brush, digging desperately to get under the wall and make her escape.

He ran up to the hole, and put his arm in after her and called to her to
come out, but she would not. So at first he began pulling her out by the
shoulder, then his hold slipping, by the hind legs. As soon as he had
drawn her forth she whipped round and snapped at his hand and bit it
through near the joint of the thumb, but let it go instantly. They
stayed there for a minute facing each other, he on his knees and she
facing him the picture of unrepentant wickedness and fury. Being thus on
his knees, Mr. Tebrick was down on her level very nearly, and her muzzle
was thrust almost into his face. Her ears lay flat on her head, her gums
were bared in a silent snarl, and all her beautiful teeth threatening
him that she would bite him again. Her back too was half-arched, all her
hair bristling and her brush held drooping. But it was her eyes that
held his, with their slit pupils looking at him with savage desperation
and rage.

The blood ran very freely from his hand but he never noticed that or the
pain of it either, for all his thoughts were for his wife.

"What is this, Silvia?" he said very quietly, "what is this? Why are you
so savage now? If I stand between you and your freedom it is because I
love you. Is it such torment to be with me?" But Silvia never stirred a
muscle.

"You would not do this if you were not in anguish, poor beast, you want
your freedom. I cannot keep you, I cannot hold you to vows made when you
were a woman. Why, you have forgotten who I am."

The tears then began running down his cheeks, he sobbed, and said to