no snake, sir. It were one of them little blue andyaller tomtit chaps as lays such lots o' eggs. I fetches a stick, and Iwas going to shove it in and twist it in the hay and stuff o' the nestand draw it out."
"But you didn't?"
"No, sir, I didn't; for I says to myself, if Sir Granby and her ladyshiplike the place to go to ruin, they may let it; and if the two littlebirds--there was a cock and hen--didn't bring up twelve of the rummiestlittle, tiny young uns I ever did see. There they was, all a-sitting ina row along the gun, and it seemed to me so comic for 'em to be therethat I bust out a-laughing quite loud."
"And they all flew away?"
"Nay, sir, they didn't; they stopped there a-twittering. But if thatgun had been loaded, and I'd touched it off with a fire-stick, it wouldhave warmed their toes, eh? But would you clean up the old guns?"
"I don't see why you shouldn't, Ben. They're valuable."
"Vallerble? I should think they are, sir. And, do you know, I will;for who knows what might happen? They tell me down in the village thatthere's trouble uppards, and people gets talking agen the king. Ah!I'd talk 'em if I had my way, and make some of 'em squirm.--Yes, I willtidy things up a bit. Startle some on 'em if we was to fire off a gunor two over the village."
"They'd burst, Ben. Haven't been fired for a hundred years, I shouldsay. Those brass guns were made in Queen Elizabeth's time."
"Oh, they wouldn't burst, sir; I shouldn't be afraid of that.--But thisis not learning to thrust, is it?"
"No. Come on," cried Roy, and he took one of the stout ash rods."Here, hadn't I better put on this helmet?"
"Not yet, sir. You can practise thrusting without that. Now then, hereI am, sir. All ready for you on my guard. Now, thrust."
Ben dropped into an easy position, with his legs a little bent, one footadvanced, his left hand behind him, and his stick held diagonally acrosshis breast.
Roy imitated him, dropping into the same position.
"Where shall I stab you?" he cried.
"Just wherever you like, sir,--if you can."
The boy made a quick dart forward with his stick, and it passed by histeacher, who parried with the slightest movement of his wrist.
"I said thrust, sir."
"Well, I did thrust."
"That wasn't a thrust, sir; that was only a poke. It wouldn't have gonethrough a man's coat, let alone his skin. Now, again!"
The boy made another push forward with his stick, which was alsoparried.
"Nay, that won't do, my lad; so let's get to something better. Now, I'mgoing to thrust at you right in the chest. Enemies don't tell you wherethey're going to hit you, but I'm going to tell you. Now, look out!"
Roy prepared to guard the thrust, but the point of the old man's stickstruck him sharply in the chest, and he winced a little, but smiled.
"Now, sir, you do that, but harder."
Roy obeyed, but failed dismally.
"Of course," said Ben. "Now that's because you didn't try the rightway, sir. Don't poke at a man, but throw your arm right back till youget your hand level with your shoulder, and sword and arm just in aline. Then thrust right out, and let your body follow your arm,--thenyou get some strength into it. Now, once more."
Roy followed his teacher's instructions.
"Better--ever so much, sir. Now again--good; again--good. You'll soondo it. Now, can't you see what a lot of weight you get into a thrustlike that? One of your pokes would have done nothing. One like thatlast would have sent your blade through a man. Now again."
Roy was now fully upon his mettle, and he tried hard to acquire someportion of the old soldier's skill, till his arm ached, and Ben cried"Halt!" and began to chat about the old-fashioned armour.
"Lots of it was too clumsy, sir. Strong men were regularly loaded down;and I've thought for a long time that all a man wants is a steel cap andsteel gloves. All the rest he ought to be able to do with his sword."
"But you can't ward off bullets with a sword, Ben," said Roy.
"No, sir; nor you can't ward 'em off with armour. They find out thejyntes, if they don't go through."
"Would that suit of half-armour be much too big for me, Ben?" said Roy,pausing before a bronzed ornamental set of defensive weapons, which hadevidently been the work of some Italian artist.
"No
, sir, I shouldn't think it would. You see that was made for a smallman, and you're a big lad. If you were to put that on, and used a bito' stuffing here and there, you wouldn't be so much amiss. It's in finecondition, too, with its leather lining, and that's all as lissome andgood as when it was first made."
"I should like to try that on some day, Ben," said the boy, eagerlyexamining the handsome suit.
"Well, I don't see why not, sir. You'd look fine in that. Wants threeor four white ostrich feathers in the little gilt holder of the helmet.White uns would look well with that dark armour. Looks just likecopper, don't it?"
"How long would it take to put it on?" said Roy.
"Hour, sir; and you'd want some high buff boots to wear with it."
"An hour?" said Roy. "There wouldn't be time before breakfast."
"No, sir. But I tell you what--I've only cleaned and polished and iledthe straps. If you feels as if you'd like to put it on, I'll go over itwell, and see to the buckles and studs: shall I?"
"Yes, do, Ben."
"That I will, sir. And I say, if, when you're ready, I was to saddleone of the horses proper, and you was to mount and her ladyship see you,she'd be sorry as ever she wanted you to be a statesman."
Roy shook his head dubiously.
"Oh, but she would, sir. Man looks grand in his armour and feathers."
"But I'm only a boy," said Roy, sadly.
"Who's to know that when you're in armour and your visor down, sir? Asuit of armour like that, and you on a grand horse, would make a man ofyou. It's fine, and no mistake."
"But you were sneering at armour a little while ago, Ben," said Roy.
"For fighting in, sir, but not for show. You see, there's somethingabout armour and feathers and flags that gets hold of people, and asoldier's a man who likes to look well. I'm an old un now, but Iwouldn't say no to a good new uniform, with a bit o' colour in it; butif you want me to fight, I don't want to be all plates and things like alobster, and not able to move. I want to be free to use my arms. Rightenough for show, sir, and make a regiment look handsome; but fighting'slike gardening,--want to take your coat off when you go to work."
"But you will get that armour ready, Ben?"
"Course I will, sir. On'y too glad to see you take a liking to a bit o'armour and a sword. Now, then, what do you say to beginning again?"
"I'm ready," said Roy, but with a longing look at the armour.
"Then you shall just put that helmet on, and have the visor down. Youwon't be able to see so well, but it will save your face from anaccidental cut."
He placed the helmet on the boy's head, adjusted the cheek straps, anddrew back.
"Find it heavy, sir?"
"Rather! Feels as if it would topple off as soon as I begin to move."
"But it won't, sir. The leather cap inside will stop that. Now, then,if you please, we'll begin. I'm going to cut at you slowly and softly,and you've got to guard yourself, and then turn off. I shall be veryslow, but after a bit I shall cut like lightning, and before I've done Ishan't be no more able to hit you than you're able now to hit me."
Roy said nothing, and the man began cutting at him to right and to left,upward from the same direction and downward, as if bent upon cleavinghis shoulders; and for every cut Ben showed him how to make the properguard, holding his weapon so that the stroke should glance off, andlaying especial weight upon the necessity for catching the blow aimedupon the _forte_ of the blade toward the hilt, and not upon the _faible_near the point.
Then came the turn of the head, and the horizontal and down right cutswere, after further instruction, received so that they, too, glancedoff. Roy gaining more and more confidence at every stroke. But thathelmet was an utter nuisance, and half buried the wearer.
"I'm beginning to think you're right, Ben, about the armour," said thelad, at last.
"Yes, 'tis a bit awkward, sir; but you'll get used to it. If you candefend yourself well with that on, why, of course, you can without.Now, then, suppose, for a change, you have a cut at me."
"Why, what tomfoolery is this?" said a highly-pitched voice; and Roytried to snatch off his helmet as he caught sight of the secretarystanding in the door-way looking on.
But the helmet would not come off easily, and, after a tug or two, Roywas fain to turn to the old soldier.
"Here," he said, hastily, "unfasten this, Ben, quick!"
"Yes, sir; but I don't see as you've any call to be in such a hurry.You've a right to learn to use a sword if you like. Only the strapfastened over this stud, and there you are."
Red-faced and annoyed, Roy faced the secretary, who had walked slowlyinto the armoury, to stand looking about him with a sneer of contemptupon his lip.
"Only practising a little sword-play, sir," said the boy, as soon as hishead was relieved.
"Sword-play! Is there no other kind of play a boy like you can take to?What do you want with sword-play?"
"My father's a soldier," said Roy.
"Yes; but you are not going to be a fighting man, sir; and, behindhandas you are with your studies, I think you might try a little more to doyour instructor credit, and not waste time with one of the servants insuch a barbaric pursuit as this. Lady Royland is waiting breakfast.You had better come at once."
Feeling humbled and abashed before the old soldier, Roy followed thesecretary without a word, and they entered the breakfast-room together,Lady Royland looking up pale and disturbed, and, upon seeing her son'sface, exclaiming--
"Why, Roy, how hot and tired you look! Have you been running?"
The secretary laughed contemptuously.
"No, mother; practising fencing with Ben."
"Oh, Roy!" cried his mother, reproachfully; "what can you want withfencing? My dear boy, pray think more of your books."
Master Pawson gave the lad a peculiar look, and Roy felt as if he shouldlike to kick out under the table so viciously that the sneering smilemight give place to a contraction expressing pain.
But Roy did not speak, and the breakfast went on.
The Young Castellan: A Tale of the English Civil War Page 5