excess of chivalrous feeling, the
chevalier regretted even that he has not had a serious enemy to combat
and not to have had to struggle alone against pitfalls, thorns and the
trunks of trees. At this moment a strange cry drew the adventurer's
attention; he listened, and said, "What is that? One would think that
the cats were holding their Sabbath. I know, now, because of these cats,
that the house cannot be far distant." But Croustillac deceived himself.
These were not domestic cats but wildcats, and never were tigers
fiercer; they continued to make an infernal uproar. In order to quiet
them, the chevalier took his staff and struck on the tree. The wildcats,
instead of flying, approached him with furious and redoubled cries. For
a long time these woods had been infested by these animals, who were not
inferior to jaguars in size, strength and ferocity; they attacked and
devoured young kids, goats, and even young mules.

In order to explain the hostile assault of these carnivorous beasts
which surrounded the chevalier, who had been discovered by their
powerful sense of scent, we must return to the cavern in which Colonel
Rutler was immured. We know that the corpse of the sailor John, dead
from the sting of the serpent, completely obstructed the subterranean
passage by which Rutler could alone leave the cavern. The wildcats had
descended the precipice, scented the corpse of John, approached it first
timidly, then, emboldened, had devoured it. The colonel heard and knew
not what to think of these ferocious cries. At daybreak, thanks to the
gluttony of these animals, the obstacle which prevented Rutler from
leaving the cavern had entirely disappeared. There remained in the
subterranean passage only the bones of the sailor, and these the colonel
could easily remove.

After this horrible feast, the wildcats, fed but not appeased by this
new repast to them, felt a taste for human flesh; they abandoned the
foot of the precipice, regained the wood, scented the chevalier, and
their carnivorous ferocity was increased.

For some time fear withheld them, but, encouraged by the immobility of
Croustillac, one of the boldest and most famished slowly climbed the
tree, and the Gascon saw, all at once, near him two large, brilliant,
green eyes, which shone out of the midst of the obscurity. At the same
instant he felt a vigorous bite at the calf of his leg. He drew back his
leg abruptly, but the wildcat held on and fastened its claws i