He felt this himself, and even by that light I saw the sweat spring in great drops to his forehead, saw the terror grow in his eyes.

Already I was counting him a dead man and the victory mine, when something hashed behind his blade, and his comrade's poniard, whizzing past his shoulder, struck me fairly on the chin, staggering me and hurling me back dizzy and half-stunned, uncertain what had happened to me.
Sped an inch lower it, would have done its work and finished mine.

Even as it was, my hand going up as I reeled back gave Fresnoy an opening, of which he was not slow to avail himself.

He sprang forward, lunging at me furiously, and would have run me through there and then, and ended the matter, bad not his foot, as he advanced, caught in the stool, which still lay against the wall.

He stumbled, his point missed my hip by a hair's breadth, and he himself fell all his length on the floor, his rapier breaking off short at the hilt.
His one remaining backer stayed to cast a look at him, and that was all.
The man fled, and I chased him as far as the head of the stairs; where I left him, assured by the speed and agility he displayed in clearing flight after flight that I had nothing to fear from him.