But the Duchess spake not, nor blenched even when the dagger gleamed to strikeO sweet God of mercy, to strike!

"How nowhow now!" cried Giles; "do ye blench before this churlish carrion?

"How, bowman, dost blench before a badge, then?

Ha! d'ye blench?

Bethink thee of the innocent done to cruel death by thy will, the fair cities given to ravishment and flame and judge if this be just and sufficient cause for war, and bitter war, betwixt us!" Now beholding the face of the speaker, his proud and noble bearing, his bold eyes fierce and bright and the grim line of nose and chin, Duke Ivo blenched and drew back, the smile fled from his lip, and he stared wide of eye and breathless.

Shrink, flinch, wince, blench, quail.

The winter mountain night, Jackson's army, she did not fear; but the staring malicious world in the face of Aunt Perrine did make her woman's heart blench.

Ile obserue his lookes, [Sidenote: 137] Ile tent him to the quicke: If he but blench

[Sidenote: if a doe blench] I know my course.

And if he doe not bleach, and change at that, Bleach is radically the same word as blench:to bleach, to blanch, to blenchto grow white.]

623. tremble, shake; shiver, shiver in one's shoes; shudder, flutter; shake like an aspen leaf, tremble like an aspen leaf, tremble all over; quake, quaver, quiver, quail. grow pale, turn pale; blench, stand aghast; not dare to say one's soul is one's own.

Winchesters and shotguns protruded from the line threateningly, but the mob came on as though it were going to press through, and determined faces blenched with excitement, but not with fear.

But Dr. Cashmore did not blench.

Spinoza does not blench.

And he set his teeth when he saw that Perris did not blench.

We quail before the rising thunderstorm Which thrills and whispers in the stifled air, Yet blench not, when it falls.

I appeal to the gallant soldier before me, from whose opinions I differ, but who bears, I know, a generous heart in an intrepid bosomtell me, for you needs must remember, on that day when the destinies of mankind were trembling in the balance, while death fell in showerstell me if for an instant, when to hesitate for an instant was to be lost, the 'aliens' blenched....

The shot from the opposite bank sometimes fell in the midst of the brave mountaineers, sometimes a grenade exploded, covering them with earth and fragments; but they showed no confusion, they started not, nor blenched; and, after the custom of their country, began to sing, with a melancholy, yet threatening voice, the death-song, replying alternately stanza for stanza.

Even so, and though her face betrayed trouble and some irresolution, she did not blench, but faced her accuser with a slowly rising passion that overcame her shyness.

And women of a provincial town, who had led peaceful, cloistered lives, they did not blench or falter in the presence of ghastliness which only men are supposed to have the stoicism to witness.

I have seen him cry like a child at evidences of their love for him, he whose courage no danger could daunt, and who was never seen to blench before hatred nor change his stern immobility in the face of his foes.

The spectators were unanimous that neither had blenched.

It was Jack, white to the lips in sheer terror for Wilson, Jack who refused to blench at his own dire strait, who sprang up and clapped a hand over the mouth that was sealing the doom of the owner.

"Never you mind," repeats Bobby, reassuringly, seeing me blench a little at these disused amenities, pressing the hand that rests on his arm against his stout side; "it is nothing to you!

" She blenched a little in spite of herself.