The immobility of the blind man froze him.
He had settled on the place where he would strike his victim.
He had fixed upon it! What, then, hindered him from putting an end
to his blind antagonist?
At last, with a spring he drove his sword full at Michael's breast.
An imperceptible movement of the blind man's knife turned aside the blow.
Michael had not been touched, and coolly he awaited a second attack.
Cold drops stood on Ogareff's brow. He drew back a step, then again
leaped forward. But as had the first, this second attempt failed.
The knife had simply parried the blow from the traitor's useless sword.
Mad with rage and terror before this living statue,
he gazed into the wide-open eyes of the blind man.
Those eyes which seemed to pierce to the bottom of his soul,
and yet which did not, could not, see--exercised a sort
of dreadful fascination over him.
All at once, Ogareff uttered a cry. A sudden light flashed
across his brain. "He sees!" he exclaimed, "he sees!"
And like a wild beast trying to retreat into its den,
step by step, terrified, he drew back to the end of the room.
Then the statue became animated, the blind man walked straight up
to Ivan Ogareff, and placing himself right before him, "Yes, I see!"
said he. "I see the mark of the knout which I gave you,
traitor and coward! I see the place where I am about to strike you!
Defend your life! It is a duel I deign to offer you!
My knife against your sword!"
"He sees!" said Nadia.
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