ted by
you over a feeble feint to put in a time thrust.

The ordinary feint is made by an extension of the arm as if to cut
without moving the foot to lunge, the lunge being made the moment you
have drawn off your enemy's guard and laid bare the real object of your
attack.

Sometimes, however, if you cannot succeed otherwise, a half or short
lunge for your feint, to be turned into a full lunge as you see your
opening, may be found a very useful variation of the ordinary feint. If
you find feints useless, you may try to compass your adversary's
downfall by "a draw." All the time that you are playing you should try
to be using your head, to be thinking out your plans and trying to
discover his. In nine cases out of ten he has some favourite form of
attack. If you discover what it is, and know how to stop it, indulge
him, and invite him even to make it, having previously formed some
little scheme of attack of your own upon this opening. Let me illustrate
my meaning by examples. If you notice a hungry eye fixed yearningly on
your tender calf, let your calf stray ever so little from under the
protection of the hanging guard. If this bait takes your friend in, and
he comes with a reckless lunge at it, throwing all his heart into the
cut, spring up to your full height, heels together, and leg well out of
danger, and gently let your avenging rod fall along his spine. This, by
the way, is the only occasion, except when you are acknowledging a hit,
on which you may be allowed to desert the first position for legs and
feet.

But this is a very old ruse, and most players know it: a much better one
may be founded upon it. If, for instance, you think you detect any
coquettish symptoms in the right leg of your adversary, you may know at
once what he is meditating. Oblige him at once. Lunge freely out at his
leg, which will of course be at once withdrawn. This, however, you were
expecting, and as his leg goes back your hand goes up to the high
hanging guard, covering your head from his cut. This cut stopped, he is
at your mercy, and you may cut him in halves or crimp his thigh at your
leisure. This position is illustrated in Fig. 33.

[Illustration: Fig. 33.--A ruse.]

Once again: some men set their whole hearts on your sleeve, and you may,
if yours is the hanging guard, lure them to their destruction through
this lust of theirs. Gradually, as the play goes on, your arm tires,
your hand sinks, your arm at last is bare, and th