‘What, my dove, have you a bully at hand?’ he said stepping back astonished.
‘Your business, senor?
Are you here to champion beauty in distress?’
‘I am here, Juan de Garcia, to avenge a murdered woman.
Do you remember a certain river bank away in England, where you chanced to meet a lady you had known, and to leave her dead?
Or if you have forgotten, perhaps at least you will remember this, which I carry that it may kill you,’ and I flashed the sword that had been his before his eyes.
‘Mother of God!
It is the English boy who—’ and he stopped.
‘It is Thomas Wingfield who beat and bound you, and who now purposes to finish what he began yonder as he has sworn.
Draw, or, Juan de Garcia, I will stab you where you stand.’
De Garcia heard this speech, that to-day seems to me to smack of the theatre, though it was spoken in grimmest earnest, and his face grew like the face of a trapped wolf.
Yet I saw that he had no mind to fight, not because of cowardice, for to do him justice he was no coward, but because of superstition. He feared to fight with me since, as I learned afterwards, he believed that he would meet his end at my hand, and it was for this reason chiefly that he strove to kill me when first we met.
‘The duello has its laws, senor,’ he said courteously.
‘It is not usual to fight thus unseconded and in the presence of a woman.
If you believe that you have any grievance against me—though I know not of what you rave, or the name by which you call me—I will meet you where and when you will.’
And all the while he looked over his shoulder seeking some way of escape.
‘You will meet me now,’ I answered.
‘Draw or I strike!’
Then he drew, and we fell to it desperately enough, till the sparks flew, indeed, and the rattle of steel upon steel rang down the quiet street.
At first he had somewhat the better of me, for my hate made me wild in my play, but soon I settled to the work and grew cooler.
I meant to kill him—more, I knew that I should kill him if none came between us.
He was still a better swordsman than I, who, till I fought with him in the lane at Ditchingham, had never even seen one of these Spanish rapiers, but I had the youth and the right on my side, as also I had an eye like a hawk’s and a wrist of steel.
Slowly I pressed him back, and ever my play grew closer and better and his became wilder.
Now I had touched him twice, once in the face, and I held him with his back against the wall of the way that led down to the water-gate, and it had come to this, that he scarcely strove to thrust at me at all, but stood on his defence waiting till I should tire.
Then, when victory was in my hand disaster overtook me, for the woman, who had been watching bewildered, saw that her faithless lover was in danger of death and straightway seized me from behind, at the same time sending up shriek after shriek for help.
I shook her from me quickly enough, but not before de Garcia, seeing his advantage, had dealt me a coward’s thrust that took me in the right shoulder and half crippled me, so that in my turn I must stand on my defence if I would keep my life in me.
Meanwhile the shrieks had been heard, and of a sudden the watch came running round the corner whistling for help.
De Garcia saw them, and disengaging suddenly, turned and ran for the water-gate, the lady also vanishing, whither I do not know.
Now the watch was on me, and their leader came at me to seize me, holding a lantern in his hand.
I struck it with the handle of the sword, so that it fell upon the roadway, where it blazed up like a bonfire.
Then I turned also and fled, for I did not wish to be dragged before the magistrates of the city as a brawler, and in my desire to escape I forgot that de Garcia was escaping also.
Away I went and three of the watch after me, but they were stout and scant of breath, and by the time that I had run three furlongs I distanced them.
I halted to get my breath and remembered that I had lost de Garcia and did not know when I should find him again.
At first I was minded to return and seek him, but reflection told me that by now it would be useless, also that the end of it might be that I should fall into the hands of the watch, who would know me by my wound, which began to pain me.
So I went homeward cursing my fortune, and the woman who had clasped me from behind just as I was about to send the death-thrust home, and also my lack of skill which had delayed that thrust so long.
Twice I might have made it and twice I had waited, being overcautious and over-anxious to be sure, and now I had lost my chance, and might bide many a day before it came again.
How should I find him in this great city?
Doubtless, though I had not thought of it, de Garcia passed under some feigned name as he had done at Yarmouth.
It was bitter indeed to have been so near to vengeance and to have missed it.
By now I was at home and bethought me that I should do well to go to Fonseca, my master, and ask his help.
Hitherto I had said nothing of this matter to him, for I have always loved to keep my own counsel, and as yet I had not spoken of my past even to him.
Going to the room where he was accustomed to receive patients, I found he had retired to rest, leaving orders that I was not to awake him this night as he was weary. So I bound up my hurt after a fashion and sought my bed also, very ill-satisfied with my fortune.
On the morrow I went to my master’s chamber where he still lay abed, having been seized by a sudden weakness that was the beginning of the illness which ended in his death.
As I mixed a draught for him he noticed that my shoulder was hurt and asked me what had happened.
This gave me my opportunity, which I was not slow to take.
‘Have you patience to listen to a story?’ I said, ‘for I would seek your help.’
‘Ah!’ he answered, ‘it is the old case, the physician cannot heal himself.
Speak on, nephew.’
Then I sat down by the bed and told him all, keeping nothing back.
I told him the history of my mother and my father’s courtship, of my own childhood, of the murder of my mother by de Garcia, and of the oath that I had sworn to be avenged upon him.