soldier. Not seeing them, he began once more to walk slowly up and down, with his head bent forward, and his arms folded on his bosom, meditating on the best means to

of wild beasts. In fact born in the north of Siberia, he had been, from his boyhood, one of the boldest hunters of bears and reindeer; later, in 1810, he had abandoned this profession, to serve as guide to a Russian engineer, who was charged with an exploring expedition to the Polar regions. He afterwards followed him to St. Petersburg, and there, after some vicissitudes of fortune, Morok became one of the imperial couriers-these iron automata

h pursuit for another profession, and at last to enter, as catechumen, a religious house at Friburg; after wh

ee persons whose arrival he so impatiently expected had not yet made

d his head towards the window; and lis

teps-a man's and a horse's. Hastening to the window-shutter of the loft, he opened it cautiously, and saw th

to Morok had been so exact, that it was impossible to mistake them. Sure of his prey, he closed the window. Having remained in meditation for another quarter

eplied a ho

up t

from the slaughter-

s squinting eyes were deep set beneath a low and projecting forehead; his reddish hair and beard, thick and coarse as horse-hair, gave his features a stamp of bestial ferocity; between his broad jaws, armed with teeth whic

the vast bulk of his arms and legs, this giant need not have feared to wrestle single-handed with a bear. He wore an old pair of blue trousers with red s

her mountebanks, this species of monster had began by eating raw meat at the fairs for the amusement of the public. Thence having gradually acquired a taste for this barbarous fo

said Goliath, pointing to the chunk of beef. "Where is the cleaver, that I may

he exhibited a fore-arm hairy as skin of a wolf

ound his eyes in search of that instrument. But instead of replyin

st now some new travell

as coming from th

these tra

n old fellow with a big moustache. But the cleave

they have lodged

m to the far end o

which overloo

er-but the

aring shook the loft, a

they do. I have never seen Judas and Cain as they are to-night; they leap in their cages as if t

the end of the court-yard," resumed Morok, wit

cleaver? Since Karl went away I have to do all

main with the young

master should still appear to neglect the animals' supper,

r, you

aid Goliath, in a surly tone, "and brute agains

remained with the gi

ght of a lantern-he is washing out clothes. A man with a gray moustache!-paddling in soap-suds like a washerwoman-it's as if I were to feed canaries!" added Goliath, shrugg

he Prophet said to Goliath, "You will g

derstand these words, the idea

pleasure, ma

ve any food to the

wide his squinting eyes, folded his

id Morok, with impatienc

per is already three hours after time!" cr

d hold yo

happen this evening. Hunger make

h the b

drive '

h the b

uch the be

s eno

me, I am as hungr

it? Your supper is read

out my beasts, no

ou dare give any food to the

s a bear's, and looked at the Prophet w

, appearing to reflect. Then, addressing himself to Goliath

I went to get my passport signed?-To-day

ered the gi

ay be sure to find the burgoma

at

o communicate; at all events, say that I be

nly the panther, who is most hungry? Come, master; only poor Death?

, that I forbid you to feed.

can make nothing of it. It is a pity that Karl's not here; he, being cunning, would

need to und

Karl soon

lready co

is he

aga

s something in the wind. Karl goes,

ng as a fox, and, when it suits you, as cunning as Karl." And, changing on the

am I cu

rins to earn to-night-and you will be

the giant, smiling with a stupid, self-sat

shall

hard

omaster's-but first light the fire in that

t consoled for the delay of his supp

e stove," added the Prop

, ma

o to the burgomaster's, and

, ma

p the fire up

, ma

ng himself, he resumed: "You say the o

, ma

master-and return here to wait my orders." So sayin