Part 22 (1/2)
”God's curse on you,” he burst out ”You have tricked me, you have cheated me”
”Bear your oath in ed by me, hereafter you shall have what satisfaction you demand
But first fulfil me what you have sworn Out with your blade, ory's rash action at that critical juncture, it is possible that he would have elected to break his plighted word But Gregory fearing that he ht determine otherwise, resolved there and then to re out his sword, he made a vicious pass at the lad's breast Kenneth avoided it by leaping backwards, but in an instant Gregory had sprung after hi hiht protect himself
They stood in the space between the table and that part of the hall that abutted on to the terrace; opposite to them, by the door which he had closed, stood Crispin At the table-head Joseph still sat cool, self-contained, even aory's attack upon one that ht yet have been won over to their side; but he never doubted that a few passes would dispose of the lad's opposition, and he sought not to interfere
Then he saw Crispin advancing towards him slowly, his rapier naked in his hand, and he was forced to look to hiht at the sword that stood behind hirionist Galliard's eyes flashed out a look of joy, he raised his rapier, and their bladesclash from beyond the table
”Hold, sir!” Kenneth had cried, as Gregory bore down upon hie which the boy had been forced to parry Taking that crossing of blades for a sign of opposition, Gregory thrust againstraight at his aggressor He saw the opening, and both instinct and the desire to repel Gregory's onslaught drew hiory back until his shoulders touched the panels of the wall Simultaneously the boy's foot struck the back of the chair which in rising Crispin had overset, and he stumbled
How it happened he scarcely knew, but as he hurtled forward his blade slid along his opponent's, and entering Gregory's right shoulder pinned hi blade, and assumed it to be Kenneth's For the rest he was just then too busy to dare withdraw for a second his eyes from Crispin's Until that hour Joseph Ashburn had accounted hi of a swordsman, and more than a match for most masters of the weapon But in Crispin he found a fencer of a quality such as he had never yet encountered Every feint, every botte in his catalogue had he paraded in quick succession, yet ever with the same result--his point was foiled and put aside with ease
Desperately he fought now, darting that point of his hither and thither in and out whenever the slightest opening offered; yet ever did it ht on and ory caht that perhaps Gregory was overcome occurred to him In such a case he must reckon upon himself alone He cursed the over-confidence that had led hi his adversary He ht have known that one who had acquired Sir Crispin's fareat odds and ht call for help
He ht occurred to him that the clatter of their blades had not drawn his servants fro still, he raised his voice:
”Ho, there! John, Stephen!”
”Spare your breath,” growled the knight ”I dare swear you'll have need of it None will hear you, call as you will I gave your four henchon of herein to drink to my safe journey hence They have elass of it would set the hardest toper asleep for the round of the clock”
An oath was Joseph's only answer--a curse it was upon his own folly and assurance A little while ago he had thought to have drawn so tight a net about this ruler, and here was he now taken in its very toils, well-nigh exhausted and in his enemy's power
It occurred to him then that Crispin stayed his hand That he fenced only on the defensive, and he wondered what ht his motive be He realized that he was ht send home his blade He was bathed from head to foot in a sweat that was at once of exertion and despair A frenzy seized hie this hesitancy of Crispin's to strike the final blow?
He braced hi his wrist from a simulated thrust in the first position, he doubled, and stretching out, lunged vigorously in quarte As he lengthened his arm in the stroke there came a sudden twitch at his wrist; the weapon isted frorasp, and he stood disar cry broke despite hireide in a sickly terror as they encountered the knight's sinister glance Not three paces behind hi ht have served hi his wits and paralysing his liht that the next pulsation of his tu courage that had been Joseph's only virtue was shattered, and his iron will that had unscrupulously held hitherto his very conscience in bondage was turned to water now that he stood face to face with death
Eons of time it seemed to him were sped since the srenched from his hand, and still the stroke he awaited came not; still Crispin stood, sinister and silent before hi eyes--as the snake watches the bird--eyes from which Joseph could not withdraw his own, and yet before which it seemed to him that he quaked and shrivelled
The candles were burning low in their sconces, and the corners of that aloomy hall were filled with ri stern and vengeful, the other crouching palsied and livid
Beyond the table, and with the wounded Gregory--lying unconscious and bleeding--at his feet, stood Kenneth looking on in silence, in wonder and in some horror too
To him also, as he watched, the seconds seemed minutes from the tih--short and sudden as a stab--he dropped his sword and caught his victim by the throat
However fierce the passion that had actuated Crispin, it had been held hitherto in strong subjection But now at last it suddenly welled up andhim to cast all restraint to the winds, to abandon reason, and to give way to the lust of rage that rendered ungovernable his mood
Like a burst of fla of hishis whole being A new, unconquerable strength possessed him; his pulses throbbed swiftly andof his blood, and his soul was filled with the cruel elation that attends a lust about to be indulged the elation of the beast about to rend its prey
He was pervaded by the desire to wreak slowly and with his hands the destruction of his broken eneh him would have been too swiftly done; theof his sufferings But to take him thus by the throat; slowly to choke the life's breath out of hiles; to be conscious of every agonized twitch of his sinews, to watch the purpling face, the swelling veins, the protruding eyes filled with the du a distinct, appreciable division of tihted years that lay behind hie