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exigent。 And anyway； Andre…Louis had not eaten for four…and…twenty
hours； and whilst the employment here offered … the precise nature
of which he was yet to ascertain … did not appear to be such as
Andre…Louis would deliberately have chosen； he was in no case now to
be fastidious。
Then； too； he liked the name of Bertrand des Amis。 It felicitously
combined suggestions of chivalry and friendliness。 Also the man's
profession being of a kind that is flavoured with romance it was
possible that M。 Bertrand des Amis would not ask too many questions。
In the end he climbed to the second floor。 On the landing he paused
outside a door； on which was written 〃Academy of M。 Bertrand des
Amis。〃 He pushed this open； and found himself in a sparsely
furnished； untenanted antechamber。 From a room beyond； the door of
which was closed； came the stamping of feet； the click and slither
of steel upon steel； and dominating these sounds a vibrant sonorous
voice speaking a language that was certainly French； but such
French as is never heard outside a fencing…school。
〃Coulez！ Mais； coulez donc！。。。。So！ Now the flanconnade … en
carte。。。。And here is the riposte。。。。Let us begin again。 Come！ The
ward of fierce。。。。Make the coupe； and then the quinte par dessus
les armes。。。。0； mais allongez！ Allongez！ Allez au fond！〃 the voice
cried in expostulation。 〃Come； that was better。〃 The blades ceased。
〃Remember： the hand in pronation； the elbow not too far out。 That
will do for to…day。 On Wednesday we shall see you tirer au mur。
It is more deliberate。 Speed will follow when the mechanism of the
movements is more assured。〃
Another voice murmured in answer。 The steps moved aside。 The
lesson was at an end。 Andre…Louis tapped on the door。
It was opened by a tall； slender； gracefully proportioned man of
perhaps forty。 Black silk breeches and stockings ending in light
shoes clothed him from the waist down。 Above he was encased to the
chin in a closely fitting plastron of leather； His face was aquiline
and swarthy； his eyes full and dark； his mouth firm and his clubbed
hair was of a lustrous black with here and there a thread of silver
showing。
in the crook of his left arm he carried a fencing…mask； a thing of
leather with a wire grating to protect the eyes。 His keen glance
played over Andre…Louis from head to foot。
〃Monsieur？〃 he inquired； politely。
It was clear that he mistook Andre…Louis' quality； which is not
surprising； for despite his sadly reduced fortunes； his exterior was
irreproachable； and M。 des Amis was not to guess that he carried
upon his back the whole of his possessions。
〃You have a notice below； monsieur；〃 he said； and from the swift
lighting of the fencing…master's eyes he saw that he had been
correct in his assumption that applicants for the position had not
been jostling one another on his threshold。 And then that flash of
satisfaction was followed by a look of surprise。
〃You are come in regard to that？〃
Andre…Louis shrugged and half smiled。 〃One must live；〃 said he。
〃But come in。 Sit down there。 I shall be at your。。。。I shall be
free to attend to you in a moment。〃
Andre…Louis took a seat on the bench ranged against one of the
whitewashed walls。 The room was long and low； its floor entirely
bare。 Plain wooden forms such as that which he occupied were placed
here and there against the wall。 These last were plastered with
fencing trophies； masks； crossed foils； stuffed plastrons； and a
variety of swords； daggers； and targets； belonging to a variety of
ages and countries。 There was also a portrait of an obese； big…nosed
gentleman in an elaborately curled wig； wearing the blue ribbon of
the Saint Esprit； in whom Andre…Louis recognized the King。 And there
was a framed parchment … M。 des Amis' certificate from the King's
Academy。 A bookcase occupied one corner； and near this； facing the
last of the four windows that abundantly lighted the long room； there
was a small writing…table and an armchair。 A plump and beautifully
dressed young gentleman stood by this table in the act of resuming
coat and wig。 M。 des Amis sauntered over to him … moving； thought
Andre…Louis； with extraordinary grace and elasticity … and stood in
talk with him whilst also assisting him to complete his toilet。
At last the young gentleman took his departure； mopping himself with
a fine kerchief that left a trail of perfume on the air。 M。 des
Amis closed the door； and turned to the applicant； who rose at once。
〃Where have you studied？〃 quoth the fencing…master abruptly。
〃Studied？〃 Andre…Louis was taken aback by the question。 〃Oh； at
Louis Le Grand。〃
M。 des Amis frowned； looking up sharply as if to see whether his
applicant was taking the liberty of amusing himself。
〃In Heaven's name！ I am not asking you where you did your
humanities； but in what academy you studied fencing。〃
〃Oh … fencing！〃 It had hardly ever occurred to Andre…Louis that
the sword ranked seriously as a study。 〃I never studied it very
much。 I had some lessons in。。。 in the country once。
The master's eyebrows went up。 〃But then？〃 he cried。 〃Why trouble
to come up two flights of stairs？〃 He was impatient。
〃The notice does not demand a high degree of proficiency。 If I am
not proficient enough； yet knowing the rudiments I can easily
improve。 I learn most things readily；〃 Andre…Louis commended himself。
〃For the rest： I possess the other qualifications。 I am young； as
you observe： and I leave you to judge whether I am wrong in assuming
that my address is good。 I am by profession a man of the robe；
though I realize that the motto here is cedat toga armis。〃
M。 des Amis smiled approvingly。 Undoubtedly the young man had a
good address； and a certain readiness of wit； it would appear。 He
ran a critical eye over his physical points。 〃What is your name？〃
he asked。
Andre…Louis hesitated a moment。 〃Andre…Louis；〃 he said。
The dark； keen eyes conned him more searchingly。
〃Well？ Andre…Louis what？〃
〃Just Andre…Louis。 Louis is my surname。〃
〃Oh！ An odd surname。 You come from Brittany by your accent。 Why
did you leave it？〃
〃To save my skin；〃 he answered； without reflecting。 And then made
haste to cover the blunder。 〃I have an enemy；〃 he explained。
M。 des Amis frowned； stroking his square chin。 〃You ran away？〃
〃You may say so。
〃A coward； eh？〃
〃I don't think so。〃 And then he lied romantically。 Surely a man
who lived by the sword should have a weakness for the romantic。
〃You see； my enemy is a swordsman of great strength … the best blade
in the province； if not the best blade in France。 That is his
repute。 I thought I would come to Paris to learn something of the
art； and then go back and kill him。 That； to be frank； is why your
notice attracted me。 You see； I have not the means to take lessons
otherwise。 I thought to find work here in the law。 But I have
failed。 There are too many lawyers in Paris as it is； and whilst
waiting I have consumed the little money that I had； so that。。。 so
that； enfin； your notice seemed to me something to which a special
providence had directed me。〃
M。 des Amis gripped him b