nothing to fear to-day from this villain! Let him
come on, if he dares! I am ready for him."

In the mean time, Ogareff, gathering himself together like a tiger about
to spring, uttered not a word. The noise of his footsteps, his very
breathing, he endeavored to conceal from the ear of the blind man. His
object was to strike before his opponent was aware of his approach, to
strike him with a deadly blow.

Nadia, terrified and at the same time confident, watched this terrible
scene with involuntary admiration. Michael's calm bearing seemed to have
inspired her. Michael's sole weapon was his Siberian knife. He did not
see his adversary armed with a sword, it is true; but Heaven's support
seemed to be afforded him. How, almost without stirring, did he always
face the point of the sword?

Ivan Ogareff watched his strange adversary with visible anxiety. His
superhuman calm had an effect upon him. In vain, appealing to his
reason, did he tell himself that in so unequal a combat all the
advantages were on his side. The immobility of the blind man froze him.
He had settled on the place where he would strike his victim. He had
fixed upon it! What, then, hindered him from putting an end to his blind
antagonist?

At last, with a spring he drove his sword full at Michael's breast. An
imperceptible movement of the blind man's knife turned aside the blow.
Michael had not been touched, and coolly he awaited a second attack.

Cold drops stood on Ogareff's brow. He drew back a step, then again
leaped forward. But as had the first, this second attempt failed. The
knife had simply parried the blow from the traitor's useless sword.

Mad with rage and terror before this living statue, he gazed into the
wide-open eyes of the blind man. Those eyes which seemed to pierce to
the bottom of his soul, and yet which did not, could not, see--exercised
a sort of dreadful fascination over him.

All at once, Ogareff uttered a cry. A sudden light flashed across his
brain. "He sees!" he exclaimed, "he sees!" And like a wild beast trying
to retreat into its den, step by step, terrified, he drew back to the
end of the room.

Then the statue became animated, the blind man walked straight up to
Ivan Ogareff, and placing himself right before him, "Yes, I see!" said
he. "I see the mark of the knout which I gave you, traitor and coward! I
see the place where I am about to strike you! Defend your life! It is a
duel I deign to offer you! My knife against