us, Gretchen," said the vintner, with a deceiving gentleness.
Gretchen started reluctantly down the path, her glance bravely before
her. She knew that Wallenstein would not move; so she determined to go
round him. She was not afraid to leave her vintner alone with this
officer. But she miscalculated the colonel's reckless audacity. As she
stepped off the path to go round him he grasped her rudely and kissed
her on the cheek. She screamed as much in surprise as in anger.
And this scream brought Carmichael upon the scene. He was witness to the
second kiss. He saw the vintner run forward and dash his fist into the
soldier's face. Wallenstein, to whom such an assault was unexpected,
fell back, hurt and blinded. The vintner, active as a cat, saw
Carmichael coming on a run. He darted toward him, and before Carmichael
could prevent him, dragged the sword-cane away. The blade, thin and
pliant, flashed. And none too soon. The colonel had already drawn his
saber.
"Save him!" Gretchen wrung her hands.
The two blades met spitefully, and there were method and science on both
sides. But the sword-cane was no match for the broad, heavy saber. Half
a dozen thrusts and parries convinced the colonel that the raging youth
knew what he was doing. Down swooped the saber cuttingly. The blade of
the sword-cane snapped like a pipe-stem. The vintner flung the broken
part at the colonel's head. The latter dodged it and came on, and there
was death's intent.
Meantime Carmichael had found a short hop-pole, and with this he took a
hand in the contest. The pole was clumsy, but the tough wood was
stronger than steel. He hit the saber with good-will. Back came the
steel. The colonel did not care whom or what he struck at now. When
Carmichael returned the compliment he swung his hop-pole as the old
crusaders did their broadswords. And this made short work of the duel.
The saber dropped uninjured, but the colonel's arm dangled at his side.
He leaned back against the arbor, his teeth set in his lip, for he w
Notka biograficzna
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