dabbed about my face. The blow almost threw me down; and, while I
staggered, he rushed at me furiously with his sword. Perhaps it was
good for me that I had got no clothes on; for, being utterly
unencumbered, I leapt this way and that, and avoided his fierce, eager
strokes till I could collect myself somewhat; while he had a heavy
scarlet cloak on that trailed on the ground, and which he often trod
on, so that he stumbled.

He very nearly slew me during the first few minutes, for it was not
strange that, together with other matters, I should have forgotten the
art of fence: but yet, as I went on, and sometimes bounded about the
hall under the whizzing of his sword, as he rested sometimes, leaning
on it, as the point sometimes touched my head and made my eyes start
out, I remembered the old joy that I used to have, and the swy, swy,
of the sharp edge, as one gazed between one's horse's ears; moreover,
at last, one fierce swift stroke, just touching me below the throat,
tore up the skin all down my body, and fell heavy on my thigh, so that
I drew my breath in and turned white; then first, as I swung my sword
round my head, our blades met, oh! to hear that tchink again! and I
felt the notch my sword made in his, and swung out at him; but he
guarded it and returned on me; I guarded right and left, and grew
warm, and opened my mouth to shout, but knew not what to say; and our
sword points fell on the floor together: then, when we had panted
awhile, I wiped from my face the blood that had been dashed over it,
shook my sword and cut at him, then we spun round and round in a mad
waltz to the measured music of our meeting swords, and sometimes
either wounded the other somewhat but not much, till I beat down his
sword on to his head, that he fell grovelling, but not cut through.
Verily, thereupon my lips opened mightily with "Mary rings."