Saint Bartholomews Eve | Page 7

gay and cheerful spirit. He strove hard
so to deport himself that if, at any time, he should return to his mother's
country, he could take his place among her relations without discredit.
He learned to fence, and to dance.
Some of the stricter of the Huguenots were of opinion that the latter
accomplishment was unnecessary, if not absolutely sinful; but Gaspard
Vaillant was firm on this point.
"Dancing is a stately and graceful exercise," he said, "and like the use
of arms, it greatly improves the carriage and poise of the figure. Queen
Elizabeth loves dancing, and none can say that she is not a good
Protestant. Every youth should be taught to dance, if only he may know
how to walk. I am not one of those who think that, because a man is a
good Christian, he should necessarily be awkward and ungainly in
speech and manner, adverse to innocent gaieties, narrow in his ideas, ill
dressed and ill mannered, as I see are many of those most extreme in
religious matters, in this country."
Upon the other hand, in the school playground, under the shadow of the
grand cathedral, Phil was as English as any; being foremost in their
rough sports, and ready for any fun or mischief.
He fought many battles, principally because the difference of his
manner from that of the others often caused him to be called "Frenchy."
The epithet in itself was not displeasing to him; for he was passionately
attached to his mother, and had learned from her to love her native
country; but applied in derision it was regarded by him as an insult, and
many a tough battle did he fight, until his prowess was so generally
acknowledged that the name, though still used, was no longer one of
disrespect.
In figure, he took after his French rather than his English ancestors. Of
more than average height for his age, he was apparently slighter in

build than his schoolfellows. It was not that he lacked width of chest,
but that his bones were smaller and his frame less heavy. The English
boys, among themselves, sometimes spoke of him as "skinny," a word
considered specially appropriate to Frenchmen; but though he lacked
their roundness and fulness of limb, and had not an ounce of
superfluous flesh about him, he was all sinew and wire; and while in
sheer strength he was fully their equal, he was incomparably quicker
and more active.
Although in figure and carriage he took after his mother's countrymen,
his features and expression were wholly English. His hair was light
brown, his eyes a bluish gray, his complexion fair, and his mouth and
eyes alive with fun and merriment. This, however, seldom found vent
in laughter. His intercourse with the grave Huguenots, saddened by
their exile, and quiet and restrained in manner, taught him to repress
mirth, which would have appeared to them unseemly; and to remain a
grave and silent listener to their talk of their unhappy country, and their
discussions on religious matters.
To his schoolfellows he was somewhat of an enigma. There was no
more good-tempered young fellow in the school, no one more ready to
do a kindness; but they did not understand why, when he was pleased,
he smiled while others roared with laughter; why when, in their sports,
he exerted himself to the utmost, he did so silently while others shouted;
why his words were always few and, when he differed from others, he
expressed himself with a courtesy that puzzled them; why he never
wrangled nor quarrelled; and why any trick played upon an old woman,
or a defenceless person, roused him to fury.
As a rule, when boys do not quite understand one of their number they
dislike him. Philip Fletcher was an exception. They did not understand
him, but they consoled themselves under this by the explanation that he
was half a Frenchman, and could not be expected to be like a regular
English boy; and they recognized instinctively that he was their
superior.
Much of Philip's time was spent at the house of his uncle, and among
the Huguenot colony. Here also were many boys of his own age. These

went to a school of their own, taught by the pastor of their own church,
who held weekly services in the crypt of the cathedral, which had been
granted to them for that purpose by the dean. While, with his English
schoolfellows, he joined in sports and games; among these French lads
the talk was sober and quiet. Scarce a week passed but some fugitive,
going through Canterbury, brought the latest news of the situation in
France, and the sufferings of their co-religionist friends and relations
there; and the political events were the chief topics of conversation.
The concessions