The sleeping leopard's spotted hide heaved softly yet, with undisturbed breathing, and as Timokles watched across the space, he remembered the ominous words spoken to him on his entrance into this building: "Go in, O Christian! Others have gone before thee!" For a time, overcome by the horror of his situation, Timokles leaned against the partition, the door through which had so mysteriously disappeared.

His eyes, between quick glances at the sleeping leopard, searched with desperate intensity every part of the room, for some means of escape.
"Is there no place ?" he questioned.
Stealthily he crossed the apartment, and felt of the opposite wall.
It was immovable.

Nowhere in it could he discover any opening.
The beautiful beast, the waking of which meant so much to Timokles, stirred a little.

The claws of one foot were drawn up.

Then the foot was relaxed again.