Books › Blue Book v074 n02 [1941-12], 1941 › scan 5
Scan 5
Blue Book v074 n02 [1941-12], 1941
54 lines. Read by computer on 18 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1"I am a physician—by name Michel de Notredame."
3horse. On the horse sat another, younger man, drooping in the saddle. Little of his face was visible, thanks to a blood-stained bandage about his eyes and head. Tied to the saddle was a sword, and beside it a quiver of long shafts and a long bow in its case.
5The grooms sprang to assist; the innkeeper hurried forward. The big man helped his companion from the saddle, led him to the pump, and put his hand on it. Obviously, the younger man was blind. Now he spoke, but not in French.
7"What is going on here, Angus Dhu? Was it a dog I heard growling?"
9"Aye; these French peasants are as bad as English—always killing something. Now wait here, Malcolm, till I get us settled and learn if they can get a surgeon from Blois." Black Angus beckoned the innkeeper and slapped the fat purse at his girdle, and spoke in fluent but badly accented French.
11"Now, good host, show me your rooms! One of the best, mind. Have a drawer bring wine to my friend, while we're gone. We met robbers in the woods—killed three of them; but a broken sword has left my comrade hurt and blinded. Come along…. Your best rooms, mind!"
13They departed inside the inn. A drawer came out with a pewter cup of wine and gave it to the hurt man, who thanked him in excellent French. Slightly bearded, this blind Malcolm, wearing a leather surcoat stained by armor and weather. He stood at the pump and drank the wine, then faced around at queer sounds.
15Jacques, coiling his whip anew, began to lash out at the dog, cursing him the while. The animal crouched, belly to stones, growling but not whimpering as the thong slashed into him cruelly. Suddenly, unexpectedly, he flew into life.
17Too rapidly for eye to follow, he caught the lash between his jaws as it landed. He caught it, jerked it, pulled it from the hand of Jacques. He gathered the whip beneath him. Astounded, Jacques bellowed oaths while the grooms fell to laughing. One of them got a pole and began to scrape at the whip, raking it away from the dog's paws.
19Blind Malcolm left the pump and moved toward the sounds.
21"Here, here, what are you doing?" he demanded. "Whipping a dog? Torturing him? That's not man's work, my friends!"
23Sharp cries of warning arose. For with hands outstretched, he was moving directly at the animal. His foot struck against the rope; grasping it, he moved on toward the dog. No one dared to intervene.
25"The beast will tear out his throat!" cried a tap-boy, horrified. "Stop him, stop him! You, monsieur! For God's love, turn again!"
27The dog crouched, with savage tense growl. Malcolm, almost beside him, paused, reached down, and laughed.
29"What's this, beastie?" His words came not in French, but in English. "Are these French rascals tormenting you also? Then we're both fallen among evil hands. And we both need help, God knows!"
31The dog rose upright, abandoning the whip, so that the groom raked it clear of him. The great beast stood waist-high to Malcolm; instead of flying at the outstretched hand of the Scot, a low sound like a groan escaped him, and he thrust his nose into the reaching palm.
33"Devil take me if you don't understand English speech, eh?" exclaimed Malcolm, and stroked the long head and neck. "What's this? Blood?"
35Jacques, however, whip in hand once more, turned to those around.
37"You hear? You hear?" he demanded. "A damned foreigner? Aye, an outlander by his speech! Satan is in him as well; look how the dog knows him!"
39Amazed cries broke from the others, seeing man and dog at peace and understanding. Jacques, however, bared his teeth in a burst of rage.
41"You, foreigner!" he bellowed angrily. "Away from the devil's beast, away from him! Stand aside, while I rip the life out of him!"
43"Peace, whoever you are," responded Malcolm. "Yours is the devil's work, it would seem; the dog's a friendly soul. Leave him alone. When my comrade returns—"
45"The beast is mine, not yours!" burst forth Jacques. "Away from him! He's mine to kill—ha! Take your hand away from those ropes!" he added in sharp alarm, as Malcolm's fingers found the knots about the dog's neck. "Fool, leave them be! Don't dare to turn him loose! Hands off—hands off, or I'll teach you a lesson!"
47What with hatred of foreigners, fear, anger and cruel resolve, the bearded Jacques flew into a tempestuous passion. He lashed out with insensate frenzy. The whip curled about dog and man. Malcolm shouted at him, turned and staggered toward him, cursing him in helpless rage. Jacques backed away, but struck again, desperately trying to check this bandaged figure. He struck again and again, while Malcolm drove at him.
49In the midst of this scene, Black Angus came bursting out of the tavern with a roar of dismay and fury. Too late! Blinded though he was, Malcolm reached the burly peasant and grappled him, tearing the whip from him. A knife slid into the peasant's hand, and he launched a deadly thrust—only to have knife and arm knocked aside as Black Angus hurtled into him.
51"Here's what you seek, madman!" cried the Scot, whipping out his dagger. "And what you want, you shall have to the hilt!"
53Whether drunk or sober, the bearded Jacques was by this time a madman indeed. He hurled himself upon Angus, screaming imprecations. The two figures came together. After a moment the knife tinkled on the stones, and the burly peasant staggered backward, clutching at his chest; Black Angus, with poniard reddened, flung a harsh word at him.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.