uplifted at the task before him. Yea! he trembled in the ecstasy of
his religion, forgetting that love and passion and life ran just as
riotously in his supple perfect body.

He leapt to his feet, smiting his forehead with clenched hand.

"Give me a sign, O Kali! Show me that thou art pleased!"

And he rent his garments in joy, showing the bronze breast with the
blood-red marks of his terrible religion traced upon it; then thrusting
his fingers in his ears sank to the ground and buried his head between
his knees.

A black kid, the happiest of all good omens, bleating with hunger,
tripped and stumbled from a courtyard; yet even as it found its mother
and buried its little head in the warmth of the soft side, there had
come across the plains a weird, long-drawn-out sound, fraught with
disaster to those who believe in signs.

Long and shrill it sounded and ceased; and once again--to be lost in
peals of indecent, discordant laughter.

Uncontrolled, uncontrollable, loathesome sound which tears India's
nights to shreds.

The jackals had found at dawn.