Fabrice suivant le sage précepte de son amie la vivandière qui, la veille au matin, lui disait qu’il fallait piquer et non sabrer, abaisse la pointe de son grand sabre droit et fait mine d’en porter un coup à celui qui veut forcer la consigne.
Fabrizio, following the wise counsel of his friend the vivandière, who, the morning before, had told him that he must thrust and not slash, lowered the point of his long, straight sabre and made as though to stab with it the man who was trying to pass him.