"Michael Kane - 01 - Warriors Of Mars" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moorcock Michael)

After a while M. Clarchet stopped and shook his
head. "It ees no good with thees slicks—we must
have real foils, non? Come!"

We followed him into the house. It was well fur-
nished though not lavishly. In a special room at the
top we found more to make us gasp.

Here was an array of blades such as we'd never
even imagined! Now I know them to be foils and
epees and sabres, plus a collection of fine, antique
weapons—claymores, scimitars, Samurai swords,
broadswords, Roman short swords—the gladius—
and many, many more.

M. Clarchet waved a hand at the fascinating dis-
play of weapons. "Zere! My collection. Zey are
sweet, ze little swords, non?" He took down a small
rapier and handed it to me, handing a similar
sword to Johnny. It felt really good, holding that
well-balanced sword in my hand. I flexed my wrist,
not quite able to get the balance. M. Clarchet took
my hand and showed me the correct way of grasp-
ing it.

"How would you like to learn properly?" said M.
Clarchet with a wink. "I could teach you much."

Was it possible? We were going to be allowed to
wield these swords—taught how to sword-fight like
the best. I was amazed and delighted—until a
thought struck me, and I frowned.

"Oh—we don't have any money, sir. We couldn't
pay you and our moms and pops aren't likely to—
they're mean enough as it is."

"I do not wish for payment. The skill you ac-

quire from me will be reward enough! Here—I will
show you zee simple parry first . . ."

And so he taught us. Not only did we learn how
to fence with the modern conventional weapons-
foils, epees and sabres—but also with the antique
and foreign weapons of all shapes, weights, sizes
and balances. He taught us the whole of his mar-
vellous art.