Rassendyll the
mean esteem in which he held him, and the weariness his presence
was, he raised his arms and stretched them above his head, as a
man does in the fatigue of tedium. "Heigho!" he yawned.
But he had overshot the mark this time. With a sudden swift bound
Rudolf was upon him; his hands gripped Rupert's wrists, and with
his greater strength he bent back the count's pliant body till
trunk and head lay flat on the table. Neither man spoke; their
eyes met; each heard the other's breathing and felt the vapor of
it on his face. The girl outside had seen the movement of
Rudolf's figure, but her cranny did not serve her to show her the
two where they were now; she knelt on her knees in ignorant
suspense. Slowly and with a patient force Rudolf began to work
his enemy's arms towards one another. Rupert had read his design
in his eyes and resisted with tense muscles. It seemed as though
his arms must crack; but at last they moved. Inch by inch they
were driven closer; now the elbows almost touched; now the wrists
joined in reluctant contact. The sweat broke out on the count's
brow, and stood in large drops on Rudolf's. Now the wrists were
side by side, and slowly the long sinewy fingers of Rudolf's
right hand, that held one wrist already in their vise, began to
creep round the other.
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