the border of the wood, when close by, clear as a silver bell,
sounded the voice once more, but only for a moment--two or three
syllables in response to my movement, then it was silent again.

Once more I was standing still, as if in obedience to a command,
in the same state of suspense; and whether the change was real or
only imagined I know not, but the silence every minute grew more
profound and the gloom deeper. Imaginary terrors began to assail
me. Ancient fables of men allured by beautiful forms and
melodious voices to destruction all at once acquired a fearful
significance. I recalled some of the Indian beliefs, especially
that of the mis-shapen, man-devouring monster who is said to
beguile his victims into the dark forest by mimicking the human
voice--the voice sometimes of a woman in distress--or by singing
some strange and beautiful melody. I grew almost afraid to look
round lest I should catch sight of him stealing towards me on his
huge feet with toes pointing backwards, his mouth snarling
horribly to display his great green fangs. It was distressing to
have such fancies in this wild, solitary spot--hateful to feel
their power over me when I knew that they were nothing but
fancies and creations of the savage mind. But if these
supernatural beings had no existence, there were other monsters,
only too real, in these woods which it would be dreadful to
encounter alone and unarmed, since against such adversaries a
revolver would be as ineffectual as a popgun. Some huge camoodi,
able to crush my bones like brittle twigs in its constricting
coils, might lurk in these shadows, and approach me stealthily,
unseen in its dark colour on the dark ground. Or some jaguar or
black tiger might steal towards me, masked by a bush or
tree-trunk, to spring upon me unawares. Or, worse still, this