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Да, первый рассказ из сборника, что я успела прочитать, что надо! И написано хорошо, и содержание необычное, но жизненное. Очень понравилось, хотя там...
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Chicot the Jester
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“Does your highness order me to name him?”
“Yes, I do.”
“It is M. d’Epernon.”
“D’Epernon! who was to fight him to-morrow?”
“Yes, monseigneur.”
“How is that?”
Aurilly was about to reply, when the duke was summoned; for the king was at table, and had sent for his brother.
“You shall tell me during the procession,” said the duke.
We will now tell our readers what had passed between Aurilly and D’Epernon. They had long known each other, for Aurilly had taught D’Epernon to play on the lute, and, as he was fond of music, they were often together. He called upon Aurilly to tell him of his approaching duel, which disquieted him not a little. Bravery was never one of D’Epernon’s prominent qualities, and he looked on a duel with Bussy as certain death. When Aurilly heard it, he told D’Epernon that Bussy practised fencing every morning with an artist, lately arrived, who was said to have borrowed from all nations their best points, until he had become perfect. During this recital D’Epernon grew livid with terror.
“Ah! I am doomed,” said he.
“Well?”
“But it is absurd to go out with a man who is sure to kill me.”
“You should have thought of that before making the engagement.”
“Peste! I will break the engagement.”
“He is a fool who gives up his life willingly at twenty-five. But, now I think of it – ”
“Well.”
“M. de Bussy is sure to kill me.”
“I do not doubt it.”
“Then it will not be a duel, but an assassination.”
“Perhaps so.”
“And if it be, it is lawful to prevent an assassination by – ”
“By?”
“A murder.”
“Doubtless.”
“What prevents me, since he wishes to kill me, from killing him first?”
“Oh, mon Dieu! nothing; I thought of that myself.”
“It is only natural.”
“Very natural.”
“Only, instead of killing him with my own hands, I will leave it to others.”
“That is to say, you will hire assassins?”
“Ma foi! yes, like M. de Guise for St. Megrim.”
“It will cost you dear.”
“I will give three thousand crowns.”
“You will only get six men for that, when they know who they have to deal with.”
“Are not six enough?”
“M. de Bussy would kill four before they touched him. Do you remember the fight in the Rue St. Antoine?”
“I will give six thousand; if I do the thing, I will take care he does not escape.”
“Have you your men?”
“Oh, there are plenty of unoccupied men-soldiers of fortune.”
“Very well; but take care.”
“Of what?”
“If they fail they will denounce you.”
“I have the king to protect me.”
“That will not hinder M. de Bussy from killing you.”
“That is true.”
“Should you like an auxiliary?”
“I should like anything which would aid me to get rid of him.”
“Well, a certain enemy of your enemy is jealous.”
“And he is now laying a snare for him?”
“Ah!”
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Да, первый рассказ из сборника, что я успела прочитать, что надо! И написано хорошо, и содержание необычное, но жизненное. Очень понравилось, хотя там...
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