Whatasightitwas——nowtheone,nowtheotheruppermost,bothtoointentforanynoisebeyondalowgrowl,awhimperedcry,orasnarlofhate——followedbyaquickerscramblingofclaws,aseach,worryingandpushinganddragging,struggledforfootholdonthepavement！
Thespottedleopardesswaslargerthanthewhite,andIwasanxiousformyfriend;butIsoonsawthat,thoughneitherstrongernormoreactive,thewhiteleopardesshadthegreaterendurance。Notoncedidsheloseherholdontheneckoftheother。Fromthespottedthroatatlengthissuedahowlofagony,changing,byswift—crowdedgradations,intothelong—drawnCRESCENDOofawoman\'suttermostwail。Thewhiteonerelaxedherjaws;thespottedonedrewherselfaway,androseonherhindlegs。Erectinthemoonlightstoodtheprincess,aconfusedrushofshadowscareeringoverherwhiteness——thespotsoftheleopardcrowding,hurrying,fleeingtotherefugeofhereyes,wheremergingtheyvanished。
Thelastfew,outspedandbelated,mingledwiththecloudofherstreamyhair,leavingherradiantasthemoonwhenalegionoflittlevapourshasflown,wind—hunted,offhersilverydisc——savethat,adownthewhitecolumnofherthroat,athreadofbloodstilltrickledfromeverywoundofheradversary\'sterribleteeth。Sheturnedaway,tookafewstepswiththegaitofaHecate,fell,coveredafreshwithherspots,andfledatalong,stretchinggallop。
Thewhiteleopardessturnedalso,spranguponme,pulledmyarmsasunder,caughtthebabyasitfell,andflewwithitalongthestreettowardthegateCHAPTERXXVII
THESILENTFOUNTAIN