I
will stab you where you stand.'

De Garcia heard this speech, that to-day seems to me to smack of the
theatre, though it was spoken in grimmest earnest, and his face grew
like the face of a trapped wolf. Yet I saw that he had no mind to fight,
not because of cowardice, for to do him justice he was no coward, but
because of superstition. He feared to fight with me since, as I learned
afterwards, he believed that he would meet his end at my hand, and it
was for this reason chiefly that he strove to kill me when first we met.

'The duello has its laws, senor,' he said courteously. 'It is not usual
to fight thus unseconded and in the presence of a woman. If you believe
that you have any grievance against me--though I know not of what you
rave, or the name by which you call me--I will meet you where and when
you will.' And all the while he looked over his shoulder seeking some
way of escape.

'You will meet me now,' I answered. 'Draw or I strike!'

Then he drew, and we fell to it desperately enough, till the sparks
flew, indeed, and the rattle of steel upon steel rang down the quiet
street. At first he had somewhat the better of me, for my hate made me
wild in my play, but soon I settled to the work and grew cooler. I meant
to kill him--more, I knew that I should kill him if none came between
us. He was still a better swordsman than I, who, till I fought with him
in the lane at Ditchingham, had never even seen one of these Spanish
rapiers, but I had the youth and the right on my side, as also I had an
eye like a hawk's and a wrist of steel.

Slowly I pressed him back, and ever my play grew closer and better and
his became wilder. Now I had touched him twice, once in the face, and I
held him with his back against the wall of the way that led down to the
water-gate, and it had come to this, that he scarcely strove to thrust
at me at all, but stood on his defence waiting till I should tire. Then,
when victory was in my hand disaster overtook me, for the woman, who had
been watching bewildered, saw that her faithless lover was in danger of
death and straightway seized me from behind, at the same time sending
up shriek after shriek for help. I shook her from me quickly enough,
but not before de Garcia, seeing his advantage, had dealt me a coward's
thrust that took me in the right shoulder and half crippled me, so that
in my turn I must stand on my defence if I would keep my life in me.
Meanwhile the shrieks had been heard,