第2章

The armory was a great room on the main floor of the palace, off the guard room.It was built in a small wing of the building so that it had light from three sides.In charge of it was the lean, grizzled, leather-skinned Sir Jules de Vac, and it was he whom Henry commanded to face him in mimic combat with the foils, for the King wished to go with hammer and tongs at someone to vent his suppressed rage.

So he let De Vac assume to his mind's eye the person of the hated De Montfort, and it followed that De Vac was nearly surprised into an early and mortifying defeat by the King's sudden and clever attack.

Henry III had always been accounted a good swordsman, but that day he quite outdid himself and, in his imagination, was about to run the pseudo De Montfort through the heart, to the wild acclaim of his audience.For this fell purpose he had backed the astounded De Vac twice around the hall when, with a clever feint, and backward step, the master of fence drew the King into the position he wanted him, and with the suddenness of lightning, a little twist of his foil sent Henry's weapon clanging across the floor of the armory.

For an instant, the King stood as tense and white as though the hand of death had reached out and touched his heart with its icy fingers.The episode meant more to him than being bested in play by the best swordsman in England -- for that surely was no disgrace -- to Henry it seemed prophetic of the outcome of a future struggle when he should stand face to face with the real De Montfort; and then, seeing in De Vac only the creature of his imagination with which he had vested the likeness of his powerful brother-in-law, Henry did what he should like to have done to the real Leicester.Drawing off his gauntlet he advanced close to De Vac.

"Dog !" he hissed, and struck the master of fence a stinging blow across the face, and spat upon him.Then he turned on his heel and strode from the armory.

De Vac had grown old in the service of the kings of England, but he hated all things English and all Englishmen.The dead King John, though hated by all others, he had loved, but with the dead King's bones De Vac's loyalty to the house he served had been buried in the Cathedral of Worcester.

During the years he had served as master of fence at the English Court, the sons of royalty had learned to thrust and parry and cut as only De Vac could teach the art, and he had been as conscientious in the discharge of his duties as he had been in his unswerving hatred and contempt for his pupils.

And now the English King had put upon him such an insult as might only be wiped out by blood.

As the blow fell, the wiry Frenchman clicked his heels together, and throwing down his foil, he stood erect and rigid as a marble statue before his master.White and livid was his tense drawn face, but he spoke no word.

He might have struck the King, but then there would have been left to him no alternative save death by his own hand; for a king may not fight with a lesser mortal, and he who strikes a king may not live -- the king's honor must be satisfied.

Had a French king struck him, De Vac would have struck back, and gloried in the fate which permitted him to die for the honor of France; but an English King -- pooh ! a dog; and who would die for a dog ? No, De Vac would find other means of satisfying his wounded pride.He would revel in revenge against this man for whom he felt no loyalty.If possible, he would harm the whole of England if he could, but he would bide his time.He could afford to wait for his opportunity if, by waiting, he could encompass a more terrible revenge.

De Vac had been born in Paris, the son of a French officer reputed the best swordsman in France.The son had followed closely in the footsteps of his father until, on the latter's death, he could easily claim the title of his sire.How he had left France and entered the service of John of England is not of this story.All the bearing that the life of Jules de Vac has upon the history of England hinges upon but two of his many attributes -- his wonderful swordsmanship and his fearful hatred for his adopted country.