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Heribert, who was shaking his head to clear it, and slashed at Walter's head. Walter stooped to avoid the swing, chopping with the bottom of his shield at the man's unprotected knees. |
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Had the blow connected as meant, the man would have been crippled, but Walter's defensive dodging worked against his offensive move. Unopposed, the weight of the attacker's sword swung him around so that Walter's shield only caught the edge of his calf. He grunted with pain, but had taken no great hurt. The motion that had saved him, however, endangered his fellow man-at-arms, since his sword came around directly at his comrade. In backing away, he trod on the third man, who was coming in. |
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The tangle in the doorway gave Walter time for one telling blow. It was not as successful as he hoped, for it struck the first man's sword, rather than his hand or arm. Nonetheless, it was sufficiently powerful that the weapon was knocked from the man's hand and fell clanging to the floor. By that time the second man had recovered his balance, and the third pushed his weaponless companion to the side and came forward. He lashed out, but Walter was able to parry with the backswing of his sword, and he struck again with his shield, desperately trying to keep the men blocked in the doorway so that they would be unable to come at him from the sides. |
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Marie was screaming again, having realized that this attack was no part of her plan to trap and expose Walter in an act of rape. These men meant murder. She wanted no part of that. Having been the one who brought Walter to the house, she could only believe that she was to be blamed for the crime. |
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Meanwhile, Heribert had cleared his head and, seeing his chance as one of his men lunged forward, slid past him into the room. He paused for one moment, seeking an opening to thrust at Walter from the side, but Marie's hysterical shrieks distracted, him. Thus far there were no shouts of alarm from the people outside the house. The clatter of weapons in the room was loud, but, dulled by the walls, it might not draw any notice because the sound of metal clanging against metal was common and could be owing to many causes. Marie's screaming, on the other hand, once heard, could not be misunderstood. Heribert turned away from Walter and struck Marie heavily across the face, knocking her to the ground. |
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"Shut your mouth," he snarled. "I will have him dead, |
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