Dorsenne and Gorka, once placed, face to face, commenced indeed to advance, now raising, now lowering their weapons with the terrible slowness of two adversaries resolved not to miss their mark.
A shot was fired.

It was by Boleslas.

Dorsenne was unharmed.

Several steps had still to be taken in order to reach the limit.

He took them, and he paused to aim at his opponent with so evident an intention of killing him that they could distinctly hear Cibo cry: "Fire! For God's sake, fire!" Julien pressed the trigger, as if in obedience to that order, incorrect, but too natural to be even noticed.