No wonder you parried my coup. I had wondered what had
become of him. And you know him as Monsieur Dessin? And he teaches
fencing?"
"Yes," Rupert said; "but my grandfather always said that Monsieur
Dessin was only an assumed name, and that he was undoubtedly of
noble blood."
"Your grandfather was right," the master said. "Yes, you have had
wonderful masters; but unless I had seen it, I should not have
believed that even the best masters in the world could have turned
out such a swordsman as you at your age."
By this time the various couples had begun fencing again, and the
room resounded with the talk of the numerous lookers on, who were
all discoursing on what appeared to them, as to Monsieur Dalboy,
the almost miraculous occurrence of a lad under sixteen holding his
own against a man who had the reputation of being the finest maitre
in Europe. Lord Fairholm, Sir John Loveday, and other gentlemen,
now came round.
"I was rather thinking," Sir John said, with a laugh, "of taking
you under my protection, Master Holliday, and fighting your battles
for you, as an old boy does for a young one at school; but it must
even be the other way. And by my faith, if any German Ritter or
French swordsman should challenge the British dragoons to a trial
of the sword, we shall put you forth as our David."
"I trust that that may not be," Rupert said; "for though in battle
I hope that I shall not be found wanting, yet I trust that I shall
have nought to do in private quarrels, but be looked upon as one of
a peaceful disposition.
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