Lisgar Collegiate Institute - Vox Lycei Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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VOX LYCEI 57 VVe must have firearms , he said. And swords , added Paul. And masks , this from Rudy. For lack of more formidable weapons, Anthony fashioned them muskets and rapiers from broomsticks purloined en route. Then, muffiing their faces in their tattered cloaks, in lieu of masks, they took up a position on one of the many roads leading from Paris, and thus equipped. awaited a victim. Rudy, being the most agile, was on sentry duty in a tree. The artist, below, began to grumble that he was still hungry. Your wonderful project , he growled to Paul, not hlling our stomachs yet. Be patient , urged the poet. llc shall have money ..... . At which point, Rudy, crying out that a carriage was approaching, promptly fell out of the tree. However, as his friends were directly below him, he landed on them, breaking his fall and very nearly their necks. Get ready! cried Anthony nervously. when the natural confusion was over. They moved forward. gripping their broomstick weapons gallantly. and waited. Thus it was that Etienne Charles Henri Leonard de La Pre d'Or, fifth Comte de la Montaigne, driving Parisward with Jeanne. his bride. after a wedding-journey in Normandy. was suddenly confronted by three pallid youths in amazingly patched garments, clutching at muskets with sweating fingers, and evidently suffering from an ague which seemed to have affected only their knees. Stand and deliver! cried Paul. unconvincingly. Your money or your lives ! Anthony's voice cracked, giving it an almost pleading note. Rudy appeared to be working himself up. Finally. in a terrible voice, which sought to cover his quaking heart. he thundered. Potzblitzmillionendonnerwetter l l After this there seemed no more to be said on the subject. It remained with the Count's attendants, who numbered a coachman and two footmen, to make the first move. They made it. They Hed summarily, the coachman alone pausing to fire a solitary shot at the highwaymen, Fortunately. as according to his custom he turned away his head and closed his eyes at the moment of firing. The ball passed through the window of the carriage at right angles to the direction in which it was fired and did no more harm than to sting a donkey in a field nearby. The rest of this scene must be pictured as punctuated by the resentful braying of the astonished beast. Then Paul, slighly emboldened by this unexpected success, called loudly. Come out of the carriage, or you are dead men. The Count and the bride, the former poker-stiff with rage descended into the dust of the road. At sight of the latter, the eyes of the three friends bulged. The mere tracing of ink on paper cannot hope to describe her charm, her grace, her utterly devastating loveliness. Suffice it to say. that the only impulse of the gallant fbut hungryj trio was to crawl into the ditch and pull it in after them. There wa-s a long silence, during which the donkey emitted a few hollow moans. Then Rudy, realizing that someone had to begin, gave Anthony a sug- gestive shove. The artist was hurled against Paul, whose mock weapon flew from his hand, while he himself was precipitated into the dust at the feet of the Countess. After that pandemonium reigned for at least ten minutes, during which the Count told them just exactly what he thought of them, and Paul, recognizing the advantages of his location, told the amused Countess his tale of woe.

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56 VOX LYCEI Stand' ana' Deliver! fplease QA 17th Century invention.j 3rd Outlaw: Stand, sir, and throw us that you have about you. lf not. we'll make you sit, and rifle you. Two Gentlemen of Verona, My starveling bull Ah, woe is me! ln pasture full How lean is he! Thus chanted Paul, French and poet tself-styledib wagging a mocking linger at Andre, the well-to-do but meagre host of Le Petit Cochon Nou. It was the crowning insult of a long chain of the like offences extending throughout the whole winter, during which Paul, Rudolf of talents musical whose native land was Brunswick, and Anthony. a hopeful artist of English extraction, had lived on his reluctant bounty. Not even the contemplation of their unpaid bills. which Rudolf had considered worthy of setting to music, could have raised his fury to so high a pitch. This particular quotation of Paul's had always caused his rage to simmer, and this morning it boiled over at last. lVith an inarti- culately profane exclamation he reached for the poker: several waiters came to his assistance and the next moment the three friends were rushing into the street, their personal effects propelled by the muscular efforts of Andre and his athletic garcons du cafe, whizzing past their ears. A battered portmanteau, catching Paul between the shoulders, caused him to utter an agonized yelp. A huge roll of music manuscript flew by. and An- thony cried out, There goes your opera, Rudy l And Rudy, without slackening his speed, replied, No matter. I dedicate it to art. But a pair of trousers, hurrying by as though imbued with life, drew quite a different song from the painter, who with a startled cry, disappeared around the corner in frantic pursuit. They came together again in the park, where they sprawled, panting on thc grass, and took stock of the situation. lt was all my fault . said Paul remorsefully, but that brute Andre ought not to cook so spare in the midst of all that lovely food ...... Food , he added wisfully. Ah, food! He was silent awhile, only murmuring to himself at intervals. Food ..... food. XVell what are we to do now? snapped Anthony impatiently. l'm starved and you don't get us anywhere talking like a pastry-cook ! The trousers had coyly eluded him and the rag-tag artist was not a little nettled. Paul, thus recalled to earth, suggested poisoning Andre but Rudy dismissed this Utopian dream as too impracticable. Finally, Anthony, disgusted with their futile argument, turned on what would have been a heel in a less ancient pair of shoes, remarking sarcastically, XYhy not rob a carriage l To his amazement Paul began dancing for joy, exclaiming. You have hit it, mon ami l V And even Rudy, ever meek and non-committal, admitted that the idea had possibilities. Wlhen he had recovered from a quite natural fear that hunger had affected their minds. Anthony became quite reconciled to the thought of turn- ing highway man, and they began to lay plans.

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58 VOX LYCEI XYhen a comparative silence was restored-Qcomparative, I say, for the donkey was still airing his grievanceb,-the Countess observed cheerfully. I must say, Etienne. that you have a very poor taste in desperadoes. Let us take these villians home and feed them, They may prove interesting. Really, Jeanne , the Count was annoyed but had no desire to ruftie the feelings of his bride, you do pick up the most impossible people. No , as she started to speak. I will not hear another word. As for you , he turned on the three menacingly, you scoundrels, I will see that you are soundly beaten. The highwaymen gave themselves up for lost, and their knees knocked to- gether like castanets. But the Countess was a woman of resource. Really, Etienne . she said reproachfully, you are rather horrid, parti- cularly as our servants have resigned. That , replied the Count, thoughtfully , is another thing. If you will take care of our carriage you will escape punishment this time. But , he added grimly, I will make sure that you do not attempt to cut our throats on the way home. The Countess winked quite distinctly at the three friends with the eye remote from her husband, and. acting on a common impulse, they flung them- selves yapping at her feet. IYhen the eloquence of their gratitude was some- what abated they leaped onto the carriage, Anthony on the coachman's box, and Paul and Rudy behind. They moved off at a brisk pace. lVhen they had disappeared from sight. there peeped out from the prickly hedge which ran along the ditch, the mud-spattered faces, pale to the nose-tips. of the Count's late retinue. The donkey, not seeing them and therefore assuming that he had lost his audience, ceased his lamentations and lay down to rest. IIE.-XTRICE QRKIN, IVA. , Carson s ueer Revenge A letter for you, sir , said Sorrel the school postmaster. handing Simmons a dainty pink envelope. XVhat on earth is this? No stamp or anything. Some stupid joke I sup- pose. Have you got one, Carson? he asked his room-mate. No, I haven't. but don't you think you'd like to know what's in it P sug- gested Carson who was rather curious to know the contents of the letter. Simmons tore open the envelope. Inside there was written a note on pink paper. Simmons read it aloud. Messrs Firth, Parson and Price request the honour of your company at a supper to be given in studies IJ, E, X F, on Thursday evening at eight o'cIock. The invitation had evidently been compiled from an At Home card. The boys had introduced Chicken and Beans , in one corner in place of Music and Dancing. In the other corner were the mystic letters, 'R.S.V.P.'. Oh boy! study supper! But' how is it you aren't going Carson? I always thought you and Firth great chums , asked Simmons. Yes, we were. And I was in good with Price also. Can't see why they haven't asked me , said Carson mournfully. f'XVe're going to have some time , remarked Simmons. Chicken and beans, nothing I like better. And what's 'R.S.V.P.'?