n a solitary, bodiless head bounced on the path between us. The
leopardess came rushing under the elephants from behind, and would have
seized it, but, with frightful contortions of visage and a loathsome
howl, it gave itself a rapid rotatory twist, sprang from her, and buried
itself in the ground. The death in my arms assoiling me from fear, I
regarded them all unmoved, although never, sure, was elsewhere beheld
such a crew accursed!

Mara still went in front of me, and the leopardess now walked close
behind her, shivering often, for it was very cold, when suddenly the
ground before me to my left began to heave, and a low wave of earth came
slinking toward us. It rose higher as it drew hear; out of it slouched
a dreadful head with fleshy tubes for hair, and opening a great oval
mouth, snapped at me. The leopardess sprang, but fell baffled beyond it.

Almost under our feet, shot up the head of an enormous snake, with a
lamping wallowing glare in its eyes. Again the leopardess rushed to the
attack, but found nothing. At a third monster she darted with like fury,
and like failure--then sullenly ceased to heed the phantom-horde. But I
understood the peril and hastened the crossing--the rather that the moon
was carrying herself strangely. Even as she rose she seemed ready to
drop and give up the attempt as hopeless; and since, I saw her sink back
once fully her own breadth. The arc she made was very low, and now she
had begun to descend rapidly.

We were almost over, when, between us and the border of the basin, arose
a long neck, on the top of which, like the blossom of some Stygian lily,
sat what seemed the head of a corpse, its mouth half open, and full of
canine teeth. I went on; it retreated, then drew aside. The lady stepped
on the firm land, but the leopardess between us, roused once more,
turned, and flew at the throat of the terror. I remained where I was to
see the elephants, with the princess and the children, safe on the bank.
Then I turned to look after the leopardess. That moment the moon
went down, For an instant I saw the leopardess and the snake-monster
convolved in a cloud of dust; then darkness hid them. Trembling with
fright, my horse wheeled, and in three bounds overtook the elephants.

As we came up with them, a shapeless jelly dropped on the princess. A
white dove dropped immediately on the jelly, stabbing it with its beak.
It made a squelching, sucking sound, and fell off. Then I heard the
voice o