ch.

He was a heavy, squat fellow, with short, thick legs and short, thick
arms.

"I give you one chance for your life," said I quickly. "Help me to
escape with your prisoner, and leave the Count's service for mine."

After a moment's astonishment, the man grunted derisively, and made a
lunge at my breast with his pike. I caught the pike with my left hand,
still holding my dagger therein, and forced it downward. At the same
time I thrust with my rapier, but he parried with his own sword. I
thrust instantly again, and would have pinned him to the wall if he had
not sprung aside. He was now with his back to the stairs, and neither of
us had let go the pike. His sword-point darted at me a second time, but
I avoided, and thrust in return. Not quite ready to parry, he escaped by
falling back upon the narrow stone steps. Before I could attack, he was
on his feet again, and on the second step. We still held to the pike,
which troubled me much, both as an impediment to free sword-play and as
depriving me of the use of my dagger. I suddenly fell back, trying to
jerk it from his grasp; but his grip was too firm. He jerked the pike in
turn, and I let go, thinking the unexpected release might cause him a
fall.

He did not fall; but I pressed close with sword and dagger before he
could bring the pike to use, and he backed further up the stairs. He
caught the pike nearer the point, that he might wield it better at close
quarters; but the long handle made it an awkward weapon, by striking
against the wall, which continually curved behind him. We were sword to
sword, and against my dagger he had his pike, but the dagger was the
freer weapon for defence though not so far-reaching for attack.

The man was very strong, but he had the shorter thrust and offered the
broader target. We continued at it, thrust and parry, give and take. All
the time he retreated up the winding staircase, which was so narrow that
we had little elbow room, and this was to his advantage as he needed
less than I. Another thing soon came to his advantage: the stairs curved
out of the light cast by the lantern below, so that he backed into
darkness, yet I was still visible to him. I cannot tell by what sense I
knew where to meet his sword-point, yet certainly my dagger rang against
it each time it would have stung me out of the dark. As for his pike, I
now kept it busy enough in meeting my own thrusts. Whether or not I was
drawn by the knowledge that the Counte