Such coolness, such effrontery, as he would have called it, was not customary in one so young, and in an American too, because Americans did not give much attention to the study of the sword.

New thoughts raced through his head.

Could it be possible that here, where one least expected it, was some marvelous swordsman, a phenomenon?
Did that account for his indifference?
A slight shudder passed over the frame of Jean de Mezy, who loved his dissolute life.

But such thoughts vanished quickly.

It could not be possible.