The stranger’s retort to this was a sword-thrust at Everell’s groin. Though the men were in too great darkness to distinguish faces, a certain sense he had acquired by much training enabled Everell to parry this attack. When he returned the thrust, his adversary showed an equal instinct for judging the movements of a barely visible weapon. Several passes were exchanged, to the great affright of Georgiana, who could only make out the moving forms in the gloom and hear the clashing of the steel. She had the presence of mind to close the house door, lest the sound might bring other spectators. As for the postilion and the boy, they stood astonished at a safe distance, not daring to raise an alarm for fear of incurring the vengeance of the combatants. The fight was hot and equally maintained. Unexpectedly Everell struck his left hand against the chaise door. For greater safety of movement, he stepped back a few paces, and so came, without thought, into the lamplight. The other gentleman, in the act of following, uttered a cry of surprise, and held his sword motionless. The voice was quite different from that he had previously used. “Eh!—who are you?” exclaimed Everell, lowering his own weapon. The stranger advanced into the light, pulling down his muffler. “Roughwood!” cried Everell, springing forward to embrace the man he had just been trying to wound. “H’sh!” warned the other, cautious as ever. “Good heaven!—if we had killed each other!” “We should have been served right for not knowing each other. But till this moment I didn’t rightly see you. Your husky voice deceived me: I should never have thought it your voice.” “’Tis the best voice I can muster at present. But _you_ seem to have two voices.” “The other was put on—like the muffler, handkerchief, and toothache. I was recognized on my way South after leaving you; and now, coming back through the same country—” “But why coming back? I supposed you safe in France.” “I saw her whom I wished to see; but I could not persuade myself to sail without you, or knowledge of you. As days passed and you arrived not—In short, I feared your rash resolve had got you into trouble—” “And you were coming to my aid! Dear Roughwood!” “But we lose time. You spoke of a lady.”