came into my mind, namely, that I should not endure to hear my country
defamed.

I stopped not to think of words, wherein I never had a ready wit, but his
were still in his mouth when I had leaped within his guard, so that he
might not swing out his long halberd.

"Blasphemer and liar!" I cried, gripping his neck with my left hand,
while with two up-cuts of my right I sent his lies down his throat in
company, as I deem, with certain of his teeth.

He dropped his halberd against the wooden fence of the bridge, and felt
for his dagger. I caught at his right hand with mine; cries were in my
ears--St. Denis for France! St. Andrew for Scotland!--as the other men
on guard came running forth to see the sport.

We gripped and swayed for a moment, then the staff of his fauchard coming
between his legs, he tripped and fell, I above him; our weight soused
against the low pales of the bridge side, that were crazy and old; there
was a crash, and I felt myself in mid-air, failing to the moat far below
us. Down and down I whirled, and then the deep water closed over me.




CHAPTER VI--HOW NORMAN LESLIE ESCAPED OUT OF CHINON CASTLE


Down and down I sank, the water surging up into my nostrils and sounding
in my ears; but, being in water, I was safe if it were but deep enough.