Page:Edgar Huntly, or The Sleep Walker.djvu/161

 occasions, immediately explained the nature of what I beheld. These were the eyes of a panther.

Thus had I struggled to obtain a post where a savage was lurking, and waited only till my efforts should place me within reach of his fangs. The first impulse was to arm myself against this enemy: the desperateness of my condition was for a moment forgotten; the weapon which was so lately lifted against my own bosom, was now raised to defend my life against the assault of another.

There was no time for deliberation and delay: in a moment he might spring from his station and tear me to pieces; my utmost speed might not enable me to reach him where he sat, but merely to encounter his assault. I did not reflect how far my strength was adequate to save me,- all the force that remained was mustered up and exerted in a throw.

No one knows the powers that are latent in his constitution: called forth by eminent dangers, our efforts frequently exceed our most sanguine belief. Though tottering on the verge of dissolution, and apparently unable to crawl from this spot, a force was exerted in this throw probably greater than I had ever before exerted: it was resistless and unerring. I aimed at the middle space between these glowing orbs: it penetrated the skull, and the animal fell, struggling and shrieking on the ground.

My ears quickly informed me when his pangs were at an end: his cries and his convulsions lasted for a moment, and then ceased. The effect of his voice in these subterranean abodes was unspeakably rueful.

The abruptness of this incident, and the preternatural exertion of my strength, left me in a state of languor and sinking, from which slowly and with difficulty I recovered. The first suggestion that occurred was to feed upon the carcass of this animal; my hunger had arrived at that pitch where all fastidiousness and scruples are at an end. I crept to the spotI will not shock you by relating the extremes to which dire necessity had driven me. I review this scene with loathing and horror; now that it is past, I look back upon it as on some hideous dream—the whole appears to be some freak of insanity: no alternative was