The night that Conchinara told her husband that D’Arbignal had gotten her pregnant, the Cyclops was on display in the Freak Show. Since D’Arbignal had helped her improve her appearance, the number of marks who came to see her had increased nightly. There was a full house when the tent shook from the impact of a body against its side. The crowd cried out in alarm, and streamed out of the tent.
Pahula hopped down from her platform.
“We must see what’s is gooing on!” she said, her eyes wide with excitement.
The midget twins scampered off after her. Alone now, the Cyclops decided she might as well go look, too.
She emerged to see Alfredo chasing D’Arbignal about the circus grounds. Alfredo's eyes were aflame with rage, his rapier whistling. D’Arbignal evaded, dodging the Master Fencer’s deadly blade, backpedaling toward the Main Tent. An ever-increasing crowd followed, watching this unexpected spectacle.
“I swear to you, I’m telling you the truth,” D’Arbignal protested, his rapier still sheathed at his side, waving his hands as though to ward off Alfredo’s wrath.
“Screwed my wife!” Alfredo said, insane with anger. “Screwed my wife!”
“I’m telling you, I did not!”
It was like arguing with a charging rhinoceros. None of D’Arbignal’s words seemed to get through to the Master Fencer.
D’Arbignal backed into the Main Tent. Alfredo followed. Startled cries and shouts emerged from the audience, who, judging by the hour, would have been watching one of Conchinara’s sultry dances.
Marco had expressly forbidden the freaks from entering the Main Tent, but the Cyclops suspected that many things would be changing tonight, so she followed the crowd into the tent.
Inside, Marco was desperately trying to restore order, but everyone seemed to be ignoring him. Alfredo was chasing D’Arbignal around the large ring, while Conchinara continued to point and hurl accusations and curses at D’Arbignal.
D’Arbignal’s eyes were wide with terror when the Cyclops entered the tent, but as soon as he spotted her, he dropped the façade and winked at her.
He addressed Alfredo while backpedaling.
“For the last time,” he said, his voice filling the space as only a trained actor could, “I give you my word that I have not slept with your wife!”
“Don’t listen to him,” Conchinara goaded. “He’s the one. He’s the one!”
“You’re really not helping,” D’Arbignal said.
Conchinara smirked, her eyes filled with vindictive pleasure.
“For the last time,” Alfredo said, his face red with fury, “I say you are a liar and that you’re about to die!”
“Well then,” D’Arbignal said, “you leave me little choice!”
D’Arbignal drew his orange rapier, a manic grin on his face.
YOU ARE READING
A Lesson for the Cyclops
RomanceDare to Hope? Maria leads a lonely existence of silent misery. Horribly disfigured, she earns a meager living as a sideshow freak. Her very existence is one of mockery, contempt, and ridicule. She has no hope, no dreams. No future. But when a dashin...
