Chicot the Jester | Page 8

seen,
received the warning of St. Luc, and, in spite of it, had parted from his
friends at the Hôtel Montmorency. It was one of those bravadoes
delighted in by the valiant colonel, who said of himself, "I am but a
simple gentleman, but I bear in my breast the heart of all emperor; and
when I read in Plutarch the exploits of the ancient Romans, I think
there is not one that I could not imitate." And besides, he thought that
St. Luc, who was not ordinarily one of his friends, merely wished to get
him laughed at for his precautions; and Bussy feared ridicule more than
danger.
He had, even in the eyes of his enemies, earned a reputation for courage,
which could only be sustained by the rashest adventures. Therefore,
alone, and armed only with a sword and poniard, he advanced towards
the house where waited for him no person, but simply a letter, which
the Queen of Navarre sent him every month on the same day, and
which he, according to his promise to the beautiful Marguerite, went to
fetch himself, alone, and at night.
When he arrived at the Rue St. Catherine, his active eye discerned in
the shade the forms of his adversaries. He counted them: "Three, four,
five," said he, "without counting the lackeys, who are doubtless within
call. They think much of me, it seems; all these for one man. That
brave St. Luc did not deceive me; and were his even the first sword to
pierce me I would cry, 'Thanks for your warning, friend.'" So saying, he
continued to advance, only his arm held his sword under his cloak, of
which he had unfastened the clasp.
It was then that Quelus cried, "To arms."
"Ah, gentlemen," said Bussy, "it appears you wish to kill me: I am the
wild boar you had to hunt. Well, gentlemen, the wild boar will rip up a
few of you; I swear it to you, and I never break my word."
"Possibly," said Schomberg; "but it is not right, M. Bussy d'Amboise,
that you should be on horseback and we on foot." And as he spoke, the
arm of the young man, covered with white satin, which glistened in the

moonlight, came from under his cloak, and Bussy felt his horse give
way under him. Schomberg had, with an address peculiar to himself,
pierced the horse's leg with a kind of cutlass, of which the blade was
heavier than the handle and which had remained in the wound. The
animal gave a shrill cry and fell on his knees. Bussy, always ready,
jumped at once to the ground, sword in hand.
"Ah!" cried he, "my favorite horse, you shall pay for this." And as
Schomberg approached incautiously, Bussy gave him a blow which
broke his thigh. Schomberg uttered a cry.
"Well!" said Bussy, "have I kept my word? one already. It was the
wrist of Bussy, and not his horse's leg, you should have cut."
In an instant, while Schomberg bound up his thigh with his
handkerchief, Bussy presented the point of his long sword to his four
other assailants, disdaining to cry for help, but retreating gradually, not
to fly, but to gain a wall, against which to support himself, and prevent
his being attacked behind, making all the while constant thrusts, and
feeling sometimes that soft resistance of the flesh which showed that
his blows had taken effect. Once he slipped for an instant. That instant
sufficed for Quelus to give him a wound in the side.
"Touched," cried Quelus.
"Yes, in the doublet," said Bussy, who would not even acknowledge his
hurt. And rushing on Quelus, with a vigorous effort, he made his sword
fly from his hand. But he could not pursue his advantage, for D'O,
D'Epernon, and Maugiron attacked him, with fresh fury. Schomberg
had bound his wound, and Quelus picked up his sword. Bussy made a
bound backwards, and reached the wall. There he stopped, strong as
Achilles, and smiling at the tempest of blows which rained around him.
All at once he felt a cloud pass over his eyes. He had forgotten his
wound, but these symptoms of fainting recalled it to him.
"Ah, you falter!" cried Quelus.
"Judge of it!" cried Bussy. And with the hilt of his sword he struck him

on the temple. Quelus fell under the blow. Then furious--wild, he
rushed forward, uttering a terrible cry. D'O and D'Epernon drew back,
Maugiron was raising Quelus, when Bussy broke his sword with his
foot, and wounded the right arm of D'Epernon. For a moment he was
conqueror, but Quelus recovered himself, and four swords flashed
again. Bussy felt himself lost. He gathered all his strength to retreat
once more step by step. Already the perspiration was