THREE INCHES OF COLD STEEL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2413, 30 January 1909, Page 12 (Supplement)

THREE INCHES OF COLD STEEL.

(By 'Hoiiirich Von -Sdmoiz.) ' Among accomplishments which wore considered necessary in an educated young man during the time of my youth were dancing ixnd fencing. To learn, these I wont to an old Trench emigrant who made his living by giving lessons in these. M. do Bon-hou-r, a white-Laired, tall, military looking man, declared himself ready , to give mo lessons in dancing and r fencing and asked me when I wanted v to Login., r “Immediately if it suits you.” I replied. “Certainly, I jam at your servieo.” “But ytui have not yet told me what I am to pay you.” “My usual charge is four lessons for one louirs d’or. Docs that suit you?” “Excellently, and I wish to take two .lessons in cadi art.” “You don’t need to take two lessons to ‘become a good fencer and [ can see in your eyes that you have courage. Let me test your eyes and your wrist. Follow me.” ife took mo into a large, very light loom which contained no furniture except a few chairs and a piano which in tlioso days was far from being as common as it is to-day. On "the walls and bettfeen the windows were hanging foils -and masks, -while a number of batons were standing in one corner. A\ hen the old gentleman showed me how to stand when about to begin fencing and took his position opposite me, I noticed that he was a iittlo lame, very little, to be sure, but it seemed rather strange to me- that a lame man should he able to give lessons in fencing, which calls for the fr. utmost agility, -but I soon saw. that .X ho was -a master li-anu. The first fencing lesson was followed immediately . by the fir,st dancing lesson, during j which lie played the violin himself. After wo. had practised for a littlewhile he suddenly cried: “iSacrebleu, This is one of my had days. AJ y leg is troubling me so that I can’t dance any more.”

“Oh, let us wait till some, other day then,” I (began, but he interrupted me and said: “No. no, please stay here and I shall find somebody to take my -place.” ' lie limped across the floor and called into the next room:

“Juliet, put on your dancing slip pers and come in here quickly.

A moment later Juliet appeared. She was a tall, willowy girl, with a wealth of dark hair and big black eyes, and unusually pretty mouth, with very full lips, a- little honey, hut as quick and as graceful as a- deer. •She looked one moment like a girl of ten, while during the next one might cusily take her to he eighteen. The old man introduced me: “Mr Arthur Forester—All-le. du Bonhour.”

She made a curtsey according to the custom of the time, and I bowed

deeply

“Juliet, 1 am too weak to-day to dance, so you will please give this gentleman his lesson.” “With the greatest of pleasure, father dear.” “Well, begin, then! Don’t look at mademoiselle's eyes, monsieur. Look at her feet; it is her feet that Lire dancing. One, two, three.” Thus it went on until the lesson was over. “This is enough for to-day, monsieur; you will make an excellent dancer. Tho time will come when I shall feel proud to have given you your first lessons. Jidiot, you may go.” The young girl made another curtsey and left the room, while tho old gentleman said to me: “I hope that I shull he ■ahle to instruct you myself the next time.” But two <1 ays later he was feeling worse and Juliet had t-o take his place during (both lessons. Wearing a mask, a heavily padded plastron, she stood opposite me, foil in hand, while the old gentleman gave his comma nd :

“Salute! Don’t look into mademoiselle’s eyes, monsieur, but at hor han d. Read y ! G ood ! Good!” I made a thrust at my adversary, while Juliet took her foil into her loft hand and directed mine with her right. . “This will never do,” tho old man cried. “Monsieur -must not be so careful. Once more! You must attack with your full force. Don’t he afraid of Juliet; she’s lahlo-to look out for herself. Turn your fingers a little more outward. 'That was better. Once morel”

It was terrible to me to have to thrust against this child, avilh full force, hut it had to he, and thus we went’ through all the movements, Juliet parrying mv thrusts with the greatest ease, showing herself as much of a master as her father. t Then came the dancing lesson and] us the old. man -was -unable to dance, Juliet was my teacher for weeks. As’ I grew more skilful in fencing I often had a chance to 'look at the girl through the wire netting of the mask and I noticed a change in her face. The child had become a woman. Her eves no longer expressed childlike Curiosity, nor had they the expression of the skilful fencer, hut I could see in them the .awakening of a woman’s uni 1 Also her appearance changed. 'She ias less angular, still more grace•ful hut her fuce and shoulders re--inuined unchanged.

Accidentally I heard that the family was in need. For several 'days father and daughter had eaten nothing, and I hadn’t even thought of paying',for my lessons. I intended to do .so when I should have finished. Now I mode up my mind to do so right -away, and not to hurt the -feelings of the sensitive old man, J. pretended that I would he uliable to come for some, time -and therefore wished to pay for the lessons I had already received. The old man at first absolutely refused to- receive the money, but at last lie said: “Yv'cll, you may do just as you please, sir.” He put the lon is d/ ors i,t Ids pocket as if it meant absolutely nothing to him, and if I had not know the fact I should never have thought so.

<1 let a couple of weeks pass -before I came to the house again, and then I fo-und a very great change. Juliethad -become can ,unusually beautiful woman ; having had plenty to eat, ;<he had filled out wonderfully. -But the old gentleman looked the same as ever. When he was well enough I fenced and danced with Juliet, while he criticised and corrected. Thus months passed, until one day the old man said: “Monsieur, you have become a- master. I can no longer accept your money, as I can toad) you nothing more.” I hogged him to allow me to continue, giving as an excuse that I had not yet- learned to disarm my adversary. “That is very true, monsieur. If you want to learn that you will need another course, but as-my wrist is just now ias stiff as my knee, Juliet wild -have to teach you alone. When you are able to disarm Juliet you have 'nothing more to learn.” How strange things happen in life. Just -as my admiration of Juliet, I spy admiration, nob love, reached its climax I fell in love with -another girl and as I was accepted my mother gave us her blessing. I continued my lessons, but no longer took any interest in them. Never had I been harder hit than during -these last fencing lessons. There was an -angry glimpse in Juliet’s eyes when her foil engaged mine like a serpent, and threw it out of my Land -as easily as if 1 had been a- mere beginner. During the dancing lesson Juliet seemed to have lost all interest herself. The day before I was to have my last lessou I was walking -with my fiancee when I met M. de Bonhour and his daughter. -During the fencing lesson the next forenoon the old gentleman was called -n-wli.v, and J found myself alone with Juliet. During a pause she had taken-off her mask and stood in front of me playing' with her foil.

“'Well, Juliet,” I began, “Jet us go on.” AVe had become accustomed to calling each other by our first names.

“I wfcint to tell you, monsieur, that my name is Mademoiselle de Bonliouiy” she said coldly. “Who was that young lady you were walking with yesterday?”

“My -bride to bo. I expect to marry her in a few weeks. What is the matter with you, Juliet, arc you sick?”

“No, it is nothing—” “Pull down your mask, -please; we arc no longer children playing.” I -adjusted my uvi.sk and .we began. I was absolutely cool, but -she seemed as if possessed by a demon and attacked me with fury. Once when her foil passed close by my eyes I noticed that the point was unprotected.

“iStop,” I cried, “there is no hutton on your foil.”

“I know that, monsieur; I took it off on purpose. 1 want to tell you. monsieur, that if you intend to in a few weeks you are not going to look ns you do now. The other girl loves you for your handsome false She shall no longer find it handsome, for I shall mark it. I shall never allow her to love the face which I admired from .tlic day I first saw you. Never.” “But, Juliet —” “Look out, monsieur, my foil is sharp. I doubt if you will be alive a few weeks from now.”

She began to attack me more furiously, however, and it was only with the greatest effort that I succeeded in parrying 'her thrusts. Suddenly one of them tore open my arm all tho way from the wrist to tho shoulder, and as soon as she saw the blood she threw away her foil and rushed towards me. I fell to the floor, but still hud strength enough to whisper: “Please break off tho point, Juliet.”

When I ramie to once more my arm had been bandaged and 1 heard Juliet groan: “Ob, Arthur, njv beloved! I have killed him!- 1 have killed him for.whom I should have been happy to sacrifice my life. Oh God, help me, he’s going to die.” Opening my eyes and frying to smile, I whispered to lier:

“No, it was my intention to kill you.”. “Please give me the point of your foil, Juliet, that your father may not see it.”

She. handed it to me and I sow that it was as sharp as the point of a needle. Later on 1 had the name Juliet engraved upon, it, and J keep it to-day-as a memory of that time, three inches of cold steol.