I saw the steel shoot past, grazing my left arm.
Then with so long a recovery, and the loss of balance from lunging downhill, he was at my mercy.
As I did not wish to kill him I chose my spot almost at my leisure, and pinked him two inches below the spring of the neck and close to the collar-bone, which was running the thing as fine as I could allow myself.
What was my surprise to see my sword-blade arch itself as if it had stricken a stone wall, and to hear the unmistakable ring of steel meeting steel.
"Treachery!" cried Von Dessauer and I together; "you are villains both.
He is wearing a shirt of mail!" And the old man rushed forward with his sword bare in his hand and all a-tremble with indignation.
I heard the shrill "purl" of a silver call, and, turning me about, there was the gambler Cannstadt with a whistle at his lips.

I dared not turn my head, for I had still to guard myself against the traitor Von Reuss's attack, but with the tail of my eye I could see two or three men rise from behind bushes and rocks, and come running as fast as they could towards us.

Then I knew that Dessauer and I were doomed men unless something turned up that we wotted not of.

For with an old man, and one so stiff as the High Councillor, for my only ally, it was impossible for me to hold my own against more than double our numbers.
Nevertheless, Von Dessauer attacked Cannstadt with surprising fury and determination, anger glittering in his eye, and resolution to punish treachery lending vigor to his thrust.

I had not time to observe his method save unconsciously, for I had to change my position momentarily that I might take the points of the two men who came down the hill at speed, sword in hand.
But all this foul play among high-born folk gave me a kind of mortal sickness.