TRIAL BY COMBAT Max had waited until Calli's arm was mended to bring up the subject of the trial by combat; but when he would have taken it before the duke, I dissuaded him by many pretexts, and for a few days it was dropped.

But soon it was brought forward in a most unpleasant way.

Max and I were in the streets of Peronne one afternoon, and as we approached a group of ragged boys, one of them cried out:-- "There is the fellow that challenged Count Calli, but won't fight him!" Max turned upon the boy, caught him roughly by the shoulder, and asked him where he got his information.

The frightened boy replied that his father was a hostler in the duke's stables, and had heard Count Calli say that the fellow who had challenged him was "all gauntlet but no fight." We at once sought Hymbercourt, who, on being closely questioned, admitted that the Italians in the castle were boasting that the stranger who seemed so eager to fight when Calli's arm was lame, had lost his courage now that the arm was healed.
Of course I was in a deal of trouble over this combat, and heartily wished the challenge had never been given, though I had all faith in Max's strength and skill.

I, who had fought constantly for twenty years, had trained him since his tenth birthday.