No trace of meanness lingered in his face.
He seemed equally ready to kill or to die.
"What if I were to throw away my sword ?" thought Casanova.

"What if I were to embrace him ?" He slipped the cloak from his shoulders and stood like Lorenzi, lean and naked.
Lorenzi lowered his point in salute, in accordance with the rules of fence.

Casanova returned the salute.

Next moment they crossed blades, and the steel glittered like silver in the sun.
"How long is it," thought Casanova, "since last I stood thus measuring sword with sword ?" But none of his serious duels now recurred to his mind.

He could think only of practice with the foils, such as ten years earlier he used to have every morning with his valet Costa, the rascal who afterwards bolted with a hundred and fifty thousand lire.