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now wild with curiosity to see him actually fight with a real lion.

1. Exploits, Mohammedans, prodigies, pantomime, encoun tered, arena, interpreter, cymbals, announce, resolute, captivate, applause, magnificent, terrace, intervened, fascinating, precision, elicit, enthusiastic.

2. Are the people in Tunis negroes? What is the climate there? Where is Sicily? What is its government? Who was Herakles (or Hercules)? Where was Damascus ? Is the "Bey" the highest ruler of Tunis? How much is a ducat?

IX. THE LION-KILLER.

PART II.

1. On the following morning, in the early dawn, the terrace around the lion's pit was crowded with people. For three days the royal brute had been deprived of food in order that he might be the more ferocious and terrible. His eyes shone like two balls of fire, and he incessantly lashed his flanks with his tail. At one moment he would madly roar, and the next would rub himself against the wall, vainly trying to find a chink between the stones in which to insert his claws.

2. Precisely at the appointed hour the Bey and his court took the places that had been reserved for them. The Sicilian came a few steps behind, dressed in his costume of velvet and silver, and

holding his club in his hand. With his accustomed easy and regular step, and a naturally elegant and dignified bearing, he advanced in front of the royal party and made a low obeisance to the Bey. The prince made some remark, to which he responded with a fresh salute; then he withdrew and descended the steps which led to the lion's pit.

3. 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 Herakles, but to a poor dog that was thrown toward the ferocious beast, with the intention of still more exciting its ravenous appetite.

4. This unexpected act of cruelty called forth 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, growled deeply, and crouched on the ground with his paws extended, his neck stretched out, and his eyes fixed upon the victim.

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5. 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 intently his every motion.

6. With apparent unconcern the lion creepingly advanced toward the dog, and then, with a sudden

a second spring has climbed half-way up the tree, still holding his massive club in his hand. One understands by his movements that the lion has followed him, and, crouched and angry, stops at the foot of the tree.

9. The Sicilian, leaning over, notes the slightest change of posture; then, like a flash of lightning, he leaps to the ground behind the trunk of the tree. The terrible club makes a whistling sound as it swings through the air, and the lion falls to the ground.

10. The scene was so well played that the wildest applause came from all parts of the audience. Then the interpreter came in, and, throwing at the feet of the Herakles a magnificent lion's skin, cried, "Behold the skin of the lion that the Christian killed in the country of Damascus !"

11. The fame of the Sicilian at length reached the ears of the Bey of Tunis. The royal dignity of the reigning prince would not allow him to be present at exhibitions given to the common people, but finally, having heard so much of the handsome and strong Sicilian, he became curious to see him, and said

12. "If this Christian has killed one lion with a club, he can kill another. Tell him that if he will knock down my grand lion with it, I will give him a thousand ducats"-a large sum in those days, the

ducat being about equal in value to the American dollar.

13. At this time the Bey had several young lions that ran freely about in the courtyard, or garden of his palace; and in a great pit entirely surrounded by a high terrace a superb Atlas lion was kept in royal captivity. It was this lion that the Bey wished the Sicilian to meet in combat. The proposition was accepted without hesitation and without boasting.

14. The contest was to take place a week from that time, and the announcement of a duel between the Sicilian and the grand lion spread even to the borders of the desert. Every one, old and young, desired to be present, and the people were to be freely admitted to the garden of the Bey, where they could witness the combat from the top of the terrace, the Bey himself looking on from the window of his palace.

15. During the week that intervened, the Sicilian performed every day in the show instead of two days a week as had been his custom. Never had he been more calm, graceful, and fascinating in his performances. The evening before the eventful day, he repeated his pantomime of victory over the lion near Damascus with so much precision as to elicit round after round of enthusiastic cheers. Every one who had seen him pretend to kill a lion was

now wild with curiosity to see him actually fight with a real lion.

1. Exploits, Mohammedans, prodigies, pantomime, encoun tered, arena, interpreter, cymbals, announce, resolute, captivate, applause, magnificent, terrace, intervened, fascinating, precision, elicit, enthusiastic.

2. Are the people in Tunis negroes? What is the climate there? Where is Sicily? What is its government? Who

was Herakles (or Hercules)? Where was Damascus? Is the 'Bey" the highest ruler of Tunis? How much is a ducat?

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IX. THE LION-KILLER.

PART II.

1. On the following morning, in the early dawn, the terrace around the lion's pit was crowded with people. For three days the royal brute had been deprived of food in order that he might be the more ferocious and terrible. His eyes shone like two balls of fire, and he incessantly lashed his flanks with his tail. At one moment he would madly roar, and the next would rub himself against the wall, vainly trying to find a chink between the stones in which to insert his claws.

2. Precisely at the appointed hour the Bey and his court took the places that had been reserved for them. The Sicilian came a few steps behind, dressed in his costume of velvet and silver, and

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