whole affair was most embarrassing to their three adversaries, and
they were at a loss to know how they should begin the dispute. At
last Fadrique again touched the strings of his guitar, and was
preparing to begin another song. This mark of contempt and apparent
disregard of danger and hazard so enraged Lucila's husband (for it
was he who had taken his stand by Don Fadrique) that without further
delay he drew his sword from his sheath, and with a voice of
suppressed rage called out, "Draw, or I shall stab you!" "Very
gladly, Senor," replied Fadrique quietly; "you need not threaten me;
you might as well have said so calmly." And so saying he placed his
guitar carefully in a niche in the church wall, seized bis sword,
and, bowing gracefully to his opponent, the fight, began.

At first the two figures by Heimbert's side, who were Lucila's
brothers, remained quite quiet; but when Fadrique began to get the
better of their brother-in-law they appeared as if they intended to
take part in the fight. Heimbert therefore made his mighty sword
gleam in the moonlight, and said, "Dear sirs, you will not surely
oblige me to execute that of which I previously assured you? I pray
you not to compel me to do so; but if it cannot be otherwise, I must
honorably keep my word, you may rely upon it." The two young men
remained from that time motionless, surprised both at the decision
and at the true-hearted friendliness that lay in Heimbert's words.

Meanwhile Don Fadrique, although pressing hard upon his adversary,
had generously avoided wounding him, and when at last by a dexterous
movement he wrested his sword from him. Lucila's husband, surprised
at the unexpected advantage, and in alarm at being thus disarmed,
retreated a few steps. But Fadrique threw the weapon adroitly into
the air, and catching it again near the point of the blade, he said,