A Gentleman from Gascony: A Romance of the Huguenots — page 128: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

124 A GENTLEMAN FROM GASCONY, For a moment the two eyed each other; and then steel clashed against steel. Once more without the trumpet sounded loud and clear. “Heaven be praised!” ejaculated Simon Beppa. “The Provost’s bine + But before he could reach the door, he was nonEes abruptly by Count Lemours, who exclaimed: “Tt is a fair duel. Would these canaille interrupt gentlemen? Bolt the door, some of you!” The order was obeyed, but not an instant too soon. For no quicker were the heavy bolts shot into place, than there came a tremendous pounding upon the pan- els of the door, and the voice of the Provost was heard demanding entrance in the king’s name. No one paid any attention, however. All were too intent upon the fight going on before their eyes. Neither of the antagonists had yet the advantage, in that most picturesque of all the many fashions of the duello—with sword and poniard—where the poniard held in the left hand is used to protect the breast and parry sword-thrusts. The chevalier was unquestion- ably the best swordsman of the two and more than once he could have pierced the heart of his adversary. But he had no wish to kill the hot-headed young fellow. His only desire was to wound him slightly and give him a lesson he would not forget. This was not the case with the duke, however. He thrust and cut with the greatest fury. Suddenly, in one of these thrusts, the chevalier, by a skilful turn of the wrist, twisted the sword from the young man’s hand and it fell clattering upon the floor. With a cry of ungovernable rage, the duke snatched it up and hurled himself again upon his adversary. GEomicbooks co