In a minute the _hamal_ entered and flung a pail of water on the burning pool of oil, reducing the mass of blue lambent flames considerably.
"Now _hamal_," said the fainting woman, the more immediate danger confronted, "bring another lamp very quickly and put it on the shelf.
Quick! don't stop to fill or to clean it." Was the pricking, shooting pain the repeated stabbing of the snake's fangs or was it "pins and needles"?
Was this deadly faintness death indeed, or was it only weakness?
In what seemed but a few more years the man reappeared carrying a lighted lamp, the which he placed upon a shelf.
"Listen," said Mrs.de Warrenne, "and have no fear, brave Bhil.

I have _caught_ a snake.

Get a knife quickly and cut off its head while I hold it." The man glancing up, appeared to suppose that his mistress held the snake on the shelf, hurried away, and rushed back with the cook's big kitchen-knife gripped dagger-wise in his right hand.
"Do you see the snake ?" she managed to whisper.

"Under my foot! Quick! It is moving ...

moving ...