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The King's Esquires: The Jewel of France, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 21. Trapped |
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_ CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. TRAPPED At the English captain's action his two companions sprang from their chairs and drew their weapons, for Denis had stepped back with his own blade leaping from its scabbard--a movement followed at once by his three companions, who stood on their defence. "Now, boys," raged out Sir Robert. "Hah! The window is open. Ready?" "Yes," came fiercely. "No deep wounds; but prick and make them dance till they reach the window and leap out. I'll tackle this boy." The next moment there was the harsh, grating, rasping, hissing sound of steel edge against steel. "Back, boy!" raged out Francis. "Let me punish this English _canaille_." "No, sir," whispered Leoni sharply. "They are three. Let your servants finish this." "Here's for you!" shouted one of Sir Robert's companions, and they made for the King and his two followers; but they were hindered from crossing swords by Sir Robert, who, stepping back to avoid a sharp thrust delivered by Denis, felt his foot slip upon the wine-moistened polished oaken boards, and in saving himself he came in contact with the table, driving it heavily in his comrades' way, so that the two parties were separated, the centre of the room being taken up by Denis and his adversary. "The unlucky boy!" muttered the King angrily. "Leoni, he is no match for that English bull." "No, sir," said the doctor coolly, as he stood watchful with his blade advanced; "but he can fence a little. Give me place, and I'll see that he does not come to harm." Seeing that their adversaries were disposed to hold their hands until the couple engaged had finished their encounter, Sir Robert's two companions stood waiting for their turn till the unequal match was finished; for unequal it was, Denis being pressed hard in the fierce onslaught made by the strong-armed bully, who kept on thrusting and driving the boy sideways as, lithe and agile, he avoided or parried every thrust. At last his fate seemed sealed, for his arm was growing weak and his defence being beaten down, when with a quick movement and just in the nick of time Leoni made a sudden dart forward and turned aside a very awkward thrust. "Ah! Coward!" roared the English officer. "Two to one! Here, boys, come on!" The command was unnecessary, for Leoni's action was imitated at once by Sir Robert's followers, who sprang forward, to have their blades engaged at once by Saint Simon and the King. Then in a general _melee_ the swords gritted and twined and seemed like flashing serpents in deadly fray, while those who grasped them came in contact with and were hindered by the furniture of the by no means extensive room. The floor was made slippery by the wine which bedewed the boards, but before the encounter had lasted a minute there were other drops which added to the peril; for Denis's thin blade had passed along the fleshiest part of the English captain's ribs, and raging now with passion and pain as he felt the sting, he fought furiously, forcing Leoni to do more than guard the boy, whose strength was utterly failing; and interposing now, he literally took the Englishman's blade to his own, beat upon it heavily, and the next moment sent it flying through the open window, out of which he was to have been made to jump. Uttering a yell of fury, Sir Robert snatched the dagger from his waist, and regardless of the danger, sprang with a yell at Denis, when the door was suddenly flung open and an officer of halberdiers stepped in, backed up by about a dozen followers, whose approach had been unheard, while about a score more could be seen forming up through the window, their great steal spears with their battle-axe blades glittering in the ruddy evening sun. As if moved by one impulse, everyone within the room lowered his blade, while the King, taking in his position at a glance, and placing his own interpretation thereon, ejaculated angrily the one word: "Trapped!" _ |
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