faint bark was heard in the distance. And
the jackal peeled the flesh from one of the ribs, and again burst into a
shriek of mournful ecstasy.

Hark, their quick tramp! First six, and then three, galloping with
ungodly glee. And a marten-cat came rushing down from the woods; but
the jackals, fierce in their number, drove her away, and there she stood
without the circle, panting, beautiful, and baffled, with her white
teeth and glossy skin, and sparkling eyes of rabid rage.[7]

Suddenly as one of the half-gorged jackals retired from the main corpse,
dragging along a stray member by some still palpitating nerves, the
marten-cat made a spring at her enemy, carried off his prey, and rushed
into the woods.

Her wild scream of triumph woke a lion from his lair. His mighty form,
black as ebony, moved on a distant eminence, his tail flowed like a
serpent. He roared, and the jackals trembled, and immediately ceased
from their banquet, turning their heads in the direction of their
sovereign's voice. He advanced; he stalked towards them. They retired;
he bent his head, examined the carcass with condescending curiosity,
and instantly quitted it with royal disdain. The jackals again collected
around their garbage. The lion advanced to the fountain to drink. He
beheld a man. His mane rose, his tail was wildly agitated, he bent over
the sleeping Prince, he uttered an awful roar, which awoke Alroy.

He awoke; his gaze met the flaming eyes of the enormous beast fixed upon
him with a blended feeling of desire and surprise. He awoke, and from a
swoon; but the dreamless trance had refreshed the exhausted energies of
the desolate wanderer; in an instant he collected his senses, remembered
all that had passed, and comprehended his present situation. He returned
the lion a glance as imperious, and fierce, and scrutinsing, as his own.
For a moment, their flashing orbs vied in regal rivalry; but at length
the spirit of the mere animal yielded to the genius of the man. The
lion, cowed, slunk away, stalked with haughty timidity through the
rocks, and then sprang into the forest.

Morn breaks; a silver light is shed over the blue and starry sky.
Pleasant to feel is the breath of dawn. Night brings repose, but day
brings joy.

The carol of a lonely bird singing in the wilderness! A lonely bird that
sings with glee! Sunny and sweet, and light and clear, its airy notes
float through the sky, and trill with innocent revelry.

The lonely youth