Micah Clarke Chapter 9 - Of a Passage of Arms at the Blue Boar

Dionne Jines (0:00)

Chapter 9 of Micah Clarke. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit librivox.org. Recording by Dionne Jines, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Micah Clarke by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Chapter 9 of A Passage of Arms at the Blue Boar.

I had slept several hours when I was suddenly aroused by a prodigious crash, followed by the clash of arms and shrill cries from the lower floor. Springing to my feet, I found that the bed upon which my comrade had lain was vacant, and that the door of the apartment was opened. As the uproar still continued, and as I seemed to discern his voice in the myths of it, I caught up my sword, and without waiting to put on either headpiece, steel breast, or arm plates, I hurried to the scene of the commotion.

The hall and passage were filled with silly maids and staring drawers, attracted like myself by the uproar. Through these, I pushed my way into the apartment where we had breakfasted in the morning, which was a scene of the wildest disorder.

The round table in the center had been tilted over upon its side, and three broken bottles of wine with apples, pears, nuts, and the fragments of the dishes containing them were littered over the floor. A couple of packs of cards and a dice box lay amongst the scattered feast. Close by the door stood Decimus Saxon with his drawn rapier in his hand, and a second one beneath his feet. While facing him, there was a young officer in a blue uniform whose face was reddened with shame and anger, and who looked wildly about the room as though in search of some weapon to replace that of which he had been deprived. He might have served Sibber or Gibbons as a model for a statue of impotent rage. Two other officers dressed in the same blue uniform stood by their comrade, and as I observed that they had laid their hands upon the hilts of their swords, I took my place by Saxon's side and stood ready to strike in should the occasion arise. Why would the maitre d'armes say the maitre d'escrime? cried my companion. Me thinks he should lose his place for not teaching you to make a better show. Out on him, is this the way that he teaches the officers of his majesty's guard to use their weapons? This Raylery, sir, said the elder of the three, a squat, brown, heavy-faced man, is not undeserved and yet might perchance be dispensed with. I am free to say that our friend attacked you somewhat hastily and that a little more deference should have been shown by so young a soldier to a cavalier of your experience. The other officer, who was a fine-looking, noble-featured man, expressed himself in much the same manner. If this apology will serve, said he, I am prepared to join in it. If however more is required, I shall be happy to take the quarrel upon myself. Nay, nay, take your bread all, Saxon answered good-humoredly, kicking the sword towards his youthful opponent. But mark you, when you would lunge, direct your point upwards rather than down, or otherwise you must throw your wrist open to your antagonist, who can scarce fail to disarm you. In quarte, terce, or secune, the same holds good. The youth sheathed his sword, but was so overcome by his own easy defeat, and the contemptuous way in which his opponent had dismissed him, that he turned and hurried out of the room. Meanwhile, Decimus Saxon and the two officers set to work, getting the table upon its legs, and restoring the room to some sort of order, in which I did what I could to assist them. I held three queens for the first time today, grumbled the soldier of fortune. I was about to declare them, when this young bantam flew at my throat, he hath likewise been the cause of our losing three flasks of most excellent muscadine. When he hath drunk as much bad wine as I have been forced to do, he will not be so hasty in wasting the good. He is a hot headed youngster, the older officer replied, and a little solitary reflection added to the lesson which you have taught him, may bring him profit. As for the muscadine, that loss will soon be repaired. The more gladly, as your friend here will help us to drink it. I was roused by the crash of weapons, said I, and I scarce know now what has occurred. Why, a mere tavern brawl, which your friend's skill and judgment prevented from becoming serious.