We stood face to face, more like two men about to engage in deadly duel than a pair of amateurs with blunt foils.

My antagonist was evidently a practised swordsman.

I could see that as he came to guard.

As for myself, the small-sword exercise had been a foible of my college days, and for years I had not met my match at it; but just then I was out of practice.
We commenced unsteadily.

Both were excited by unusual emotions, and our first thrusts were neither skilfully aimed nor parried.