HOW ROSTAIN BEARDED THE LION. 349 



of the sound, forded the river, and climbed on the opposite 

 bank, to try and catch sight of the animal. I had scarcely 

 reached the further shore, when Rostain came after me, 

 wading through the water in the same manner that I had 

 done. 



I have very little confidence in those men who declare they 

 are never afraid, and pretend they can do more than any one 

 else, yet when I saw the spahi so resolutely dash through the 

 water, that might well have stopped a horseman, and quiet In- 

 take his place at my side, I formed a better opinion of the 

 man, in spite of my prejudices. So I greeted him with a 

 hearty good will, telling him that in a few minutes he would 

 have the chance he so much desired, and might beard the lion 

 if he chose. 



My promise was kept, for a moment after I caught sight 

 of his majesty, standing in dignified silence on the open road, 

 watching our motions. The moon was at its full, and showed 

 the animal in all his proportions, as I pointed him out to the 

 spahi. 



" That a lion !" he said, " why that's a bull broken loose 

 from the herds." 



At this moment, the lion, as if to dispel any doubt in our 

 minds, in regard to his identity, raised his voice, and roared 

 in a manner that made my companion at once renounce all 

 his projects of pulling his beard, and he prayed me to return 

 at once to the camp, since the lion had the goodness not 

 to attack us. 



I know many a man in Rostain's place that would have con- 

 cealed his terror, and relying upon my assistance, have 

 endeavored to have led the attack, impelled by personal vanity 

 and the fear of what their comrades would say, which is the 

 great main-spring of cowardly minds. My comrade was a 

 bold man, and had only made the common mistake of judging 

 the lion in his native wilds, by his brother in confinement, 



