"Gadslife, but the honour is like to cost you dear.

Well, sirs?
Who will be next to court the distinction of dying by the sword of a gentleman ?" he mocked them.

"Come on, you sons of dogs!" His answer was an angry growl, and straightway two men sprang forward.
More than two could not attack him at once by virtue of the narrowness of the passage.

Again steel clashed on steel.

Crispin--lithe as a panther crouched low, and took one of their swords on each of his.
A disengage and a double he foiled with ease, then by a turn of the wrist he held for a second one opponent's blade; and before the fellow could disengage again, he had brought his right-hand sword across, and stabbed him in the neck.