The Cornet of Horse | Page 4

after Mistress Dorothy's objection having been
overcome by the assurance that French and fencing were necessary
parts of a gentleman's education if he were ever to make his way at
court, Monsieur Dessin was installed as tutor in these branches, coming
out three times a week for the afternoon to the Chace.
A few months before our story begins, dancing had been added to the
subjects taught. This was a branch of education which Monsieur Dessin
did not impart to the inhabitants of Derby, where indeed he had but few
pupils, the principal portion of his scanty income being derived from

his payments from the Chace. He had, however, acceded willingly
enough to Mistress Dorothy's request, his consent perhaps being partly
due to the proposition that, as it would be necessary that the boy should
have a partner, a pony with a groom should be sent over twice a week
to Derby to fetch his little daughter Adele out to the Chace, where,
when the lesson was over, she could amuse herself in the grounds until
her father was free to accompany her home.
In those days dancing was an art to be acquired only with long study. It
was a necessity that a gentleman should dance, and dance well, and the
stately minuet required accuracy, grace, and dignity. Dancing in those
days was an art; it has fallen grievously from that high estate.
Between Monsieur Dessin and the old cavalier a cordial friendship
reigned. The former had never spoken of his past history, but the
colonel never doubted that, like so many refugees who sought our shore
from France from the date of the revocation of the edict of Nantes to
the close of the great revolution, he was of noble blood, an exile from
his country on account of his religion or political opinions; and the
colonel tried in every way to repay to him the hospitality and kindness
which he himself had received during his long exile in France. Very
often, when lessons were over, the two would stroll in the garden,
talking over Paris and its court; and it was only the thought of his little
daughter, alone in his dull lodgings in Derby, that prevented Monsieur
Dessin from accepting the warm invitation to the evening meal which
the colonel often pressed upon him. During the daytime he could leave
her, for Adele went to the first ladies' school in the town, where she
received an education in return for her talking French to the younger
pupils. It was on her half holidays that she came over to dance with
Rupert Holliday.
Mistress Dorothy did not approve of her son's devotion to fencing,
although she had no objection to his acquiring the courtly
accomplishments of dancing and the French language; but her
opposition was useless. Colonel Holliday reminded her of the terms of
their agreement, that she was to be mistress of the Chace, and that he
was to superintend Rupert's education. Upon the present occasion,

when the lad had left the room, she again protested against what she
termed a waste of time.
"It is no waste of time, madam," the old cavalier said, more firmly than
he was accustomed to speak to his daughter-in-law. "Rupert will never
grow up a man thrusting himself into quarrels; and believe me, the
reputation of being the best swordsman at the court will keep him out
of them. In Monsieur Dessin and myself I may say that he has had two
great teachers. In my young days there was no finer blade at the Court
of France than I was; and Monsieur Dessin is, in the new style, what I
was in the old. The lad may be a soldier--"
"He shall never be a soldier," Madam Dorothy broke out.
"That, madam," the colonel said courteously, "will be for the lad
himself and for circumstances to decide. When I was his age there was
nothing less likely than that I should be a soldier; but you see it came
about."
"Believe me, Madam," Monsieur Dessin said deferentially, "it is good
that your son should be a master of fence. Not only may he at court be
forced into quarrels, in which it will be necessary for him to defend his
honour, but in all ways it benefits him. Look at his figure; nature has
given him health and strength, but fencing has given him that light,
active carriage, the arm of steel, and a bearing which at his age is
remarkable. Fencing, too, gives a quickness, a readiness, and
promptness of action which in itself is an admirable training. Monsieur
le colonel has been good enough to praise my fencing, and I may say
that the praise is deserved. There are few men in France who would
willingly have crossed