scaramouche-第53章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
this really excellent tuition Andre…Louis improved at a rate that
both astounded and flattered M。 des Amis。 He would have been less
flattered and more astounded had he known that at least half the
secret of Andre…Louis' amazing progress lay in the fact that he was
devouring the contents of the master's library； which was made up
of a dozen or so treatises on fencing by such great masters as La
Bessiere； Danet； and the syndic of the King's Academy； Augustin
Rousseau。 To M。 des Amis； whose swordsmanship was all based on
practice and not at all on theory； who was indeed no theorist or
student in any sense； that little library was merely a suitable
adjunct to a fencing…academy； a proper piece of decorative furniture。
The books themselves meant nothing to him in any other sense。 He
had not the type of mind that could have read them with profit nor
could be understand that another should do so。 Andre…Louis； on the
contrary； a man with the habit of study； with the acquired faculty
of learning from books； read those works with enormous profit； kept
their precepts in mind； critically set off those of one master
against those of another； and made for himself a choice which he
proceeded to put into practice。
At the end of a month it suddenly dawned upon M。 des Amis that his
assistant had developed into a fencer of very considerable force；
a man in a bout with whom it became necessary to exert himself if
he were to escape defeat。
〃I said from the first；〃 he told him one day； 〃that Nature designed
you for a swordsman。 See how justified I was； and see also how well
I have known how to mould the material with which Nature has
equipped you。〃
〃To the master be the glory；〃 said Andre…Louis。
His relations with M。 des Amis had meanwhile become of the
friendliest； and he was now beginning to receive from him other
pupils than mere beginners。 In fact Andre…Louis was becoming an
assistant in a much fuller sense of the word。 M。 des Amis； a
chivalrous； open…handed fellow； far from taking advantage of what
he had guessed to be the young man's difficulties； rewarded his
zeal by increasing his wages to four louis a month。
》From the' earnest and thoughtful study of the theories of others；
it followed now … as not uncommonly happens … that Andre…Louis came
to develop theories of his own。 He lay one June morning on his
little truckle bed in the alcove behind the academy； considering a
passage that he had read last night in Danet on double and triple
feints。 It had seemed to him when reading it that Danet had stopped
short on the threshold of a great discovery in the art of fencing。
Essentially a theorist； Andre…Louis perceived the theory suggested；
which Danet himself in suggesting it had not perceived。 He lay now
on his back； surveying the cracks in the ceiling and considering
this matter further with the lucidity that early morning often
brings to an acute intelligence。 You are to remember that for close
upon two months now the sword had been Andre…Louis' daily exercise
and almost hourly thought。 Protracted concentration upon the subject
was giving him an extraordinary penetration of vision。 Swordsmanship
as he learnt and taught and saw it daily practised consisted of a
series of attacks and parries； a series of disengages from one line
into another。 But always a limited series。 A half…dozen disengages
on either side was； strictly speaking； usually as far as any
engagement went。 Then one recommenced。 But even so； these
disengages were fortuitous。 What if from first to last they should
be calculated？
That was part of the thought … one of the two legs on which his
theory was to stand； the other was： what would happen if one so
elaborated Danet's ideas on the triple feint as to merge them into
a series of actual calculated disengages to culminate at the fourth
or fifth or even sixth disengage？ That is to say； if one were to
make a series of attacks inviting ripostes again to be countered；
each of which was not intended to go home； but simply to play the
opponent's blade into a line that must open him ultimately； and as
predetermined； for an irresistible lunge。 Each counter of the
opponent's would have to be preconsidered in this widening of his
guard； a widening so gradual that he should himself be unconscious
of it； and throughout intent upon getting home his own point on
one of those counters。
Andre…Louis had been in his time a chess…player of some force； and
at chess he had excelled by virtue of his capacity for thinking
ahead。 That virtue applied to fencing should all but revolutionize
the art。 It was so applied already； of course； but only in an
elementary and very limited fashion； in mere feints； single； double；
or triple。 But even the triple feint should be a clumsy device
compared with this method upon which he theorized。
He considered further； and the conviction grew that he held the key
of a discovery。 He was impatient to put his theory to the test。
That morning he was given a pupil of some force； against whom
usually he was hard put to it to defend himself。 Coming on guard；
he made up his mind to hit him on the fourth disengage；
predetermining the four passes that should lead up to it。 They
engaged in tierce； and Andre…Louis led the attack by a beat and a
straightening of the arm。 Came the demi…contre he expected； which
he promptly countered by a thrust in quinte； this being countered
again； he reentered still lower； and being again correctly parried；
as he had calculated； he lunged swirling his point into carte； and
got home full upon his opponent's breast。 The ease of it surprised
him。
They began again。 This time he resolved to go in on the fifth
disengage； and in on that he went with the same ease。 Then；
complicating the matter further； he decided to try the sixth； and
worked out in his mind the combination of the five preliminary
engages。 Yet again he succeeded as easily as before。
The young gentleman opposed to him laughed with just a tinge of
mortification in his voice。
〃I am all to pieces this morning；〃 he said。
〃You are not of your usual force；〃 Andre…Louis politely agreed。
And then greatly daring； always to test that theory of his to the
uttermost： 〃So much so；〃 he added； 〃that I could almost be sure
of hitting you as and when I declare。〃
The capable pupil looked at him with a half…sneer。 〃Ah； that； no；〃
said he。
〃Let us try。 On the fourth disengage I shall touch you。 Allons！
En garde！〃
And as he promised； so it happened。
The young gentleman who； hitherto； had held no great opinion of
Andre…Louis' swordsmanship； accounting him well enough for purposes
of practice when the master was otherwise engaged； opened wide his
eyes。 In a burst of mingled generosity and intoxication； Andre…Louis
was almost for disclosing his method … a method which a little later
was to become a commonplace of the fencing…rooms。 Betimes he checked
himself。 To reveal his secret would be to destroy the prestige that
must accrue to him from exercising it。
At noon； the academy being empty； M。 des Amis called Andre…Louis to
one of the occasional lessons which he still received。 And for the
first time in all his experience with Andre…Louis； M。 des Amis
received from him a full hit in the course of the first bout。 He
laughed； well pleased； like the generous fellow he was。
〃Aha！ You are improving very fast； my friend。〃 He still laughed；
though not so well pleased； when he was hit in the second bout。
After that he settled down to fight in earnest with the result that
Andre…Louis was hit three times in succession。 The speed and
accuracy of the fencing…master when fully exerting himself
disconcerted Andre…Louis' theory； which for want of being exercised
in practice still demanded too much consideration。
But that his theory was sound he accounted fully established； and
with that； for the moment； he was content。 It remained only to
perfect by practice the application of it。 To this he now devoted
himself with the passionate enthusiasm of the discoverer。 He
confined himself to a half…dozen combinations； which he practised
assiduously until each had become almost automatic。
