Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-12-22


broadswords. Put on a mask and breast
plate, and let me see what you can do.
Mastor aud pupil being properly attired
commenced to play.
My friend exhibited an amount of agility
and skill | was unprepared for. The mas.
ter watched his play closely, contentine
himself with parrying blows and thrusts
delivered with much spirit and artistic
skill
The bout was over.
"Well professor, does your old pupil
disgrace you?" ' -- :
9 Your play has some pretty things fol
the fencing-school they must all be dis.
carded with such an opponent as the Aus.
trian. Attend. First discharge from you,
eyes all that passion which enables an ad
Versary to master your intentions next
take to his guard and keep to il"
The professor threw himself into an att
tude once a favorite among Scottish gentle
men of the sword, but how neglected by
fencers of the modern school. l believe it
is termed the hanging guard.
My friend initiated the professor.
Not en- quartz, but en- Seconde, your
sword hand higher than your head, with
sloping point your left brought in front,
ready to parry. Good you have now the
strong cross on your opponents sword, and
your parade is more certain. You have a
week? Well, I shall exercise you only in
this guard, and the parades that flow from
it.
''Am not to ASSAULT"
ssBut once; on it will depend the issue of
the fight, will teach you the mode the
last thing. See, your adversary is practised
and skillful; but he knows only what he
has been taught by. his master. One or
two tricks OF science he especially relics
upon. [ know how to counteract them,
and had my pupils, when challenged, at
tended to my instructions, they might
have been alive now to credit their lnstruc-
tor a.. ---
ftYou shall never have to make complaint
of me" "as- G- -
Bear in mind, your opponent has great
bodily strength, and is cunning of fence;
but foiled in his favorite passes, he loses
temper; in that lies your safety. Having
played out his tricks, he takes to his last
aud usually fatal move. By sheer strength
of wrist be presses his opponents sword
firmly aside, so as to make an open, then
by a feint and turn of the wrist he delivers
q thrust which, if it goes home, all is over.
You must wait patiently for this: when the
thrust is given, parry with your lett, and
then see-td riSp0ste-thus delivering the
stab not upwards, for in that case the bones
and muscles of the chest may weaken it,
but downwards, where the point will only
meet with the softer parts. 1t is on the
play from the riSposte that your life de-
pends
Ihave, fear, imperfectly state the parti-
cularS of the lesson, and the technical terms
Of
ing confined to turn or two with bIunts
at Angeles room. OF course, as this was
to bea duel in downright earnest, my at
tention was more than commonly riveted
to all that occurred.
Gar d now for your weapon" said the
professor, opening closet aud producing
a sword. have the measure of the Aus
trian's sword, this one is the exact length. )"
The sword at cursory glance looked a
very unpromising weapon with which to
defend mans life. My Iriend evidently
thought so, for he examine d it with dis
mayed look.
'.Why," said he, ''it's hardly more than
a lark-spit; the Austrian uses Konigsberg
blade, double the width and weight this
toy"
'I know it, but this toy, as you term it, +"
the weapon fondly from heel to
poirlt, ''has qualities that in proper hands
will prove more than a match for the best
sword ever forged in Germany. It is a real
Seville blade nothing better in the world.
"See, placing it lengthwise on his finger,
chow admirably it is balanced; notice the
hilt, close barred and crossed-no fear of
wounds on the sword-hand; then, its tenn
per-" severing a large nail on which breast
plates were hung. Look again, pressing
h. - Al,
hilt, when, releasing the weapon, the blade
instantly returned to its normal condition.
'tAnd this last" striking the blade fiat on
an iron anvil with all his force, 'there, that
alone is a test which defy even the famed
Konigsberg sword to undergo. Enough for
this night. Come early tomorrow for your
lesson
When we quilted the professor the doc
tor obtain ed a promise from me that I
would not leave Milan until the result of
the duel was determined, and that would
him to the fold.
I saw little of my friend except IN the
evening g-he was engaged elsewhere [ did
not ask in what direction, Isurmised cor
rectly, he was with his fencing master. He
never alluded to the approaching duel-his
conversation was tranquil and on general
topics; the affray at the theatre had, how
ever, been bruited about the clty-every
one knew the duel was to come off, but no
one knew precisely when or where;
We were about to part one night when
he said quietly, Tomorrow morning at
five o'clock two carriages will be at the
ramparts, one for myself and second, the
other for the surgeon and my master Di
Pratt. You will pass muster as surgeon. Let
me entreat yon to make no objection; the
details have already been finally arranged.
My opponent is provided In a similar way !;
he and his second in one carriage, De Liam
court, his teacher, and a real surgeon IN the
other. Be punctual.'
At five o'clock | found myself in the car
riage with Professor Di Pratt.
The place of combat was to be near
Monga-just beyond the Milan territory
there were reasons for this which need not
be particularized.
The morning was cold and cheerless and
when we alighted, which was about in two
hours, the day had not frightened. All
parties got out of the carriages; the foes
saluted each other briefly. l noticed the
murderous look in the Aust1ian's eyes, and
[ gave up my friend for lost. Without q
word being spoken we walked on until we
came to an open space, smooth but slip
perry with the morning dew. This was the
spot selected by the two seconds, who. ap-
parently, quite accustomed to such scenes,
went about their duties in a steady business
like manner.
Professor Di Pratt, who had brought his
sword with him, as he handed it to my
friend, whispered, "Remember-whenI I
drop my handkerchief-Ld La riSposte"
The Austrian officer disencumber him
self of his cloak, and divested himself O.
all his upper clothing, leaving his bust unf
covered. never saw so fine form. Per-
fectly proportioned on the largest scale, he
stood upwards Of six feet high; chest, arms
and back billowy with muscle; skin as
white as that of the fairest lady.
My friend, seeing the fighting costume
adopted by the officer, threw off his black
silk vest as if resolving that he would not
even have a questionable advantage. In
size he looked mere dwarf to his athletic
opponent; long thin wiry arms, chest mar.
row, skin almost as dark as mulatto's, and