Its flame was fluttering and gave forth a pale red light that danced weirdly on the floors and walls.
Alice had snatched down one of her rapiers when the guards first entered.

They now saw her facing them with her slender blade leveled, her back to the wall, her eyes shining dangerously.

Madame Roussillon had fled into the adjoining room.

Jean had also disappeared.

The officer, a subaltern, in charge of the guard, seeing Alice, and not quickly able to make out that it was a woman thus defying him, crossed swords with her.