The sharp report and violent shock startled
the sleeping travellers in the chariot, and the younger women shrieked
wildly in their terror, whilst the duenna, who had met with such
adventures before, slipped the few gold pieces she had in her purse into
her shoe. Beside the chariot, from which the actors were struggling to
extricate themselves, stood Agostino--his cloak wrapped around his left
arm and the formidable navaja in his right hand-and cried in a voice of
thunder, "Your money or your lives! Resistance is useless! At the first
sign of it my band will fire upon you."
Whilst the bandit was shouting out these terrible words, de Sigognac
had quietly drawn his sword, and as he finished attacked him furiously.
Agostino skilfully parried his thrusts, with the cloak on his left arm,
which so disposed made an excellent shield, and watched his opportunity
to give a murderous stab with his navaja, which indeed he almost
succeeded in doing; a quick spring to one side alone saved the baron
from a wound which must have been fatal, as the brigand threw the knife
at him with tremendous force, and it flew through the air and fell
ringing upon the ground at a marvellous distance, instead of piercing
de Sigognac's heart. His antagonist turned pale, for he was quite
defenceless, having depended entirely upon his trusty navaja, which had
never failed him before, and he very well knew that his vaunted band
could not come to his rescue.
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