They had eaten their food and remained now, sitting in Turkish fashion, the flickering flames that played across their faces giving to them a look sinister and menacing to the last degree.
The Frenchmen, too, fell silent, as if their courtesy was exhausted and conversation had become an effort.

The last of the old French airs was finished, and the player put his violin away.

Jumonville, who had spoken but little, threw a fresh stick on the fire and looked at the black wall of circling forest.
"I can never get quite used to it," he said.

"The wilderness is so immense, so menacing that when I am in it at night a little shiver will come now and then.

I suppose our remote ancestors who lived in caves must have had fear at their elbows all their lives." "Very likely," said de Courcelles, thoughtfully, staring into the coals.
"It isn't strange that many people have worshiped fire as God.