Thereupon, with that same grim smile widening his mouth as heretofore, he said, “I paint God’s judgments.”

And as he spoke, he rattled the sword in his scabbard; but I said,

“Well, then, you paint them very badly.  Listen; I know God’s judgments much better than you do.  See now; I will teach you God’s judgments, and you shall teach me painting.”

While I spoke he still rattled his sword, and when I had done, shut his right eye tight, screwing his nose on one side; then said: 

“You have got no clothes on, and may go to the devil!  What do you know about God’s judgments?”

“Well, they are not all yellow and red, at all events; you ought to know better.”

He screamed out, “0 you fool!  Yellow and red!  Gold and blood, what do they make?”

“Well,” I said; “what?”

“Hell!” And, coming close up to me, he struck me with his open hand in the face, so that the colour with which his hand was smeared was dabbed about my face.  The blow almost threw me down; and, while I staggered, he rushed at me furiously with his sword.  Perhaps it was good for me that I had got no clothes on; for, being utterly unencumbered, I leapt this way and that, and avoided his fierce, eager strokes till I could collect myself somewhat; while he had a heavy scarlet cloak on that trailed on the ground, and which he often trod on, so that he stumbled.

He very nearly slew me during the first few minutes, for it was not strange that, together with other matters, I should have forgotten the art of fence:  but yet, as I went on, and sometimes bounded about the hall under the whizzing of his sword, as he rested sometimes, leaning on it, as the point sometimes touched my head and made my eyes start out, I remembered the old joy that I used to have, and the swy, swy, of the sharp edge, as one gazed between one’s horse’s ears; moreover, at last, one fierce swift stroke, just touching me below the throat, tore up the skin all down my body, and fell heavy on my thigh, so that I drew my breath in and turned white; then first, as I swung my sword round my head, our blades met, oh! to hear that tchink again! and I felt the notch my sword made in his, and swung out at him; but he guarded it and returned on me; I guarded right and left, and grew warm, and opened my mouth to shout, but knew not what to say; and our sword points fell on the floor together:  then, when we had panted awhile, I wiped from my face the blood that had been dashed over it, shook my sword and cut at him, then we spun round and round in a mad waltz to the measured music of our meeting swords, and sometimes either wounded the other somewhat but not much, till I beat down his sword on to his head, that he fell grovelling, but not cut through.  Verily, thereupon my lips opened mightily with “Mary rings.”

Then, when he had gotten to his feet, I went at him again, he staggering back, guarding wildly; I cut at his head; he put his sword up confusedly, so I fitted both hands to my hilt, and smote him mightily under the arm:  then his shriek mingled with my shout, made a strange sound together; he rolled over and over, dead, as I thought.