to cross swords?"

"Lieutenant Schell, it seemed to me, looked somewhat obliquely at me,"
replied the Dane. "Therefore, I indulged him in a pass or two directed
against his right arm."

"Such a delicate youth, and so mild-mannered! Are you not ashamed?"

"What could I do? There was no one else at hand."

"Nevertheless he seems to have wounded you?"

"Yes, accidentally though, without knowing what he did."

"The fact, then, of having been expelled from two regiments for your
highhanded acts, and finally transferred to the garrison of the fortress
of Glatz as punishment, has not cured you of your fire-eating
propensities?"

"When a man has the reputation of being the best swordsman in Prussia he
values that title somewhat more than your military rank, which any clumsy
fool can obtain."

"You, the best swordsman!" exclaimed Trenck, concluding his remark with an
ironical puff of smoke.

"I flatter myself that such is the case," retorted Bach, emitting in turn
a great cloud of tobacco-smoke.

"If I were free," said Trenck, "I might, perhaps, prove to you in short
order that such is not the case."

"Do you claim to be my master at that art?"

"I flatter myself that such is the case."

"That we shall soon see," cried Bach, flushing with rage.

"How can we? I am disarmed and a prisoner."

"Ah, yes, you make your claim out of sheer boastfulness, because you think
we cannot put it to the test!"

"Truly, lieutenant, set me at liberty and I swear to you that on the other
side of the frontier we will put our skill to the test as freely as you
like!"

"Well, I am unwilling to wait for that. We will fight here, Baron Trenck."

"In this room?"

"After your assertion, I must either humble your arrogance or lose my
reputation."

"I shall be glad to know how you propose to do so?"

"Ah, you talk of Bohemia because that country is far away. As for me, I
prefer this one, because it affords an immediate opportunity to put the
matter to the test."

"I should ask nothing better if it were not impossible."

"Impossible! You shall see if it be."

Bach sprang up. An old door, supported by a couple of benches, had been
placed in the chamber for a table. He hammered at the worm-eaten wood and
knocked off a strip which he split in half. One of these substitutes for
rapiers he gave to Trenck, retaining the other himself, and both placed
themselves on guard.

After the first few passes, Trenck sent his adversary's mak