e
advanced in front of the royal party and made a low obeisance to the
Bey. The prince made some remark to him, to which he responded with a
fresh salute; then he withdrew, and descended the steps which led to
the lion's pit.

The crowd was silent. At the end of some seconds, the barred gate of
the pit was opened, and gave entrance, not to the brave and powerful
Hercules, but to a poor dog that was thrown toward the ferocious beast
with the intention of still more exciting its ravenous appetite. This
unexpected act of cruelty drew hisses from the spectators, but they
were soon absorbed in watching the behavior of the dog. When the lion
saw the prey that had been thrown to him, he stood motionless for a
moment, ceased to beat his flanks with his tail, growled deeply, and
crouched on the ground, with his paws extended, his neck stretched out,
and his eyes fixed upon the victim.

The dog, on being thrown into the pit, ran at once toward a corner of
the wall, as far as possible from the lion, and, trembling, yet not
overcome by fear, fixed his eyes on the huge beast, watching anxiously,
but intently, his every motion.

With apparent unconcern, the lion creepingly advanced toward the dog,
and then, with a sudden movement, he was upon his feet, and in a second
launched himself into the air! But the dog that same instant bounded in
an opposite direction, so that the lion fell in the corner, while the
dog alighted where the lion had been.

For a moment the lion seemed very much surprised at the loss of his
prey; with the dog, the instinct of self-preservation developed a
coolness that even overcame his terror. The body of the poor animal was
all in a shiver, but his head was firm, his eyes were watchful. Without
losing sight of his enemy, he slowly retreated into the corner behind
him.

Then the lion, scanning his victim from the corners of his eyes, walked
sidewise a few steps, and, turning suddenly, tried again to pounce with
one bound upon the dog; but the latter seemed to anticipate this
movement also, and, in the same second, jumped in the opposite
direction, as before, crossing the lion in the air.

At this the lion became furious, and lost the calmness that might have
insured him victory, while the courage of the unfortunate dog won for
him the sympathy of all the spectators.

As the lion, excited and terrible, was preparing a new plan of attack,
a rope ending in a loop was lowered to the dog. The brave little