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 THE SHOCK

and thus save the horse and rider from being borne down. To us it seems as if the rider's leg must be transfixed upon a horn, and we are glad to know that beneath his heavy leathern trousers the picador is armored like a battle-ship, with steel. But are not the horns, then, buried in the horse's flank? Almost invariably they are. The other fighters, who have been standing by, now draw off the bull by means of waving capas, for the weakness of the wounded horse may render critical the picador's position. In this case the horse has been but lightly lacerated; he is still strong enough to stand, and so is kept in the ring to serve again as target for the horns. Meantime two other picadores engage the bull. And he, having once smelled blood, requires little inducement to return again and again to the attack. An almost fatal charge occurs right at our feet,—the horse is pierced by two sharp blood-stained horns and lifted with his rider high into the air. The bull lowers his head, but cannot disengage it; nor can the horse escape, nor can the picador avail aught with his spear; and those about