The Cornet of Horse | Page 2

as a cat, and was ever
on the move, constantly shifting his ground, advancing and retreating
with astonishing lightness and activity. At first he was too eager, and
his instructor touched him twice over his guard. Then, rendered
cautious, he fought more carefully, although with no less quickness
than before; and for some minutes there was no advantage on either
side, the master's longer reach and calm steady play baffling every
effort of his assailant.
At last, with a quick turn of the wrist, he sent Rupert's foil flying across
the room. Rupert gave an exclamation of disgust, followed by a merry
laugh.
"You always have me so, Monsieur Dessin. Do what I will, sooner or
later comes that twist, which I cannot stop."
"You must learn how, sir. Your sword is so; as you lunge I guard, and

run my foil along yours, so as to get power near my hilt. Now if I press,
your sword must go; but you must not let me press; you must disengage
quickly. Thus, you see?
"Now let us try again. We will practise nothing else today--or
tomorrow--or till you are perfect. It is your one weak point. Then you
must practise to disarm your opponent, till you are perfect in that also.
Then, as far as I can teach you, you will be a master of fencing. You
know all my coups, and all those of monsieur le colonel. These face
guards, too, have worked wonders, in enabling you to play with
quickness and freedom. We are both fine blades.
"I tell you, young sir, you need not put up with an insult in any public
place in Europe. I tell you so, who ought to know."
In the year 1702 fencing was far from having attained that perfection
which it reached later. Masks had not yet been invented, and in
consequence play was necessarily stiff and slow, as the danger of the
loss of sight, or even of death, from a chance thrust was very great.
When Rupert first began his lessons, he was so rash and hasty that his
grandfather greatly feared an accident, and it struck him that by having
visors affixed to a couple of light steel caps, not only would all
possibility of an accident be obviated upon the part of either himself or
his pupil, but the latter would attain a freedom and confidence of style
which could otherwise be only gained from a long practice in actual
war. The result had more than equalled his expectations; and Monsieur
Dessin had, when he assumed the post of instructor, been delighted
with the invention, and astonished at the freedom and boldness of the
lad's play. It was, then, thanks to these masks, as well as to his teachers'
skill and his own aptitude, that Rupert had obtained a certainty, a
rapidity, and a freedom of style absolutely impossible in the case of a
person, whatever his age, who had been accustomed to fence with the
face unguarded, and with the caution and stiffness necessary to prevent
the occurrence of terrible accident.
For another half hour the lesson went on. Then, just as the final salute
was given, the door opened at the end of the room, and a lady entered,
in the stiff dress with large hoops then in fashion. Colonel Holliday

advanced with a courtly air, and offered her his hand. The French
gentleman, with an air to the full as courtly as that of the colonel,
brought forward a chair for her; and when she had seated herself,
Rupert advanced to kiss her hand.
"No, Rupert, you are too hot. There, leave us; I wish to speak to
Colonel Holliday and monsieur."
With a deep bow, and a manner far more respectful and distant than
that which nowadays would be shown to a stranger who was worthy of
all honour, Rupert Holliday left his mother's presence.
"I know what she wants," Rupert muttered to himself. "To stop my
fencing lessons; just as if a gentleman could fence too well. She wants
me to be a stiff, cold, finnikin fop, like that conceited young Brownlow,
of the Haugh.
"Not if I know it, madame ma mere. You will never make a courtier of
me, any more than you will a whig. The colonel fought at Naseby, and
was with the king in France. Papa was a tory, and so am I."
And the lad whistled a Jacobite air as he made his way with a rapid step
to the stables.
The terms Whig and Tory in the reign of King William had very little
in common with the meaning which now attaches to these words. The
principal difference between the two was in their views as to the
succession to the throne. The Princess Anne would succeed