"Yield thee, Sir Knight," exclaimed Geoffrey. "I promise thee quarter."
"Give quarter to those who ask it," was the reply. "I surrender to no man."
The next instant their blades crossed. Both combatants were equally matched. The English lad lacked the size and weight of his antagonist; but, with the exception of a slight wound received earlier in the fight, Geoffrey was comparatively fresh, while the knight had already borne the brunt of a prolonged encounter against enormous odds.
On his part Geoffrey strove, by means of a succession of rapid passes, to find a joint of his antagonist's armour; while the Frenchman, mustering all the strength at his command, relied mainly upon his powerful sweeping cuts to disable his youthful and active foe.
At length the Englishman wounded his enemy by a lightning-like thrust that took effect 'twixt the flexible plates of the Frenchman's gauntlet. But Geoffrey had to pay for his advantage. With a roar like the bellowing of a bull the knight shortened his sword, and ere the lad could recover his blade the steel was snapped asunder a span's length from the hilt.
The Frenchman was not slow to take advantage of his enemy's misfortune. Swish! came his heavy weapon. Geoffrey's fragment of steel could not stop the cut, though it deflected the sword-cut, and, receiving the blade full in his gorget, the lad was sent staggering across the room.
The knight could not forbear from following up his stroke. Unwisely he left his point of vantage by the wall, and, whirling his sword, prepared to deal a coup de grâce.
In his excitement he forgot the low beam that ran athwart the ceiling, and ere the stroke could be completed his sword encountered the rafter, sinking in so deeply that he was unable to extricate his weapon.
Already a dozen men-at-arms were about to intervene, when Geoffrey threw himself boldly upon his antagonist.
With a resounding crash the two mail-clad bodies fell upon the floor, the English lad uppermost. The point of his dagger was at the slit of his antagonist's visor, and the knight was at Geoffrey's mercy.