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The Generosity of La Fautriere
We are a at La Rochelle with the Huguenots, and at the Court
of Henry of Navarre. Among the company there is a young D'Aubanye, a
gentleman of Angoulmois, brave enough, certanly, but inclined to be a
swaggerer, with an extraordinary fancy for imitating the famous Bussy
d'Amboise, and a very poor copy of him he makes. For all that he is
not to be despised; he had spent the past five years in Italy, and had
not wasted his time, for he had devoted a considerable portion of it
to the study of arms, and especially of the "single rapier," under the
famous Patenostrier, and at this particular kind of fight he has the
reputation of being one hundred times more expert than the gentleman
with whom he has chosen to quarrel, a native Anjou named La Fautriere.
What the matter of their disagreement had been history does not
relate; but they meet, as arranged, in an old garden, on the walls of
which are seated the seconds, thirds, and fourths, who watch the
affair with much interest. Aubanye is armed with a rapier only, while
La Fautriere carries, as is customary, his dagger as well, to which
the other objects, saying: "I am accustomed only to fight with the
rapier single, and I think it unfair that you should use your dagger."
To which La Fautriere replies by simply throwing his dagger over
the garden wall. Aubanye hopes by this to secure an advantage for
himself; but the fates determined otherwise, for the other's good
fortune is such that, although he is vastly inferior to him as a
swordsman, after a very few passes he leaves him dead on the ground.
Charles E.
Bonawitz IV
Lord Otto Vustmann
otto@bga.com