Chapter 27 - Page 2

to take
so fatal an advantage, but rather, mixing mercy with my just
indignation, studied to inflict upon him some flesh-wound of no very
fatal quality. But, sir, in the midst of my clemency, he, being
instigated, I think, by the devil, did follow up his first offence
with some insult of the same nature. Whereupon, being eager to punish
him, I made an estramazone, and my foot slipping at the same
time,--not from any fault of fence on my part, or any advantage of
skill on his, but the devil having, as I said, taken up the matter in
hand, and the grass being slippery,--ere I recovered my position I
encountered his sword, which he had advanced, with my undefended
person, so that, as I think, I was in some sort run through the body.
My juvenal, being beyond measure appalled at his own unexpected and
unmerited success in this strange encounter, takes the flight and
leaves me there, and I fall into a dead swoon for the lack of the
blood I had lost so foolishly--and when I awake, as from a sound
sleep, I find myself lying, an it like you, wrapt up in my cloak at
the foot of one of the birch-trees which stand together in a clump
near to this place. I feel my limbs, and experience little pain, but
much weakness--I put my hand to the wound--it was whole and skinned
over as you now see it--I rise and come hither; and in these words you
have my whole day's story."

"I can only reply to so strange a tale," answered the monk, "that it
is scarce possible that Sir Piercie Shafton can expect me to credit
it. Here is a quarrel, the cause of which you conceal--a wound
received in the morning, of which there is no recent appearance at
sunset,--a grave filled up, in which no body is deposited--the
vanquished found alive and well--the victor departed no man knows
whither. These things, Sir Knight, hang not so well together, that I
should receive them as gospel."

"Reverend father," answered Sir Piercie Shafton, "I pray you in the
first place to observe, that if I offer peaceful and civil
justification of that which I have already averred to be true, I do so
only in devout deference to your dress and to your order, protesting,
that to any other opposite, saving a man of religion, a lady or my
liege prince, I would not deign to support that which I had once
attested, otherwise than with the point of my good sword. And so much
being premised, I have to add, that I can but gage my honour as a
gentleman, and my faith as a Catholic Christian, that the things which
I have described to you have happened to me as I have described them,
and not otherwise."

"It is a deep assertion, Sir Knight," answered the Sub-Prior; "yet,
bethink you, it is only an