Quick, therefore, and without further preamble, draw!" "God forbid!"
exclaimed the German, not touching his weapon. "You shall be my
brother-in-law, Fadrique, and not my murderer, and still less will I
be yours." Fadrique only shook his head indignantly, and advanced
toward his comrade with measured steps for an encounter. Heimbert,
however, still remained immovable, and said, "No, Fadrique, I cannot
now or ever do you harm. For besides the love I bear your sister, it
must certainly have been you who has spoken to her so honorably of my
military expeditions in Italy." "When I did so," replied Fadiique in
a fury, "I was a fool. But, dallying coward, out with your sword,
or--"

Before Fadrique had finished speaking, Heimbert, burning with
indignation, exclaimed, "The devil himself could not bear that!" and
drawing his sword from the scabbard, the two young captains rushed
fiercely and resolutely to the attack.

Different indeed was this contest to that previously fought by
Fadrique with Lucila's husband. The two young soldiers well
understood their weapons, and strove with each other with equal
boldness, their swords flashing like rays of light as now this one
now that one hurled a lightning thrust at his adversary, which was
with similar speed and dexterity turned aside. Firmly they pressed
the left foot, as if rooted in the ground, while the right advanced
to the bold onset and then again they quickly retired to the safer
attitude of defence. From the self-possession and the quiet
unremitting anger with which both the combatants fought, it was
evident that one of the two would find his grave under the
overhanging branches of the orange-tree, which were now tinged with
the red glow of morning, and this would undoubtedly have been the