But the head of fire turned round in answer to their cries, and spoke to them: "Don't move! Don't move! ...

Whatever you do, don't come after me! ...

I am the rat-catcher! ...

Let me pass, with my rats! ..." And the head of fire disappeared, vanished in the darkness, while the passage in front of it lit up, as the result of the change which the rat-catcher had made in his dark lantern.

Before, so as not to scare the rats in front of him, he had turned his dark lantern on himself, lighting up his own head; now, to hasten their flight, he lit the dark space in front of him.