We took off our coats and set to work at once. Mine was a very indifferent style, very rough and ready, and his particularly polished, acquired in the latest Italian school. But mine served me well enough for defensive purposes. He was the better swordsman, with a dozen more tricks of fence than I possessed, but he could not break through my guard. He touched me more than once; but not so as to have inflicted any serious wound, had the weapons been sharp.
“You haven’t much to fear from the Prince,” he said in one of the breathing spaces. “His is also the Italian style; and he’s better than I am; but you have a devil of a defence. Can you force the fighting a bit? Try now.”
We crossed again and this time, after a long, defensive play I changed my tactics suddenly, and touched him.
“You got me in the arm,” he cried, directly. “And well done, too. You’ll wear the Prince down. That’s his one failing—he can’t keep his temper. I have no fear for to-morrow. You have an iron wrist.”
We were thus engaged when Buller brought word that the friends of Prince Albrevics had arrived. Nikolitch put on his coat and went to them. He was in high spirits.
“It is the challenge, of course,” he said when he returned. “Shall we make it swords or pistols? I have arranged to meet to-morrow morning a mile or two out of the city. If you don’t want to kill him I should choose swords.”
“Let it be swords then,” I agreed.
“He’s got a devil of a bruise on his face, they tell me,” he declared with obvious glee, as he left me again. “As if a horse had kicked him, one of them says.”
“We’ve arranged it all,” he reported when he came back again. “They were surprised at your choosing swords, because of his reputation, but it will be all right. You’ll wear him down. I know him. And now I’ll be off and find someone to act with me. Get to bed early and have as much sleep as you can. I’ll be round in time in the morning.”
I sat for some time after he had left me, smoking and thinking. I regretted the whole thing more than I can say; but when I found my thoughts getting into a very gloomy vein, I put the brake on; and taking Nikolitch’s advice, went off to bed and slept soundly until Buller called me.