This done he turned the tray round so that the creature's back was now towards him, and, advancing to the line of prisoners, began to walk up and down in front of them, which he did several times, at each turn drawing a little nearer.
Holding out the tray, he presented it at the face of the prisoner on the left, whereon the cat rose, arched its back and began to lift its paws up and down.

Presently he moved to the next prisoner and held it before him awhile, and so on till he came to the fifth, that young woman of whom I have spoken.

Now the cat grew very angry, for in the death-like stillness we could hear it spitting and growling.

At length it seemed to lift its paws and strike the girl upon the face, whereon she screamed aloud, a terrible scream.

Then all the audience broke out into a shout, a single word, which we understood, for we had heard one very like it used by the people of the Plain.