t; but for actual
use it is better to turn the point aside by one of the simple guards,
remembering not to let the hand wander far from the line of attack. In
other words, you should let your "forte" catch the "foible" of the
adversary's blade just sufficiently to turn aside the point, and then
instantly give your point or come back to whatever guard you may have
assumed in the first instance.

Some diversity of opinion exists as to the best "Engaging Guard" to take
up. In the two Figs., 21 and 22, I am inclined to favour the former for
use when opposed either to the small sword or the bayonet, and give
preference to the latter when facing another broad-swordsman. In Fig.
21, it will be observed, the point is well forward, and it is easy with
a light pressure to turn aside the opposing point and instantly lunge
out in the return. The engagement is here in Tierce, but it might just
as well be in Quarte, in which case the edge would be turned to the left
instead of to the right.

[Illustration: Fig. 21.--Engaging guard, A.]

At the same time, the more common engaging guard, the very low hanging
guard in Fig. 22, has many merits not possessed by the other. It will be
better to constantly practise _both_ these guarding positions and then
come to a decision as to which you can do best in. Two things are
certain, viz., you can, if proficient at both, puzzle an opponent who is
at home only in one, and the change of position is a great rest in a
long succession of bouts.

[Illustration: Fig. 22.--Engaging guard, B.]

It will now be well to combine the cuts and guards, and, for this, take
up the second position in front of the target, and in making each cut
lunge well out into the third position, not allowing the blade to cut
further than the centre of the target. Then spring back to the position
from which you lunged and form the guard for the cut you have just made.
For instance, having made cut 1 as far as the centre of the target,
return to the second position and form guard 1. Similarly for cut 2 and
all the other cuts.

In the same way make the points in the lunge, in position three, and the
corresponding parries in the second position.

In many works on the subject, the foregoing exercises are given with the
return in each case to the first position instead of, as above, to the
second. It is, however, advisable to accustom yourself as much as
possible to rapid returns from the lunge to the engaging positio