_he_ sees him! How he watches his least motion! How resolute he is! He
will not allow himself to be surprised----"

Suddenly the Sicilian leaps; with a bound he has crossed from one
palm-tree to another, and, with a second spring, has climbed half-way
up the tree, still holding his massive club in one hand. One
understands by his movements that the lion has followed him, and,
crouched and angry, stops at the foot of the tree. The Sicilian,
leaning over, notes the slightest change of posture; then, like a flash
of light, 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.

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 Hercules
a magnificent lion's skin, cried:

"Behold the skin of the lion that the Christian killed in the country
of Damascus."

The fame of the Sicilian reached the ears of the Bey of Tunis. But the
royal dignity of the Bey, the reigning prince of that country, would
not allow him to be present at exhibitions given to the common people.
Finally, however, having heard so much about the handsome and strong
Sicilian, he became curious to see him, and said:

"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