Makes sense to me, John--she would only need to wet the charge(s)--would they also be called primers?

My picture of "took/drew/had drawn" is that she physically took the gun or store of charging powder into the next room to do her thing. She would then have obviously returned it whence it came. In another version I've heard, she takes his pistol(s) away, leaving only his rapier available. Either way, as Don Meixner noted, the effect is the same.