Sport Royal , livre ebook

The Floating Press - Anthony Hope

Découvre YouScribe en t'inscrivant gratuitement

Je m'inscris

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

72 pages

English

Vous pourrez modifier la taille du texte de cet ouvrage

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

A propos
Informations
Extrait

Description

With tales that run the gamut from not-so-successful run-ins with the aristocracy to potentially devastating runs on financial institutions, this collection of charming short stories from British author Anthony Hope is a pleasant way to pass an idle afternoon.

Sujets

Short story

Informations

Publié par	The Floating Press
Date de parution	01 juillet 2014
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781776583379
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0134€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

SPORT ROYAL
AND OTHER STORIES
* * *
ANTHONY HOPE

*
Sport Royal And Other Stories First published in 1895 Epub ISBN 978-1-77658-337-9 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77658-338-6 © 2013 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
*
Sport Royal A Tragedy in Outline A Malapropos Parent How They Stopped the "Run" A Little Joke A Guardian of Morality Not a Bad Deal Middleton's Model My Astral Body The Nebraska Loadstone A Successful Rehearsal
Sport Royal
*
An Extract from the Journals of Julius Jason, Esquire.
Chapter I - The Sequel to the Ball
Heidelberg seems rather a tourist-ridden, hackneyed sort of place tobe the mother of adventures. Nevertheless, it is there that my storybegins. I had been traveling on the Continent, and came to Heidelberg topay my duty to the castle, and recruit in quiet after a spell of ratherlaborious idleness at Homburg and Baden. At first sight I made up mymind that the place would bore me, and I came down to dinner at thehotel, looking forward only to a bad dinner and an early bed. The roomwas so full that I could not get a table to myself, and, seeing oneoccupied only by a couple of gentlemanly looking men, I made for it, andtook the third seat, facing one of the strangers, a short, fair youngman, with a little flaxen mustache and a soldierlike air, and having theother, who was older, dark, and clean-shaved, on my left. The fourthseat was empty.
The two gentlemen returned my bow with well-bred negligence, and Istarted on my soup. As I finished it, I looked up and saw my companionsinterchanging glances. Catching my eye, they both looked away in anabsent fashion, each the while taking out of his pocket a red silkhandkerchief and laying it on the table by him. I turned away for amoment, then suddenly looked again and found their eyes on me, andI fancied that the next moment the eyes wandered from me to thehandkerchiefs. I happened to be carrying a red handkerchief myself,and, thinking either that something was in the wind or perhaps that myfriends were having a joke at my expense (though, as I said, they lookedwell-bred men), I took it out of my pocket and, laying it on the table,gazed calmly in front of me, my eyes naturally falling on the fair youngman.
He nodded significantly to the older man, and held out his hand to me. Ishook hands with him, and went through the same ceremony with the other.
"Ah!" said the young man, speaking in French, "you got her letter?"
I nodded.
"And you are willing?"
The first maxim for a would-be adventurer is always to say "yes" toquestions. A "no," is fatal to further progress.
"Yes," I answered.
"It will be made worth your while, of course," he went on.
I thought I ought to resent this suggestion.
"Sir," I said, "you cannot possibly mean to suggest—"
The young man laughed pleasantly.
"My dear fellow," he said, "ladies have their own ways of paying debts.If you don't like it—" and he shrugged his shoulders.
"Oh," said I, smiling, "I misunderstood you."
"It is, of course," said the older man, speaking for the first time, andin a loud whisper, "of vital importance that His Royal Highness' nameshould not appear."
This really began to be mysterious and interesting. I nodded.
"That goes without saying," said the young man. "And you'll be ready?"
"Ready!" I said. "But when?"
"Didn't I tell you? Oh, six o'clock to-morrow morning."
"That's early hours."
"Well, you must, you know," he answered.
"And," added the older man, "the countess hopes you'll come to breakfastafterward at ten."
"I'll be there, never fear," said I, "and it's very kind."
"Bravo!" said the young man, clapping me on the shoulder (for we hadrisen from table). "You take it the right way."
As may be supposed, I was rather puzzled by this time, and decidedlyvexed to find I should have to be up so early. Still, the mention of HisRoyal Highness and the countess decided me to go on for the present;probably the real man—for, unless it were all a mad joke, there must bea real man—would appear in the course of the evening. I only hoped mynew friends would, in their turn, take it in the right way when thathappened.
"Have you a servant with you?" asked the young man, as we saidgood-night.
"No," said I; "I am quite alone."
"You are a paragon of prudence," he answered, smiling. "Well, I'll callyou, and we'll slip out quietly."
Just as I was getting into bed, the waiter knocked at my door and gaveme a note. It bore no address.
"Is it for me?" I asked.
"Yes, sir," he answered. "You are the gentleman who dined with HerrVooght and M. Dumergue?"
I supposed I was, and opened the note.
"You are generous and forgiving, indeed," it said (and said it inEnglish). "What reward will you claim? But do be careful. He isdangerous.—M."
"The devil!" I exclaimed.
The next morning I was aroused at five o'clock by my two friends.
"Good-morning, Herr Vooght," said I, looking just between them.
"Good-morning," answered the older man.
"Now, my dear fellow, come along. There's a cup of coffee downstairs,"said the other, whom I took to be Dumergue.
After coffee, we got into a close carriage with a pair of horses, anddrove two or three miles into the country; my companions said little.Dumergue twice asked in a joking way how I felt, and Vooght puzzled mevery much by remarking:
"They are bringing all the necessaries; but I don't know what they willchoose."
When this was said, Dumergue was humming a tune. He went on for fiveminutes, and then said, with a touch of scorn:
"My good Vooght, they know our friend's reputation. They will choosepistols."
I could not repress a start. No doubt it was stupid of me not to havecaught the meaning of this early expedition before, but it really neverstruck me that our business might be a duel. However, so it seemed,and apparently I was one of the principals. Dumergue noticed my littlestart.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
"Do they know my name?" said I.
"My dear friend, could you expect the baron to fight with an unknownman? The challenge had to be in your name."
I had clearly been the challenger. I was consumed with curiosity toknow what the grievance was, and how the countess was concerned in thematter.
"The countess assured us," said Vooght, "that she had your authority."
"As fully as if I had been there," I answered, and Dumergue resumed histune.
I was sincerely glad that the name of my original had been given, forhis reputation for swordsmanship had evidently saved me from a holein my skin. I was a fair hand with a pistol; but, like most of mycountrymen, a mere bungler with the rapier. It was very annoying,though, that my friends' exaggerated prudence prevented them mentioningmy name: it would have been more convenient to know who I was.
I had not long for reflection, for we soon drew up by a roadside inn,and, getting out of the carriage, walked through the house, where wewere apparently expected, into a field behind. There were three menwalking up and down, and two of them at once advanced to meet Vooghtand Dumergue. I remained where I was, merely raising my hat, and thethird man—a big, burly fellow, with a heavy black mustache—followed myexample.
This one, no doubt, was the baron. To be frank, he looked a brute,and I had very little hesitation in assuming that the merits of thequarrel must be on my side. I was comforted by this conclusion, as Ihad no desire to shoot an unoffending person. Preliminaries were soonconcluded. I overheard one of the baron's representatives mention theword apology, and add that they would meet us halfway, but Dumergueshook his head decisively. This defiant attitude became Dumergue verywell; but I, for my part, should have been open to reason.
The baron and I were placed opposite one another at twelve paces. Therewere to be two shots—unless, of course, one of us were disabled at thefirst fire; after that, the seconds were to consider whether the matterneed go further.
The word was just about to be given, when to my surprise the baroncried:
"Stop!"
Everyone looked at him in astonishment.
"Before we fire," he went on, "I wish to ask this gentleman onequestion. No—I will not be stopped!"
His seconds, who had advanced, fell back before his resolute gesture,and he continued, addressing me:
"Sir, will you do me the honor to answer one question? Are you theperson who accompanied—"
Vooght struck in quickly:
"No names, please!"
The baron bowed, and began again.
"On your honor, sir, are you the gentleman who accompanied the lady inquestion to the masked ball on the night in question?"
These gentlemen were all diplomatic. I thought I would be diplomatictoo.
"Surely this is grossly irregular?" I said, appealing to my supporters.
"I ask for an answer," said the baron.
"It's nothing but a new insult," said I.
"I have my reasons, and those gentlemen know them."
This was intolerable.
"You mean to fight, or you don't, M. le Baron," said I. "Which is it?"
He shrugged his shoulders.
"Your master is well served," he said with a sneer.
His seconds looked bewildered: Vooght bit his nails, and Dumergue sworefuriously, and, coming near me, whispered in my ear:
"Shoot straight! Stop his cursed mouth for him!"
I had not the least intention of killing the baron, if I could avoid itwithout being killed myself; but I thought a slight lesson would improvehis manners, and, when the word came, I fired with a careful aim. Heevidently meant mischief, for I heard his ball w