scended like a thunderbolt, beating down the guard
which the young soldier had raised to protect his head, and, reaching
his helmet of proof, cut it through so far as to touch his hair, but
without farther injury while Durward, dizzy, stunned, and beaten down on
one knee, was for an instant at the mercy of the knight, had it
pleased him to second his blow. But compassion for Quentin's youth, or
admiration of his courage, or a generous love of fair play, made him
withhold from taking such advantage: while Durward, collecting himself,
sprang up and attacked his antagonist with the energy of one determined
to conquer or die, and at the same time with the presence of mind
necessary for fighting the quarrel out to the best advantage. Resolved
not again to expose himself to such dreadful blows as he had just
obtained, he employed the advantage of superior agility, increased by
the comparative lightness of his armour, to harass his antagonist by
traversing on all sides, with a suddenness of motion and rapidity
of attack against which the knight--in his heavy panoply--found it
difficult to defend himself without much fatigue.

It was in vain that this generous antagonist called aloud to Quentin
that there now remained no cause of fight betwixt them, and that he
was loath to be constrained to do him injury. Listening only to the
suggestions of a passionate wish to redeem the shame of his temporary
defeat, Durward continued to assail him with the rapidity of
lightning--now menacing him with the edge, now with the point of his
sword, and ever keeping such an eye on the motions of his opponent, of
whose superior strength he had had terrible proof, that he was ready
to spring backward, or aside, from under the blows of his tremendous
weapon.

"Now the devil be with thee for an obstinate and presumptuous fool,"
muttered the knight, "that cannot be quiet till thou art knocked on the
head!"

So saying, he changed his mode of fighting, collected himself, as if to
stand on the defensive, and seemed contented with parrying, instead of
returning, the blows which Quentin unceasingly aimed at him, with the
internal resolution that the instant when either loss of breath or any
false or careless pass of the young soldier should give an opening, he
would put an end to the fight by a single blow. It is likely he might
have succeeded in this artful policy, but Fate had ordered it otherwise.

The duel was still at the hottest, when a large par