under the bridge.

Von Sendlingen would almost have preferred the blow falling on his head.
An officer, whose reputation in fencing was no mean one, to be disarmed
by a student who swung but his road-cane! This was not all: he had lost
his sabre, and, noble though he was, he had to pass the vigorous
inspection of his weapons like the humblest private soldier! The absence
of the regimental sword might cause degradation, ruin militarily and
socially! And all for a "music-hall squaller"--and a Jewess at that!

He ground his teeth, and his eyes were filled with angry fire. His face
bore a greater resemblance to a tiger's than a man's, and had not the
victor in this first bout possessed a stout heart, he might have
regretted that he had commenced so well, so terrible would be the
retaliation.

All the animal in the man being roused, he longed to throw himself on
his antagonist to grasp his throat, but the successful use of the cudgel
against the sword indicated that this was an adept at quarter-staff and
a man with naked hands would have easily been beaten if pitted with him.
Sendlingen, warily and rapidly surveying the limited field of combat,
caught sight of the Jew's walking-staff and sprang for it with an outcry
of savage glee and hope.

On perceiving this move, in spite of the pain still crippling him, the
old man started to retrace his steps to regain possession of his weapon,
but he was soon distanced by the younger one.

Armed with this staff, the officer, remembering his student days, when
he, too, was an expert swinger of the cane, a Bavarian mountaineer's