166 PRINCE RICARDO.

 

“The quarrels of princes are not settled
with clubs, sir! Draw and defend yourself!”
he said, kicking off his boots and standing in
his socks on the grass.

Think of the horror of poor Jaqueline, who
witnessed this terrible scene of passion from a
fold in Prince Ricardo’s dress! What could
the girl do to save the life of two princes,
the hopes of one nation, and of a respectable
minority in another ?

In a moment Prince Charles’s rapier was
shining in the sunlight, and he fell on guard in
the most elegant attitude, his left hand grace-
fully raised and curved.

Dick drew his sword, but, as suddenly, threw
it down again.

‘Hang it!” he exclaimed, “I can’t hit you
with this! This is the Sword of Sharpness ;
it would cut through your steel and your neck
at a touch.”

He paused, and thought.

“Let me beseech your Royal Highness,” he
said to the Duke of York, who was in a terrible
taking, ‘‘ to lend your blade to a hand not less
royal than your own.”

“Give him it, Hal!” said Prince Charles,
who was standing with the point of his sword
on the ground, and the blade bent. ‘He
seems to believe in his own nonsense.”

The duke yielded his sword; Dick took it,
made a flourish, and rushed at Prince Charles.