cannot run owing to the extreme flexibility of the vertebral column.

Mignonne arrived with bloody jaws; she received the wonted caresses, the
tribute her slave hastened to pay, and showed by her purring how
transported she was. Her eyes, full of languor, rested more kindly on
the Provencal than on the previous day, and he addressed her as he would
have done a domestic animal.

"Ah! mademoiselle, you're a nice girl, ain't you? Just see now! we like
to be petted, don't we? Are you not ashamed of yourself? So you've been
eating some Arab or other, eh? Well, that doesn't matter. They're
animals, the same as you are; but don't take to crunching up a
Frenchman, bear that in mind, or I shall not love you any longer."

She played like a dog with its master, allowing herself to be rolled
over, knocked about, stroked, and the rest, alternately; at times she
would coax him to play by putting her paw upon his knee and making a
pretty gesture of solicitation.

One day, under a bright midday sun, a great bird hovered in the sky. The
Provencal left his panther to gaze at this new guest; but after pausing
for a moment the deserted sultana uttered a deep growl.

"God take me! I do believe that she is jealous," he cried, seeing the
rigid look appearing again in the metallic eyes. "The soul of Virginie
has passed into her body, that's sure!"

The eagle disappeared in the ether, and the soldier admired her again,
recalled by the panther's evident displeasure, her rounded flanks, and
the perfect grace of her attitude. There was youth and grace in her