In this case his confidence was on a par with the natural ferocity of his disposition, but as frequently happens, he overshot the mark.
Roderic met his assault and went him one better—he turned the Spaniard's eager blade aside with the quick movement of one to the manner born.
No doubt Julio was surprised, but he never let anything interfere with business.
A second rush, another rebuff.
This was growing monotonous—really, it began to look as though the unknown cavalier might be playing with him.
Nothing could arouse the devil in a Spanish heart quicker than this suspicion.
Humiliation is to the proud don worse than any other ill save death—relieve him from this indignity and you can have all else.
So Julio, instead of taking warning from the ease with which his assaults were turned aside, instead of calling upon his patron saint for protection should this master of the steel turn the tables and begin to assail him, only swore the harder and went recklessly into the push.
Their little imbroglio had by this time attracted considerable attention.