THE SWORD-BREAKER. 73 



armature of this little worm, which grubs about in the mud at 

 low-water mark." 



Somewhere between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries a 

 sort of anomalous weapon was in use, namely, a dagger, with a 



PAKT OF WASP-STING. MAIN GAUCHE. 



number of very deep and bold barbs. It was not, however, 

 employed for offence, but for defence, and was used in the 

 "rapier and dagger" mode of fighting, when the dagger, 

 which was held in the left hand, was employed to parry the 

 thrusts of the rapier, which was held in the right. From the 

 mode of holding it, the weapon was called " Main Gauche." 



Sometimes the blade was quite plain, and, indeed, an ordinary 

 dagger answered the purpose. But in most cases the Main 

 Gauche was made for this special purpose, and was furnished 

 either with strong diverging projections, or with a series of deep 

 notches, so that the sword of the enemy might be caught in 

 them and broken. In consequence of this use these notched 

 or guarded weapons were also called by the name of Brise-epee, 

 or Sword-breaker. 



The resemblance between this weapon and the blade of a 

 wasp's sting can be seen at a glance. There is another form of 

 the Brise-epee which is so strangely like the cutting apparatus 

 of one of the saw-flies, that an outline sketch of the one would 

 answer very well for the other. 



