nd, in truth, I know of
no better fence against the stroke of a straight sword, although
fencing-masters, I have heard, make light of it. Nevertheless it was
new experience to this Spaniard, and it did me good to note how it
angered the fellow to be held back by such a weapon. He made such
stress to press in behind my guard that he began to pant like a man
running a hard race. Nor did I venture to strike a blow in return,
for, in simple truth, this soldier kept me busier with parry and feint
than any swordsman before, while he tried every trick of his trade, not
a few of them strange to me. So I bided my time, confident he must
make an opening for fit return if he kept up such furious attack, and
thus, with retreat and advance, hack and guard, thrust and parry, we
tramped up a wide bit of ground, while there was no sound of the
struggle, except our hard breathing, with now and then a fierce curse
from him as his flashing steel nicked on my gun-barrel, or flew off
into thin air just as he thought to send its deadly point home.

Such fighting is wearing even to seasoned nerves, and the dazzle of the
sun bothered my eyes, yet he had pressed me back scarcely more than a
couple of yards when his dancing blade slipped stealthily up my brown
barrel, suddenly nipping the loose sleeve of my doublet. As it pricked
into the cloth, scraping the skin of my forearm, I let the fellow have
the end of the muzzle full in the side. It was not the best spot for
such a thrust, nor could I give it proper force, yet I think it cracked
a rib, from the way the Spaniard drew back, and the sudden pallor of
his face; indeed, so ghastly white he got, I thought him done for, and
lowered my barrel carelessly. He was more of a man than I had reckoned
on, or else his pride made him averse to accepting defeat, for with one
quick spring, like a wounded tiger, he was inside my guard, his ugly
point rasping into me just beneath the shoulder. Saint Andrew! It was
an awkward touch, especially as the tough steel held, the punctured
flesh burning like fire; but fortunately the fellow was in too great
pain himself to press his advantage, and, as we clinched and went down
together, I chanced to be on top, throttling him with right good-will.

That which followed was but a small matter, yet I left him there,
waiting the discovery of his comrades, in as comfortable a posture as
possible, confident he could give no alarm. That Spaniard was a brave
man, a