The Sire De Maletroit’s Door
by Robert Louis Stevenson
International Short Stories edited by William Patten
The Sire De Maletroit’s Door by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)
Published: P F Collier and Son, New York 1910
The Project Gutenberg eBook Release Date: June 16, 2010 [eBook #32846].
Opening
Denis de Beaulieu was not yet two-and-twenty, but he counted himself a grown man, and a very accomplished cavalier into the bargain.
Lads were early formed in that rough, warfaring epoch; and when one has been in a pitched battle and a dozen raids, has killed one’s man in an honourable fashion, and knows a thing or two of strategy and mankind, a certain swagger in the gait is surely to be pardoned.
He had put up his horse with due care, and supped with due deliberation; and then, in a very agreeable frame of mind, went out to pay a visit in the grey of the evening.
It was not a very wise proceeding on the young man’s part. He would have done better to remain beside the fire or go decently to bed. For the town was full of the troops of Burgundy and England under a mixed command; and though Denis was there on safe-conduct, his safe-conduct was like to serve him little on a chance encounter…
Characters
Sire de Maletroit – Ken Hope
Denis de Beaulieu – Mark Timmis
Blanch de Maletroit – Sally Hallowell-Carew
Priest – Mark Griffin