s. I could now hear their short ejaculations as well as
the other sounds. They continued to approach: I listened for a stumble
on the stairs, to be followed by a death-cry: but these men were
apparently heedful as to their steps, and finally they were both upon
the level footing of the passage outside my room. I wondered if this
fight would be over before it could be opposite my doorway. In a few
moments I was answered. Into my narrow view came the large figure of the
red Captain, without a doublet, his muscular arms bare, his shirt open
and soaked with perspiration, his upper body heaving rapidly as he
breathed, his face streaming, his eyes fixed upon the enemy whose swift
rapier he parried with wonderful skill. The light of evening was dim in
the passage, and perhaps for that reason the Captain backed into my
room. His adversary followed instantly.

"Father!" I cried, as the Sieur de la Tournoire appeared in the doorway:
in my emotion I thought not how I endangered him by distracting his
attention.

But he was not to be thrown off his guard. He moved his head a little to
the side, so as to catch a glimpse of me behind the Captain, but this
did not prevent his adroitly turning a quick thrust which his enemy made
on the instant of my cry.

"Hola, Henri!" said my father, with perfect calmness except for his
quickness of breath. "What the devil are you doing here?"

"Sitting chained to the floor," I replied.

At this the Captain suddenly leaped back almost to where I was, and I
suppose his intention was to place himself eventually where he would
have me between him and my father and could kill me without ceasing to
face the latter. But he may have considered an attempt to pass over me
as unsafe for his subsequent footing, and so his next movement was
sidewise: my father, following close, gave him work every moment. The
Captain again stepping backward, I was now at his right and a little in
front, so that, if he could gain but a spare second, he could send a
finishing thrust my way. With my head turned so as to keep my eyes upon
him, I could see by his look that he was determined not to risk my
outliving him.

My father, too busy in meeting the Captain's lunges, and in trying what
thrust might elude his defence, thought best to expend no more breath in
talk with me, and so the fighting went on without words. Suppose,
thought I, my father kills the Captain but the Captain first kills me?
Had I not better now tell my