His knife was still standing, blade stuck in the log.

Manuel pulled the blade out by the red hilt and the scabbard fell limp.

Manuel profiled toward the bull, sighting along the dipping blade of the sword.

Corto y derecho, he drew the sword out of the muleta, profiled on the splintered left horn, dropped the muleta across his body, so his right hand with the sword on the level with his eye made the sign of the cross, and, rising on his toes, sighted along the dipping blade of the sword at the spot high up between the bull’s shoulders.