Soldier of Fortune (28 page)

Daniel
Rawson knew where they were going. Having crossed the Danube by means of a
pontoon bridge held by the French, the three of them continued south. Their
destination was Augsburg, the city to which the Elector of Bavaria and Marshal
Marsin had fled after the Confederate victory at Donauworth. Among those who
had been compelled to retreat with them was General Armand Salignac whose pride
had been badly wounded by the experience. Daniel would therefore be handed over
as a prisoner of war to a man who wanted him for personal as well as for
military reasons. He was not looking forward to the encounter.

His
companions were in a hurry. They had stalked him long enough and were now eager
to collect their reward before returning to France. Charles Catto dictated the
pace. They rode for a few hours, stopped to feed and water the horses, allowed
themselves a rest then pushed on hard. Darkness slowed them but they continued
on their way through the night, pausing at regular intervals to eat rations
they had bought at an inn. Daniel was not offered food and the closest he came
to a drink was when Frédéric Seurel poured water jokingly over his head. As it
ran down his face, Daniel was grateful to catch some drops on his tongue.

They
were not held up by French or Bavarian patrols. Catto had documents that
guaranteed them safe passage. Augsburg was situated at the confluence of the
Rivers Lech and Wertach, occupying a prime strategic position. When the city
finally came into view, Daniel could see why the retreating army had chosen to
stay there. Surrounded by a high wall, Augsburg had impressive outer ramparts
and defensive ditches. During the Thirty Years War in the previous century, the
city had been invaded by marauding Swedes and had lost half its entire
population. To ensure that it was never stricken in such a way again, its
citizens had strengthened its fortifications so that it was almost impregnable.
The Confederate army lacked guns heavy enough even to attempt an assault.

Though
the meeting with Salignac was at the forefront of his mind, Daniel did not
ignore the opportunity to gather information about the enemy. On entering the
city, he took note of the troops and their deployment, paying especial
attention to the artillery mounted on the walls. French and Bavarian uniforms
were everywhere. In spite of his humiliation at Donauworth, it was evident that
the Elector had not yet been persuaded by Marlborough to change sides. Safe
inside the solidity of Augsburg, the Elector was standing by his allies.

General
Salignac's quarters were in an upstairs room in a large house. When the visitors
arrived, he was involved in a discussion with some senior officers but, on
learning that his wife's lover had been captured, he dismissed them summarily.
Catto and Seurel held an arm apiece as they dragged Daniel into the room.
Salignac's face had tightened and veins stood out like whipcord on his brow.
Fire was dancing in his eyes as he glared at the prisoner.

Without
warning, he raised a hand and slapped Daniel hard across both cheeks time after
time. Held firmly by the others, all that Daniel could do was to take the
punishment. His cheeks were stinging and his head reeling. The final slap was
the hardest of all. Seurel tried to ingratiate himself. Standing behind Daniel,
he put an arm around his throat and applied pressure.

'Would
you like me to snap his neck?' he asked.

'No,'
said Salignac. 'That would be too easy a death. Leave go'

'Yes,
sir.' Disappointed, Seurel released his hold.

'We
thought he might be able to tell you what you need to know about the
Confederate army,' explained Catto. 'That's why I decided to bring him alive.
Captain Rawson has Marlborough's ear.'

'I'll
send the Duke of Marlborough
both
of the captain's ears - along
with other parts of his anatomy.' Salignac's threat made Seurel cackle. 'So
what have you to say for yourself, Captain Rawson?'

'I
can only observe that your wife was mistaken,' said Daniel.

Salignac
grabbed him by the throat. 'Don't you dare talk to me about her!' he howled.

'Many
others have made the same comment about you,' Daniel continued, speaking with
difficulty until Salignac relaxed his grip. 'You have a reputation for being a
fine soldier, General Salignac - a fine soldier and a true gentleman.'

'That
reputation has been well-earned.'

'Not
by striking a defenceless man when his hands are tied.'

No,'
said the other, taking a couple of steps back, 'perhaps not.' He snapped his
fingers and both Catto and Seurel stood away from their prisoner. 'Given the
circumstances, there's a much more honourable way to settle this.'

'Would
you like me to torture him first?' volunteered Seurel. 'To see what he can tell
you about the Duke of Marlborough's plans.'

'We
already know his plans,' said Salignac testily. 'He's on his way to lay siege
to Rain at this very moment. We have reliable spies in his camp. They don't
need to resort to Captain Rawson's methods.'

'We
are at war, General Salignac,' argued Daniel. 'Any methods are deemed
acceptable when it comes to securing intelligence.'

'They
are not deemed acceptable by me.'

'Then
we must agree to differ.'

'I
agree to nothing!' snapped the other. 'Take him out!'

'Where
are we going, General Salignac?' asked Catto.

'We'll
find a place where we won't be interrupted. Since the captain taunts me about
my lack of civilised behaviour, I intend to cut him to pieces in the most
civilised way.' He reached for his sword. 'He and I will fight a duel.'

The
courtyard was situated in a quiet corner near the edge of the city. Though
soldiers occasionally marched past on the road nearby, it was a relatively
peaceful spot. Daniel Rawson was in an awkward situation. Since his hands had
been tied behind his back for so long, his wrists had been chafed and his arms
subject to cramp. He was tired from the long ride. General Salignac was older
and slower but those disadvantages were negated by Daniel's stiffness.

The
real problem for Daniel lay in the choice of his adversary's seconds. Charles
Catto and Frédéric Seurel were not merely there to act in an official capacity.
If, by any chance, the general faltered, they would step in to kill Daniel in
his place. The duel was a fight against three men. Other factors favoured
Salignac. Having spent his career in a cavalry regiment, he was very proficient
with a sword, whether using it to cut and slash in battle or indulging in the
subtleties of fencing practice. While the general would use his own sword,
Daniel would have to manage with a weapon borrowed from Catto. From the start,
it seemed like an unequal contest.

Daniel
was given no time to stretch his arms and flex his muscles. As soon as his
bonds were cut, a sword was thrust into his hand and he was forced to defend
himself. General Saliganc dispensed with the formalities of a duel. Once Daniel
was armed, his opponent rushed at him with his sword flailing. All that Daniel could
do was to parry, duck and retreat. It went on for minutes. The clash of blades
sent sparks into the air. Encouraged by the two bystanders, Salignac built on
his early advantage, pressing Daniel back before going down on one knee for a
vicious thrust that was only partially deflected. The point cut through
Daniel's shirt and drew blood from his left arm.

'A
hit, a hit!' yelled Seurel, relishing the injury.

'Take
him whenever you wish, general,' urged Catto.

Salignac
renewed his attack but it lacked the venom of his first assault. He was
palpably tiring. In the heat of the noonday sun, he was also starting to sweat
profusely. Daniel drew comfort at last. Instead of simply offering a defence,
he was able to show off his swordsmanship a little, flicking his wrist to great
advantage and using his superior balance to weave and feint. When his
counter-thrust removed a button from the general's coat, he saw the man's face
turn crimson with rage. Gathering all of his energy, Salignac fought so hard
that Daniel was pushed back yet again. When his shoulders met a wall, he
realised that he could go no further.

Pausing
to get his breath back, Salignac kept him pinned against the brickwork. He was
so confident that he could kill Daniel with a single thrust that he took time
to choose his spot. When he was ready, he feinted twice to draw Daniel's blade
out of the way then let out a cry of triumph as his arm went at full stretch in
a bid to pierce the heart. Daniel was too quick for him. Twisting sideways, he
moved his body out of the way so that the point of the general's sword met the
wall with murderous force, jarring his arm so painfully that he dropped the
weapon to the ground.

It
was Daniel's turn to abandon the niceties. Taking the general by the collar, he
swung him round at speed and hurled him straight at Catto, knocking both men
violently to the ground. Seurel had his dagger out at once and darted forward.
Before he could be stabbed in the back, however, Daniel swung round in a flash
and lifted his sword up, running it deep into the Frenchmen's stomach and
leaving him impaled in agony.

Seizing
his opportunity, Daniel took to his heels.