by Knox Magee
CHAPTER VIII
THE DUEL
When I reached my room I sat down for a moment and thought. Then Iarose and walked about the room, and thought, of nothing but my greathappiness, and my good fortune in having at last accomplished thatwhich I had for so long desired.
Was it not delightful to be certain that some day my darling Hazel wasto be the mistress of Bradley House, which had stood without a mistressfor so long a time.
I pictured to myself how I would have the place altered and brightened,that it might be in better keeping with its fair inmate. I could evenhear her light-hearted song, as she fluttered about the house, andplayed among the flowers, like a gayly-colored butterfly. I saw usstrolling through our park. Her fair hand was resting on my shoulder,and mine arm did encircle her fairy waist. The sun was pouring throughthe trees like streams of fine gold. The birds were singing all aroundus, and all nature seemed trying to keep in harmony with our love andadd unto our happiness. Now and then would I stoop and pick a flowerand place it in her beauteous, dark brown hair. Then did I see myfather's faithful old servant, Dickon, come shuffling across the lawnto tell us that it was time for dinner.
And so my dream goeth on, till it is interrupted by Harleston, whoenters my room. He was dressed in a long flowing robe, and there wasnothing about his appearance that would tell us he had been to a ballthat night.
"Well upon my soul, Bradley, art thou still sitting up? Why, methoughtthat I was the only late bird about the Castle. And your clothes stillon. Come, come, Walter, thou must be careful and do not let this floodof happiness drown thy reason."
"Fear not for that," I replied; "for the said flood is so thick that myreason doth float upon the surface."
"Indeed thou dost put it well. But come now, I must to that whichbrought me here at this unseemly hour. When you did take me into thatsmall room, this evening, thou saidst that thou hadst twocommunications of importance to make. So far you have made but one: itwas my desire to hear the other that brought me here to-night."
"Ah, yes, I had forgot," I replied. "Now the second is this, and Iwill not so hesitate in the telling of it as I did with the first."Then I told him all I had overheard, and how I came to be the unwillinglistener.
When I had finished he said:--"Thou mayst thank Heaven that thou didstoverhear that same conversation; for it doth give us the key unto thepuzzle which Richard will present to England, in case the King doth notrecover. The Queen should be warned," he continued.
"And yet it might avail nothing. In case we warned the Queen, and theKing recovered, we might find our heads upon the block for havinginterfered. It is a dangerous matter to play with royalty; for," Icontinued, "his Majesty King Edward is a good and kind master, but heis also one which doth not like his family matters pried into. When heis roused he is the very devil in human form. We have the Duke ofClarence for an example. We had better think of his grave of malmsey,and so profit by the picture, and hold our peace." Methought it betterto warn him; for I began to fear that my dear friend's honesty mightlead off his better judgment, and so he might fall into disfavor withthe King, should his Majesty recover, and this was ever but the firststep in the ladder leading up the scaffold.
"Perhaps thou art right," he said. "I shall at least keep mine owncounsel so long as the King doth live; for I have no desire to have myhead decorate the walls of the Tower."
"And now, my friend," said I; "there is another matter that I wish tospeak with thee about." Then I told him of my tilt of the tongue withCatesby, and asked him to arrange matters so that we might have ameeting at his earliest convenience.
"I do not like to see thee fight him," said Sir Frederick, when I hadfinished the asking of my request; "for he is a friend of my LordHastings, and though I detest the fellow, yet do I treat him withcivility on the Chancellor's account. However, Walter, after what haspassed, there is nothing left but the swords; at which game methinksthat thou hast little to fear from any man in England."
"Thou art wrong there, my friend, for this Catesby is the pupil of agreat French swordsman, and there are few in England which dare tostand before him. However," I continued, with some pride, "it shallnever be said of a Bradley that he quietly did rest with an insultstill hanging to his cheek, and never burning it."
"Well, thou shalt have fair play at least," said my friend, "and thoughhe may have studied the art of swordsmanship with a score of Frenchmen,yet have I no doubt as to the result. I have seen thee use the foilsenough to feel satisfied that Catesby shall have no advantage overthee; and besides, he hath not more than half thy strength."
"Yea, that is true."
"But no matter how thou mayst feel towards him be sure and do not killhim; for he stands in great favour with Gloucester, whom we cannot nowafford to offend. Run him through the arm or shoulder and thine honourwill be satisfied."
I knew my friend was talking thus in order that he might lend mine armmore confidence. But this was not necessary; for even though Catesbywere a skilled swordsman, yet did I account myself his match at thegame, and besides it was true what Harleston said, I had more strength,which is not the least thing to be taken into account in these affairs.
Early the next day Sir Frederick saw Catesby and gave him my challenge.
"And so," said the lawyer, "your friend grows tired of this life anddesires to join the saints?"
"Indeed, sir," my friend replied, "the chances of your going to anotherworld are equally good; though whether thy companions there will besaints or no, I cannot tell."
To this retort Catesby made no reply.
The place and time of our meeting were settled. At sundown thatevening we were to meet near the far end of the Little Park, where alarge oak doth stand alone. This time and place were decided on inorder to make certain that we should not be interrupted; for this spotwas never frequented at that hour.
That evening, at about the half of an hour before the appointed time I,accompanied by Harleston, set out by a round about way, so that whenCatesby and his second should go to the meeting place no one Wouldsuspect our object. They, however, having taken the more direct andtherefore shorter path, had reached the spot and were waiting when wearrived.
Sir Richard Ratcliffe was to act as Catesby's second.
The spot chosen was one which seemed made by nature purposely for suchcontests. For the distance of about a score of feet all around thegreat oak--which arose in the centre like an ever watchful sentinelguarding that portion of the park--the ground was clear and level as around green table. As I looked up at that fine old veteran which hadbraved the storms of centuries, and still showed no other signs of itscontests than his battle scarred old features, methought of the manyengagements he had watched, and the tales of bloodshed he might tell ifhe but could.
The sun was no longer shining where we stood, but the top of the greattree still caught his last gleams as he sank below the horizon. As thelast of these rays left the old oak our time was up, so we began tostrip for the encounter. We took off our cloaks, belts and doublets,and gave them unto our seconds, who laid them in two heaps, one on eachside of the open space. I rolled up my right sleeve to the shoulder,and Harleston handed unto me my naked sword. My friend and Ratcliffespoke together in whispers, for a moment, and then the latter, standingwith his back to the tree, said in a loud clear voice:--
"Gentlemen:--Sir Frederick Harleston and I have agreed, in your behalf,in case either of you should be disarmed, or placed in a position whereit should be impossible for you to defend yourself, the fight shall bestopped until such time as ye shall again be upon an equal footing.Both Sir Frederick and I do insist that this rule shall be observed,otherwise we do refuse to act. Should either of you take advantage ofyour opponent's being unarmed or placed _hors de combat_, and so takehis life, the one so breaking this rule shall be proclaimed a cowardthroughout the length and breadth of England. This shall be hispunishment for his unknightly conduct. Have I made all perfectlyclear?"
&nb
sp; We both replied in the affirmative, and agreed to be bound by thisrule, which was a very humane and fair one.
Ratcliffe then took his place behind Catesby, and Harleston behind me.
The signal was then given, and we approached each other cautiously,each looking for an opening. Then our swords came together with asharp click, and slid along each other like two icicles being rubbedtogether. The moment I felt his sword against mine I knew that I hadnot been misinformed when I heard that Catesby was a pupil of one ofthe greatest swordsmen in Europe. His wrist was like steel, and hispoint began to play on either side of mine with such rapidity as warnedme to stand on the defensive until I got more used to his ways.Suddenly he lunged with murderous and savage swiftness, his point aimedat my heart. I met him with a quick and firm guard, and for the nextfew moments we did content ourselves with sounding each other with anoccasional lunge. Then he changed his tactics, in the twinkling of aneye, and flew at me like lightning. His sword seemed everywhere atonce. I felt a sharp sting in my sword arm, as his weapon scratchedit. Then I felt it higher up and near unto my shoulder. I slowlybegan to give ground, as it had been the part of a fool to stand stillin an attack of this kind, which I knew could be of no long duration.In this I was right; for seeing that he could not reach my chest, andthat he was soon wearing himself out with this furious pace, he slowedhis attack somewhat and made more careful lunges. I now saw that Icould, in a short time, wear down his strength, by keeping a cool headand a wary eye. Soon I touched him lightly on the shoulder, and hadthe satisfaction of seeing his shirt stained with his blood. This,however, seemed to refresh him; for he made another of his fierceattacks, which again compelled me to give ground. In this I did notdivine his object, which was to force me back against the tree. As Istepped back to avoid a lunge more savage than the others, I felt myheel strike the tree. This put me something off my guard. He seizedthe opportunity, and drove his sword at my chest with all the remainingstrength in his villainous body. I stepped aside, and gave him mystraight point in the right shoulder, near the neck. However, I hadnot been quick enough; for I felt a sharp twinge in the fleshy part ofmy left arm, as he nailed it to the oak. His sword snapped off short,and I was left pinned to the tree, as I have seen boys do withbutterflies. Catesby fell, bathed in blood; but methinks it were morefrom exhaustion than from his wound that he did fall; for the latterwas but little more serious than mine own. Sir Frederick pulled at theblade with his handkerchief wound around his hand, and at length set mefree. Catesby soon regained consciousness, and we were bandagedcarefully with cloths that had been brought for the purpose.
"The signal was then given."]
As I saw him walk off, leaning on the arm of Ratcliffe, I regrettedthat I had not given him my point lower down.
But there came a time when I would have given ten years of my life forthe same opportunity of ridding the world of this accursed villain.But ye, my children, shall judge of that later on in this story.