The record-union., 1896-02-15
: But I choke

lie DSttSI ISdSOu that you open
| quickly
Observing that would not loose my
hand from her neck, she made shift to
open the gate; and still holding to her,
1 suffered her to draw me to the dark
place of the garden.
Now said /, answer me, woman;
what did you do with the sword of
Paolo?'
why should I answer thee when
thou knowest?'
p" Indeed, / know WELL said I, that
while he sat at meat, his sword lying
by the tree, you took it TO the fire and
then to the water; was it SOP
Even So
"'Who paid you?'
Who should pay me but the one
who wished his death?'
" 'Girolamo Capello. was the money
his?'
AS you say
" Fiend,' said I, now seeing it all,
what wage had your
ITO this she made no answer only
seeking to struggle from my grasp. and
raising her voice until it rang over the
water in echoing shrieks So sudden
w e1o IL anu 81 1Cc1 LII w eio l1Sl VI y IIct
came near to telling her go; but some
good instinct kept my hand upon her,
and seeming to feel that danger lay be-
hind me, 1 swung her round with all my
force, so that she came between me and
the gate. Scarce was the motion made
when three swords flashed in the light,
and then buried themselves in her body.
She had received the thrusts aimed at
my own back, and she fell shrieking at
the feet of the men she had served.
Dim as the light was, dark as the Sc
cret place of the garden, saw the men,
and there was a burning of blood in my
veins when 1 named them.
'Signor Girolamo, an old man greets
you said /, while my blade leapt from
it's scabbard; and you, Signor Manin,
and my old friend Lorenzo. Ho! no! a
merry company, and fine night for
little play, gentleman. 1t is /, Nicolo,
that makes the blades of wood
Before I had done with this saying
we had got down to our work. 1t seemed
to me that the three of them sprang at
me together; but Manin, the painter,
caught his foot in the robe of the woman
and fell headlong upon the grass. Of
the two that remained, SO unshapely
was the lay of the one called Lorenzo,
that I thrust him deep in the throat,
and he died without a cry.
"'Oh, Master Lorenzol Master Lo-
renzo!' cried I, often have taught thee
the parry for that thrust, and now thou
must learn it in Paradise, where thy
friends go quick to join thee
" Boosting fool, look to your words.
said Girolamo, for him they called
Manin had now come UP with US. Look
to your words and save your breath,
since your blood must soon run out from
your body
"' Signor Girolamo, said I, had you
cut over into sixte and lunged, had
been a dead man; but see, now there are
two of you, and one must go lose his
blade
For thus it was I had struck the
blade from the painters hand, and while
it went singing through the air, 1 felt
his flesh running like silk over my steel.
An exceeding joy was it to me, though
the sword of Girolamo ran through my
shoulder as 1 struck and my own blood
flowed out upon my cloak.
Well donel oh, we'll done! Master
Girolamo,' said 1, for the pain was to
me like the spit of a cat; wrongly, in
deed have 1 called you blunderer Oh,
we shall have a merry night, Master
Girolamo!'
HE could make no answer to me; so
quick he drew his breath and thrust
or parried, that his tongue, 1 doubt not,
was cleaving to his palate, and we
fought as men blindfolded that read
thoughts upon their blades, and answer
by instinct of touch which is the
swordsman's surest gift Twice round
the garden l forced him, and twice he
stood before me as l had never looked
TO see him stand; twice I touched him,
and yet was the touch no more than a
scratch, for my eyes were troubled and
my strength was waning.
Such an admission, dear friend. is
one l may make to you alone Let me
tell you plainly that there was a mo-
ment in the passing of that bout when
| looked to die; a moment when I felt
his blade speaking upon mine, when I
knew that he said, the man is old and
am young; faltering, and I am strong;
moment when even the thought of
Christine's tears could not bring me to
that opening I had played for so long.
Nor do I think to this day that any
skill of mine would have prevailed in
the end had not the God of all our JUS
tice come to my help when I needed
help sorely. But thus it was, and thus
that I live to write again with all the
joy of an old mans victory.
when the thing befell, we had work.
ed round to that part of the garden
where the body of the hag lay. Re
treating before the new fury of his at