, on looking
round, perceived the ladies. La Mole again put himself on guard, steady as
an automaton, and Coconnas, as their swords crossed, uttered an energetic
_Mordieu!_

"_Ah ca!_" exclaimed Margaret, "they are in earnest, and will kill one
another if we do not prevent it. This is going too far. Stop, gentlemen, I
entreat you."

"Let them go on," said Henriette, who, having already seen Coconnas make
head successfully against three antagonists at once, trusted that he would
have at least as easy a bargain of La Mole.

At the first clash of the steel, the combatants became silent. They were
neither of them confident in their strength, and, at each pass or parry,
their imperfectly healed wounds caused them sharp pain. Nevertheless, with
fixed and ardent eye, his lips slightly parted, his teeth firmly-set, La
Mole advanced with short steady steps upon his adversary; who, perceiving
that he had to do with a master of fence, retreated--gradually, it is
true, but still retreated. In this manner they reached the edge of the
moat, or dry ditch, on the other side of which the spectators had
stationed themselves. There, as if he had only retired with the view of
getting nearer to the duchess, Coconnas stopped, and made a rapid thrust.
At the same instant a sanguine spot, which grew each second larger,
appeared upon the white satin of La Mole's doublet.

"Courage!" cried the Duchess of Nevers.

"Poor La Mole!" exclaimed Margaret, with a cry of sorrow.

La Mole heard the exclamation, threw one expressive glance to the queen,
and making a skilful feint, followed it up by a pass of lightning
swiftness. This time both the women shrieked. The point of La Mole's
rapier had appeared, crimson with blood, behind the back of Coconnas.

Neither of the combatants fell; they remained on their feet, staring at
each other, each of them feeling that at the first movement he made he
should lose his balance. At last the Piedmontese, more dangerously wounded
than his antagonist, and feeling that his strength was ebbing away with
his blood, threw himself forward upon La Mole, and seized hill with one
arm, whilst with the other hand he felt for his dagger. La Mole mustered
all his remaining strength, raised his hand, and struck Coconnas on the
forehead with his sword-hilt. Coconnas fell, but in falling he dragged his
adversary after him, and both rolled into the ditch. Then Margaret and the
Duchess of Nevers, seeing that although, apparentl