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Page 434
fixed the warning in his mind. One did not carry extra lances onto a battlefield. Therefore, men with lances meant that Philip was doing well enough elsewhere to commit reserves to the right wing. Originally, the numbers of English and French had been roughly equal. That would no longer be true.
For a few minutes, Geoffrey was not aware that he had lost Sir Roger. He managed not only to cast aside the spear of one opponent but to carry the upward blow forward in a thrust that pierced the hood of the man and cut the big vessels in the neck under the ear. Bright red spurted far and ran down his sword blade before he could withdraw it. It added nothing to the color of the weapon, which was already so dyed with blood that, in the bright light of midday, it seemed as if Geoffrey was fighting with a long, perfect ruby.
The successful move was not without cost. Although the forward lunge and twist saved Geoffrey from being spitted through the belly by the second Frenchman's spear, it also precluded him from drawing his shield far enough forward to slat off the lance. The weapon caught in his mail, just where it folded in at the meeting of leg and body. Before the point tore open his groin, Geoffrey twisted further in his saddle and slashed so violently at the lance-wielder that he jerked back. To reach his opponent over the length of the lance, Geoffrey had to lean sharply forward. He connected, heard a cry as the well-sharpened point drove into the exposed right shoulder of his opponent.
The Frenchman's hand lost its grip on his lance, but it was a trifle too late to save Geoffrey completely. In his heedless violence, he had driven the point of the weapon into the flesh of his hip. Reigardless of the fact that the weight of the shaft was twisting the lance point upward, tearing his body further, Geoffrey struck again and again, finally wounding his now-weaponless opponent severely enough so that he slid from his horse. Releasing the hand grip of his shield and letting it hang from the arm strap, Geoffrey grabbed the haft of the lance just above the head

 
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