Utica Free Academy - Academician Yearbook (Utica, NY)

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door being unlocked and opened. Instantly with noisless foot he crept out into the hall. 'There his sword was thrust into his hand, and someone whispered in his ear. '4The stairs are to the right. ' Gervais needed nothing more to start him, and so he quietly crawled up the dimly lighted stairs, until he came within sight of the captain's door, before which he beheld a trooper, nodding drowsily. In an instant Garvais had him by the throat, and with the 'point of his sword at the trooperls heart said. f'Give the alarm, and you speak no more. The startled guard, believing that his fate had arrived roared: Captain! Captain! I-Ie had hardly uttered these words than Gervais thrust him through the heart. As the great -door of the bed-chamber opened, and Captain Felix appeared, a blow from Gervais' fist sent him realing back into his room. The fencing master, witha leap, was after him, and had the door boltedand barred, ere a man couldtake two breaths. HIn heaven's name, who are you?'7 cries the frightened captain, perceiving that this wasnot Poquefort. I 'fBy your .own admission, one who should have been a fencing master, was the answer.. . HBut, we have very little room here, Monsieur. - Well Captain, we can put it to the testf' . Gervais could not kill this man in cold blood, and so- he decided to try a ruse. With an air of intent preoccupation, he began to- light the tapers onthe mantleshelf. Instantly Felix, fallinginto the trap, snatched up his sword and rushed at the fencingemaster. Gervais was expecting this, and, with a quick spring, and a little cry. of triumph, stood on guard. Rushing forward blindly, .and with no skill, Felix's sword struck the wall. When on recovering himself and feeling steel upon his own, he knew his time hadcome, and beganto weaken. He offered Gervais his freedom, but the ,fencing master, knowing he could not be trusted, refused. Upon this the trembling brute in despair cried for the guards. Then the fight began in earnest. Felix, though very frightened, fought well, but was no match for Gervais. My lord, said the fencing master, Hthose ruftles are somewhat over-full for this business. Let me relieve you of -23... ,

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f Al ,gfg,4ffff4?44f,22 -iff' 'f '1'f?ff2fK5t,ffffff. .42-115551 if f g -.gf-an-Y-A A-Y-N :E 1 i 1 1. 1 P1 I I I1 ,E 1 I l V. 'x I, ! I 1 i i Q1 3 '. il 52 if ll V 'R 1 i 11 i l 3 . 1 1 l 1 some supper, and fastening the door behind him. Gervais had in his mind to spring upon his visitor and fkill him, but the guard would then rush inand he would surely 'be hanged, so he put that thought aside. The trooper set thesupper down on the table and said, I have been ordered to eat and drink with you, and lowering his voice, HI am very glad, for I believe you are not Poqufort from your honest look, therefore you can count on me as a friend. .V Gervais jumped to his feet and grasped the officer's hand. Not too loud,7' continued his new friend, the guard in the hall might hear. Sit down and eat. I have an old score against the captain,that I would like to pay, and then get away, for I don't like it hereat all. by G 'A When the supper had been finished, the trooper began, 9'Now listen. I am on guard before your door for the second watch, and to let you know that its I, I'll drop my musket,, Then when all is quiet, I'll unlock the door and give you your sword, which the captain gave me. You see how they trust me, letting me eat with you, and putting me on your guard, and if I was to be caught, I would hang with you at dawn too. VVell, when you get the sword you can climb quietly up to the captain's bedroom just at the top of the stairs, where you'll find a guard, but methinks you can manage the rest all right. Then when you get through with Captain Felix, you'll find me outside with a couple of good steeds, and then to Angonleine where' we will be safe. - ' So after Gervais had thanked him for his friendship and assured him that he would be ready on time, the officer left the room, and Gervais heard him mutter to the guard down the hall, thatit was .hard to have to eat supper with a traitor. When the prisoner was alone, he rejoiced that he had such a friend, and a chance to revenge himself on his enemy, the captain, and perhaps escape. t U With great hopes and anticipations, he waited in the dark- ness for what seemed centuries, 'till he might be released. Finally he heard the change of guards, the clatter of a falling musket, an oath, and he knew that it was his friend. After some time, when all was again still, he caught the sound of the -23-

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them, H And with a feint in octave, he cut a piece off from the captain 's coat. H HI have your ruffles upon my point, observe. The comedy played between these two was dreadful in its detail. One by one, Gervais cut the rufflesoff from his adver- sary's shirt, and touched him with his points upon the arms' and breast. Finally, when a rush of men was heard in the hall, the dead guard having probably been found, and the alarm given, Gervais ran his man through the heart, crying: Revenge! - G He wiped his dripping sword upon the bedclothes, and opening the casement, looked out upon the snow-covered ground below him. There he saw the figure of a man -holding two horses. ,By this time the soldiers had arrived at the captain's door, and receiving no answer to their. calls, had begun to beat the door in. 'Then Gervais began to wonder how he was to reach his friend below.. Was he -to be caught and hanged after all? He dismissed that thought and deter- mined to jump, trusting to land in a big bank of snow, beneath the window. Thendrop fromlthe casement to the snow below was a high one, but, since life was at stake, he did not hesitate. The woodwork was flying in splinters, and he could see the great door yielding under the assault' of the menf He thought of the risk of jumping, he might strike a buttress anywhere, but in the yielding snow. But as the door gave at last, and furious soldiers rushed in, he sprang into the air. 4 It seemediages to him before he struck the ground, and the sensation was not at all pleasant. But he -landed H--safely in a .snow-bank. After getting his breath, he crawled out and shook himself. His friend, the trooper grasped his hand, and then helped him upon his horse. Amid a volley of muskets, the two leaped forward, and galloped into the night. G At noon, the next day, Gervais and the trooper were safe in Angonlaine. r ' -24 ..