Page:Artabanzanus (Ferrar, 1896).djvu/249

Rh than four feet or so from this spot. Above all things, do not go near that wire. You may lie down, and pretend to be asleep, but beware of taking a panic, and running away. I must leave you now; you have the outside of a sheep—have, at the same time, the inside of a lion.'

As he spoke he unfolded the parcel which Florian had brought, and spread over my back a large sheep-skin. I then felt that a most singular transformation had taken place, and with some difficulty suppressed a strong inclination to cry 'ba-ah!' and scamper off as fast as I could to the nearest hills; but I made up my mind to be brave, and await the event.

One question I asked myself, but took care not to ask the Doctor: Where were the magazine blunderbusses? I could not see anything of them. Were they concealed in the dog-kennel?

While pretending to eat the grass, as I had been ordered, my eyes did not cease to peer about with untiring activity. I saw two dark figures enter the quadrangle. They were soon joined by Doctor Julius, and a close conference took place which lasted, I believe, for nearly half an hour. The Doctor and my antagonist's second then moved away, and took up appropriate positions, while he, the dreadful Partigan, also retired to a distance. My heart beat wildly. I saw that fiend go down also on his hands and knees. The outward robe he wore assumed a shining variegated appearance, and he began a slow, stealthy approach. To my horror, it was not Partigan who approached, but a magnificent Royal Bengal tiger! He crouched down on his forepaws, his grand head resting upon them, his staring eyes darting fire. In awful silence he drew nearer and nearer. Nothing was between us but that almost invisible wire, placed there by the Doctor for a purpose on which he had been as silent as the grave. My terrific enemy was