The Lady of Loyalty House: A Novel Read online

  XX

  SIR BLAISE PAYS HIS PENALTY

  When Brilliana quitted them the two men had regarded each othersteadily for a few seconds in silence. Then Sir Blaise spoke.

  "You made merry with me just now in ease and safety, a lady beingby."

  Evander shrugged his shoulders.

  "Had no lady been by I should have been more merry and less tender."

  Sir Blaise scowled.

  "I am ill to provoke, my master. Those quarrels end sadly that arequarrels picked with me."

  Again Evander shrugged his shoulders.

  "I pick no quarrel, sir. You asked me very straightly what I knew ofSir Blaise Mickleton, and very straightly I tended you my knowledge.It is not my fault, but rather your misfortune, that you happen to beSir Blaise Mickleton."

  Sir Blaise dropped his hand to his sword-hilt.

  "You Puritan jack," he shouted, "will you try sharper conclusions?"

  In a moment and involuntarily Evander's hand sought his own weapon.It was in that moment that Halfman burst into the pleasaunce.

  "Why, what's the matter here?" he cited, wielding his staff as if ithad been the scimitar of the Moor. "Hold, for your lives! ForChristian shame put by this barbarous brawl."

  The disputants greeted their interrupter differently. Evander paidHalfman's memory the tribute of an appreciative smile. Sir Blaiseturned to him as to a sympathizer and backer.

  "This Puritan dog has insulted me," he cried.

  Halfman nodded sagaciously. "And you would let a little of hismalapert blood for him. But it may not be."

  He addressed Evander. "You are a prisoner on parole, wearing yoursword by a lady's favor, and may not use it here."

  "You are in the right," Evander answered, "and I ask your lady'spardon if for a moment I forgot where I am and why."

  "Yah, yah, fox," grinned Sir Blaise, who believed that his enemy wasglad to be out of the quarrel. But Halfman, who knew better, smiled.

  "There are other ways," he suggested, pleasantly, "by whichtwo gentlemen may void their spleen without drawing theirtoasting-irons. Why should we not mimic sword-play with a pairof honest cudgels?"

  Blaise slapped his thigh approvingly, for he was good at rusticsports. Halfman turned his dark face upon Evander.

  "Has my suggestion the fortune to meet with your approval?" he asked.Evander nodded. "Then let Sir Blaise handle his own staff, and you,camerado, take mine--'tis of a length with your enemy's--and set to."

  Halfman watched Evander narrowly while he spoke. Skill with therapier did not necessarily imply skill with the cudgel. He boreEvander no grudge for overcoming him at fence, but if Sir Blaiseproved the better man with the batoon, there would be a kind ofcompensation in it. He had heard that Sir Blaise was apt atcountry-sports and now Sir Blaise vaunted his knowledge.

  "Let me tell you to your trembling," he crowed, "that I am the bestcudgel-player in these parts. I will drub you, I will trounce you, Iwill tan your hide."

  "That will be as it shall be," Evander answered. He had taken thestaff that Halfman had proffered, and after weighing it in his handand carefully examining its texture had set it up against the seat,while he prepared to strip off his jerkin. Halfman assisted SirBlaise to extricate himself from his beribboned doublet, and the twomen faced each other in their shirts, Evander's linen fine and plain,like all about him, Sir Blaise's linen fine and ostentatious, likeall about him, and reeking of ambergris. Evander was not a small man,but his body seemed very slender by contrast with the well-nourishedbulk of the country-gentleman, and many a one would have held thatthe match was strangely unequal. But Halfman did not think so, seeinghow deliberately Evander entered upon the enterprise, and even SirBlaise's self-conceit was troubled by his antagonist's alacrity inaccepting the challenge.

  "If you tender me your grief for your insolence," he suggested, withtruculent condescension, "you will save yourself a basting."

  Evander laughed outright, the blithest laugh that Halfman had yetheard pass from his Puritan lips.

  "I must deny you, pomposity," he answered, gayly. "It were pity topostpone a pleasure."

  "You are in the right," commented Halfman. "Come, sirs, enough words;let us to deeds. Begin."

  The sticks swung in the air and met with a crack, each man's handpressing his cudgel hard against the other's, each man's foot firmand springing, each man's eyes seeking to read in the other's thesecret of his assault. Suddenly Blaise made a feint at Evander's legand then swashed for his head.

  "Have a care for your crown," he shouted, confident in his stroke;but Evander met the blow instantly and wood only rattled on wood.

  "I have cared for it," he said, quietly, as he came on guard again,making no attempt to return Sir Blaise's attack. Sir Blaise reversedhis tactics, feinted at Evander's head, and swept a furioussemicircle at Evander's legs.

  "Save your shins, then," he cried, and grunted with rage as he againencountered Evander's swiftly revolving staff and heard Evanderanswer, mockingly:

  "I have saved them."

  Inarticulate fury goaded him. "I will play with you no longer!" hegrowled, and made a rush for Evander, raining blow upon blow asquickly as he could deliver them, and hoping to break down Evander'sguard. But Evander, giving ground a little before his antagonist'sonslaught, met the attacks with a mill-wheel revolution of his weaponwhich kept him scatheless, and then suddenly his cudgel shot out,came with a sullen crack on Sir Blaise's skull, and the tussle wasover. Sir Blaise was lying his length on the grass, very still, andthere was blood upon his ruddy hair.

  Brilliana in hiding gave a little gasp when she saw her neighborfall; she could not tell whether to laugh or cry at the defeat of theCavalier. She saw Halfman bend over the fallen man and lift his headupon his knee. She saw Evander advance and look down upon hisadversary.

  "I hope you are not hurt," Evander said, solicitously.

  Halfman glanced up at the victor. "No harm's done," he said. "He wasstunned for the moment; he is coming round."

  And in confirmation of his words Sir Blaise opened his eyes, and thenwith difficulty sat up and stared ruefully at Evander.

  "Gogs!" he said, first rubbing his head and then looking at hisreddened palm. "Gogs! That was a swinging snip. I am as dizzy as awinged pigeon."

  "Let me help you to rise," Evander said, courteously. Blaise shookhis aching head.

  "I am none too fluttered to find my feet," he asserted, ignoring thefact that his rising from the ground to an erect posture was entirelydue to the combined efforts of Halfman and Evander, one on eachside, and then, when he did get to his feet, he was only able toretain the perpendicular by leaning heavily upon Halfman as a steadyprop. From under his bandaged forehead his pale-blue eyes regardedEvander with no trace of enmity.

  "Your hand, Puritan--your hand!" he cried. "'Tis just that we clasphands after a scuffle."

  Puritan and Cavalier clasped hands in a hearty grip. "I am at yourservice," Evander said, gravely. "Shall we continue?" Sir Blaiseshook his head again.

  "I have had my bellyful," he grunted. "There was breakfast, dinner,supper in your stroke. I must to the house to find vinegar and brownpaper to patch my poll."

  "Can I aid you?" Evander offered. "I have some slight skill insurgery."

  "Leave him to me," Halfman interposed. "I have botched as many headsas I have broken."

  Sir Blaise, leaning heavily on Halfman's arm, replied to Evander'soffer in his own way.

  "I will not have you mend ill what you have marred well. Come,crutch, let us be jogging. We will meet again another time, myfighting Puritan."

  Evander made him a bow. "At your pleasure," he replied, and stoodtill Sir Blaise, leaning on Halfman, had hobbled out of thepleasaunce and limped out of sight. Then he drew on his jerkin againwith a smile and a sigh.

  "Truly," he thought, "for a man who has but three days to live, Icannot be said to be wasting much idle time." With that he took upagain the book he had laid down and was soon deep in its study.