ic delicacy to make the offer in dumbshow to lay aside his
cane and undertake to chastise the insulter of womanhood with the naked
fist. But this is a weapon almost unknown in the sword-bearing class
which Von Sendlingen adorned, and, infuriated by the civilian
intervening at the culmination of his daring plan, to say nothing of
the annoying thought that his failure would be no secret from the old
hag, his accomplice, looking on at the extremity of the bridge, he
yielded to the worst devil in his heart. He inclined to the most
high-handed and hectoring measure. Whipping out his sabre with a rapid
gesture, and merely muttering a discourteous and grudging: "Be on your
guard!" he dealt a cut at the student which threatened to cleave him in
two.

The other was on the alert; he had suspected one capable of such an
outrage, likewise capable of worse, and he parried the coward's blow so
dexterously with his cane that it was the soldier who was thrown off his
balance. A second blow, with the tremendous sweep of the stick held at
arm's length, tested the metal of the blade to its utmost, and, as the
wielder's hand was thoroughly palsied, drove it out of the opening
fingers, and all heard it splash in the black and pestiferous waters
under the bridge.

Von Sendlingen would almost have preferred the blow falling on his head.
An officer, whose reputation in fencing was no mean one, to be disarmed
by a student who swung but his road-cane! This was not all: he had lost
his sabre, and, noble though he was, he had to pass the vigorous
inspection of his weapons like the humblest private soldier! The absence
of the regimental sword might cause degradation, ruin militarily and
socially! And all for a "music-hall squaller"--and a Jewess at that!

He ground his teeth, and his eyes were filled with angry fire. His face
bore a greater resemblance to a tiger's than a man's, and had not the
victor in this first bout possessed a stout heart, he might have
regretted that he had commenced so well, so terrible would be the
retaliation.

All the animal in the man being roused, he longed to throw himself on
his antagonist to grasp his throat, but the successful use of the cudgel
against the sword indicated that this was an adept at quarter-staff and
a man with naked hands would have easily been beaten if pitted with him.
Sendlingen, warily and rapidly surveying the limited field of combat,
caught sight of the Jew's walking-staff and sprang for it