Sentence:  "My tastes," he said, still smiling, "incline me to the garishly sunlit side of this planet." And, to tease her and arouse her to <WSD>combat</WSD>: "I prefer a farandole to a nocturne; I'd rather have a painting than an etching; Mr. Whistler bores me with his monochromatic mud; I don't like dull colours, dull sounds, dull intellects;nb...." 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A battle, a fight (often one in which weapons are used).