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as any middle…aged man's is apt to be； but he was not an indifferent
swordsman。 He was cool； determined； dogged。 But he was not
brilliant； and he was oppressed with foreknowledge of defeat。 A
score of times； by quick and brilliant； he was mine。 But I
refrained。 I have said that I was devilish…minded。 Indeed I was。
I wore him down。 I backed him away from the moon so that he could
see little of me because I fought in my own shadow。 And while I
wore him down until he began to wheeze as I had predicted； Pasquini；
head on hand and watching； coughed and spat out his life。
〃Now； de Goncourt；〃 I announced finally。 〃You see I have you quite
helpless。 You are mine in any of a dozen ways。 Be ready； brace
yourself； for this is the way I will。〃
And； so saying； I merely went from carte to tierce； and as he
recovered wildly and parried widely I returned to carte； took the
opening； and drove home heart…high and through and through。 And at
sight of the conclusion Pasquini let go his hold on life； buried his
face in the grass； quivered a moment； and lay still。
〃Your master will be four servants short this night；〃 I assured de
Villehardouin； in the moment just ere we engaged。
And such an engagement！ The boy was ridiculous。 In what bucolic
school of fence he had been taught was beyond imagining。 He was
downright clownish。 〃Short work and simple〃 was my judgment； while
his red hair seemed a…bristle with very rage and while he pressed me
like a madman。
Alas！ It was his clownishness that undid me。 When I had played
with him and laughed at him for a handful of seconds for the clumsy
boor he was； he became so angered that he forgot the worse than
little fence he knew。 With an arm…wide sweep of his rapier； as
though it bore heft and a cutting edge； he whistled it through the
air and rapped it down on my crown。 I was in amaze。 Never had so
absurd a thing happened to me。 He was wide open； and I could have
run him through forthright。 But； as I said； I was in amaze； and the
next I knew was the pang of the entering steel as this clumsy
provincial ran me through and charged forward； bull…like； till his
hilt bruised my side and I was borne backward。
As I fell I could see the concern on the faces of Lanfranc and
Bohemond and the glut of satisfaction in the face of de
Villehardouin as he pressed me。
I was falling； but I never reached the grass。 Came a blurr of
flashing lights； a thunder in my ears； a darkness； a glimmering of
dim light slowly dawning； a wrenching； racking pain beyond all
describing； and then I heard the voice of one who said：
〃I can't feel anything。〃
I knew the voice。 It was Warden Atherton's。 And I knew myself for
Darrell Standing； just returned across the centuries to the jacket
hell of San Quentin。 And I knew the touch of finger…tips on my neck
was Warden Atherton's。 And I knew the finger…tips that displaced
his were Doctor Jackson's。 And it was Doctor Jackson's voice that
said：
〃You don't know how to take a man's pulse from the neck。 There
right thereput your fingers where mine are。 D'ye get it？ Ah； I
thought so。 Heart weak； but steady as a chronometer。〃
〃It's only twenty…four hours；〃 Captain Jamie said； 〃and he was never
in like condition before。〃
〃Putting it on； that's what he's doing； and you can stack on that；〃
Al Hutchins； the head trusty； interjected。
〃I don't know；〃 Captain Jamie insisted。 〃When a man's pulse is that
low it takes an expert to find it〃
〃Aw； I served my apprenticeship in the jacket；〃 Al Hutchins sneered。
〃And I've made you unlace me； Captain； when you thought I was
croaking； and it was all I could do to keep from snickering in your
face。〃
〃What do you think； Doc？〃 Warden Atherton asked。
〃I tell you the heart action is splendid；〃 was the answer。 〃Of
course it is weak。 That is only to be expected。 I tell you
Hutchins is right。 The man is feigning。〃
With his thumb he turned up one of my eyelids； whereat I opened my
other eye and gazed up at the group bending over me。
〃What did I tell you？〃 was Doctor Jackson's cry of triumph。
And then； although it seemed the effort must crack my face； I
summoned all the will of me and smiled。
They held water to my lips； and I drank greedily。 It must be
remembered that all this while I lay helpless on my back； my arms
pinioned along with my body inside the jacket。 When they offered me
fooddry prison breadI shook my head。 I closed my eyes in
advertisement that I was tired of their presence。 The pain of my
partial resuscitation was unbearable。 I could feel my body coming
to life。 Down the cords of my neck and into my patch of chest over
the heart darting pains were making their way。 And in my brain the
memory was strong that Philippa waited me in the big hall； and I was
desirous to escape away back to the half a day and half a night I
had just lived in old France。
So it was； even as they stood about me； that I strove to eliminate
the live portion of my body from my consciousness。 I was in haste
to depart； but Warden Atherton's voice held me back。
〃Is there anything you want to complain about？〃 he asked。
Now I had but one fear； namely； that they would unlace me； so that
it must be understood that my reply was not uttered in braggadocio
but was meant to forestall any possible unlacing。
〃You might make the jacket a little tighter；〃 I whispered。 〃It's
too loose for comfort。 I get lost in it。 Hutchins is stupid。 He
is also a fool。 He doesn't know the first thing about lacing the
jacket。 Warden； you ought to put him in charge of the loom…room。
He is a more profound master of inefficiency than the present
incumbent； who is merely stupid without being a fool as well。 Now
get out； all of you； unless you can think of worse to do to me。 In
which case； by all means remain。 I invite you heartily to remain；
if you think in your feeble imaginings that you have devised fresh
torture for me。〃
〃He's a wooz； a true…blue； dyed…in…the…wool wooz；〃 Doctor Jackson
chanted； with the medico's delight in a novelty。
〃Standing； you ARE a wonder；〃 the Warden said。 〃You've got an iron
will； but I'll break it as sure as God made little apples。〃
〃And you've the heart of a rabbit；〃 I retorted。 〃One…tenth the
jacketing I have received in San Quentin would have squeezed your
rabbit heart out of your long ears。〃
Oh； it was a touch； that； for the Warden did have unusual ears。
They would have interested Lombroso； I am sure。
〃As for me；〃 I went on； 〃I laugh at you； and I wish no worse fate to
the loom…room than that you should take charge of it yourself。 Why；
you've got me down and worked your wickedness on me； and still I
live and laugh in your face。 Inefficient？ You can't even kill me。
Inefficient？ You couldn't kill a cornered rat with a stick of
dynamiteREAL dynamite； and not the sort you are deluded into
believing I hav