Again they resumed guard.

Quick as light the vicomte's foil went almost double against the poet's doublet.

From this time on the poet played warily.
He maintained a splendid defense, so splendid that doubt began to gather in the vicomte's eyes.

Twice Victor stooped and his foil slid under the vicomte's guard, touching him roughly on the thigh, But Victor was fighting against the inevitable.

Gradually the vicomte broke down the defense, and again Victor's foil was wrested from his grasp.