lifted her head, stretched out her neck, and betrayed her delight by the
tranquillity of her relaxed attitude. It suddenly occurred to the
soldier that, to slay this savage princess with one blow, he must stab
deep in the throat.

He raised the blade, when the panther, satisfied, no doubt, threw
herself gracefully at his feet and glanced up at him with a look in
which, despite her natural ferocity, a glimmer of goodwill was apparent.
The poor Provencal, thus frustrated for the nonce, [Footnote: For the
nonce: for the present.] ate his dates as he leaned against one of the
palm-trees, casting an interrogating glance from time to time across the
desert in quest of some deliverer, and on his terrible companion,
watching the chance of her uncertain clemency.

The panther looked at the place where the date-stones fell; and each
time he threw one, she examined the Frenchman with an eye of commercial
distrust. [Footnote: An eye of commercial distrust. Explain this term.]
However, the examination seemed to be favorable to him, for, when he had
eaten his frugal meal, she licked his boots with her powerful, rough
tongue, cleaning off the dust, which was caked in the wrinkles, in a
marvellous manner.

"Ah! but how when she is really hungry?" thought the Provencal. In spite
of the shudder caused by this thought, his attention was curiously drawn
to the symmetrical proportions of the animal, which was certainly one of
the most splendid specimens of its race. He began to measure them with
his eye. She was three feet in height at the shoulders and four feet in
length, not counting her tail; this powerful weapon was nearly three
feet long, and rounded like a cudgel. The head, large as that of a
lioness, was distinguished by an intelligent, crafty expression. The