For, when this business of absolving me was over, the madman took another notion; and, having muttered to himself once and twice, he, on a sudden bawled out:
“It is written, ‘He that sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.’”
Hereupon he lowered fiercely round at me, clapt his hand behind him, and plucked from his belt a long macheat. At the sudden sight of the bare blade glittering in the dark night, I started back, and then stepped quickly to one side as the madman made a lunge on me.
Thus I eluded his intent, and immediately after took to my heels, running blindly in the darkness. I heard him close behind me, the furious haste he made, his quick pants, mingled with curses. I struck my feet against stones; I bruised my body against the jagged sides of boulders; every moment I expected to feel that murdering great knife come crashing in my bones.
Suddenly I tumbled into a water-hole, hurting my ankle (though I scarce did feel it); but got out, set my back to a great boulder that stood near, drew my rapier, and made shift to parry a lunge in the nick of time.
And, as the madman blundered in on me with the impulse of the blow, I caught his wrist in a desperate gripe, and twisted his arm round, until he dropped his knife, roaring with pain. Thereupon I set my point to his breast, and had him at my will.
“Up with your arms,” said I smartly, “or I’ll run you through!”
He was not so mad but he understood, and held up his arms immediately; but his eyes kept harking down to his knife, until, with a kick of my unhurt foot, I removed it out of reach.
“Now,” said I, speaking very slowly, “you see, don’t you, that you are quite helpless. If you do not exactly as I bid you, I shall run you through the heart. I bid you instantly to drop upon the ground and lay quite flat.”
And I advanced my point until it pressed upon his breast-bone.