woman smiling.

"Ah, she would speak to a hero!" thumps his heart wildly.

The singers raise their voices in unison. The music is irresistible.
Again lunges the victor into the open arena. Again he leers into the
captive's face. At every interval between the songs he returns to his
resting-place. Here the young woman awaits him. As he approaches she
smiles boldly into his eyes. He is pleased with her face and her smile.

Waving his wing-fan spasmodically in front of his face, he sits with his
ears pricked up. He catches a low whisper. A hand taps him lightly on
the shoulder. The handsome woman speaks to him in his own tongue. "Come
out into the night. I wish to tell you who I am."

He must know what sweet words of praise the handsome woman has for him.
With both hands he spreads the meshes of the loosely woven willows, and
crawls out unnoticed into the dark.

Before him stands the young woman. Beckoning him with a slender hand,
she steps backward, away from the light and the restless throng of
onlookers. He follows with impatient strides. She quickens her pace. He
lengthens his strides. Then suddenly the woman turns from him and darts
away with amazing speed. Clinching his fists and biting his lower lip,
the young man runs after the fleeing woman. In his maddened pursuit he
forgets the dance arena.

Beside a cluster of low bushes the woman halts. The young man, panting
for breath and plunging headlong forward, whispers loud, "Pray tell me,
are you a woman or an evil spirit to lure me away?"