I hurled away the man who had been thrust into my arms and sprang forward.

I saw Rupert of Hentzau; his hand was raised above his head and held a stout club.

I do not know what followed; there came--all in a confused blur of instant sequence--an oath from Rupert, a rush from me, a scuffle, as though some one sought to hold him back; then he was on me; I felt a great thud on my forehead, and I felt nothing more.

Again I was on my back, with a terrible pain in my head, and a dull, dreamy consciousness of a knot of men standing over me, talking eagerly to one another.
I could not hear what they were saying; I had no great desire to hear.

I fancied, somehow, that they were talking about me; they looked at me and moved their hands towards me now and again.