Chapters 14-15 Summary

While Richard and Alec wait for Lord Ferris to return, they set to work spending the last of Richard's money from the duel at Lord Horn's garden party. Alec loves going to social places and picking fights with swordsmen, who all die at Richard's hand. Alec develops such a reputation that he can get away with picking fights even when he is alone. At Alec's urging, Richard finally agrees to attend a play, although he does not care for the theater. When Richard tells Hugo and Ginnie that he and Alec are going to see a play called "The Swordsman's Tragedy," they urge him not to go. Many years before, the lead actor was accidentally killed while fencing on stage. Ever since then, there is a superstition that any swordsman who sees the Tragedy, as they call it, will lose his...