s if frightened at his own temerity; but
his respiration continued loud and deep. Morok turned his face towards
him, and examined him very attentively during some seconds. The panther,
no longer subject to the influence of her master's look, slunk back to
crouch in the shade.

A sharp cracking, in sudden breaks, like that which great animals make
in gnawing hard substances, was now heard from the cage of the lion.
It drew the attention of the Prophet, who, leaving the tiger, advanced
towards the other den.

Nothing could be seen of the lion but his monstrous croup of a reddish
yellow. His thighs were gathered under him, and his thick mane served
entirely to conceal his head. But by the tension and movement of the
muscles of his loins, and the curving of his backbone, it was easy to
perceive that he was making violent efforts with his throat and his
forepaws. The Prophet approached the cage with same uneasiness, fearing
that, notwithstanding his orders, Goliath had given the lion some bones
to gnaw. To assure himself of it, he said in a quick and firm voice:
"Cain!"

The lion did not change his position.

"Cain! come here!" repeated Morok in a louder tone. The appeal was
useless; the lion did not move, and the noise continued.

"Cain! come here!" said the Prophet a third time; but, as he pronounced
these words, he applied the end of the glowing bar to the haunch of the
lion.

Scarcely did the light track of smoke appear on the reddish hide of
Cain, when, with a spring of incredible agility, he turned and
threw himself against the grating, not crouching, but at a single
bound--upright, superb, terrifying. The Prophet being at the angle of
the cage, Cain, in his fury, had raised himself sideways to face his
master, and, leaning his huge flank against the bars, thrust between
them his enormous fore leg, which, with his swollen muscles, was as
large as Goliath's thigh.

"Cain! down!" said the Prophet, approaching briskly.

The lion did not obey immediately. His lips, curling with rage,
displayed fangs as long, as large, and as pointed as the tusks of a wild
boar. But Morok touched those lips with the end of the burning metal;
and, as he felt the smart, followed by an unexpected summons of his
master, the lion, not daring to roar, uttered a hollow growl, and his
great body sank down at once in an attitude of submission and fear.

The Prophet took down the lantern to see what Cain had been gnawing. It
was one of th