When I got near them, however, she turned and flew at me with such a hideous snarl, that instinctively I drew back: instantly she resumed her place behind the Shadow.

Again I drew near; again she flew at me, her eyes flaming like live emeralds.
Once more I made the experiment: she snapped at me like a dog, and bit me.

My heart gave way, and I uttered a cry; whereupon the creature looked round with a glance that plainly meant--"Why WOULD you make me do it ?" I turned away angry with myself: I had been losing my time ever since I entered the place! night as it was I would go straight to the palace! From the square I had seen it--high above the heart of the city, compassed with many defences, more a fortress than a palace! But I found its fortifications, like those of the city, much neglected, and partly ruinous.

For centuries, clearly, they had been of no account! It had great and strong gates, with something like a drawbridge to them over a rocky chasm; but they stood open, and it was hard to believe that water had ever occupied the hollow before them.

All was so still that sleep seemed to interpenetrate the structure, causing the very moonlight to look discordantly awake.