s pike, stepped forward,
and making the shaft rattle off the white array of ribs, which poor
Aleck's flourish had left unprotected, reduced his proposals to
practice in a trice. He, wisely making up for disparity of forces by
superiority of weapon, started back, and adroitly unhooking the long
iron chain and pot-hooks from the chimney, set them flying round his
head like a slinger of old; and meeting his antagonist with a clash,
shot him rocketwise into the corner: then giving another whirl to his
stretcher, and leaping out with the full swing of his long body, he
brought it to bear upon the next. There was another clattering crash,
and the man went down; but pitching with his shoulder into the tub,
upset it, and sent a flood of water into the fire. Smoke, steam, and
white ashes, whirled up in clouds; the lantern was trampled out, and
the battle became general: for one rascal, lifting his fallen
comrade's pike (there was luckily but one among them), advanced upon
me. I had just light to see the thrust and parry it. Another second,
and we had closed in the midst of that strange atmosphere, striking
and sneezing at each other across the pike shaft, as we each strove to
wrest it to himself. My antagonist was a lusty fellow, and tugged me
stoutly, while I kept him between me and the main fight, now raging
through the water and the fire: this I could just distinguish among
the vapour and smoke, dashed about in red showers of embers, as each
new tramp and whirl of the combatants swept it from the hearthstone.
How Aleck fought his two opponents I could not imagine; yet once,
during a minute's relaxation on our parts, when, having got the pike
jammed between a table and the wall, we were reduced to the by-play of
kicking one another's shin-bones, I could hear, every now and again,
above the medley of curses and screams (for the women were all busy)
his lusty "Hah!" as he put in each successive blow; and then the bolt
and thud of some one gone down, far away in the distance; or the rush
of a capsize among the loose lumber at my feet. But I had no longer an
opportunity of noting his prowess; for my antagonist, getting the
weapon disentangled, hauled me after him into the open floor, and then
began upon the swinging system. So away we went, sweeping down chairs
and stools, and rolling fallen bodies over in our course; till tired
and dizzy, I suddenly planted myself, let go both holds, and dashing
in right and left together, sent hi