There was no reason why he should have gone down
the Rue du Hasard. Perhaps its name attracted him, as appropriate
to his case.
The notice written in a big round hand announced that a young man
of good address with some knowledge of swordsmanship was required
by M. Bertrand des Amis on the second floor. Above this notice
was a black oblong board, and on this a shield, which in vulgar
terms may be described as red charged with two swords crossed and
four fleurs de lys, one in each angle of the saltire. Under the
shield, in letters of gold, ran the legend:
BERTRAND DES AMIS
Maitre en fait d'Armes des Academies du Roi
Andre-Louis stood considering. He could claim, he thought, to
possess the qualifications demanded. He was certainly young and
he believed of tolerable address, whilst the fencing-lessons he had
received in Nantes had given him at least an elementary knowledge
of swordsmanship. The notice looked as if it had been pinned there
some days ago, suggesting that applicants for the post were not very
numerous.
Pages:
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391