On every side there was a multitudinous sea of upturned faces, extending as far as the eye could reach.

All were in violent agitation, as though all were possessed by one common impulse which forced them toward me.

At such a sight I thought of nothing else than that I was the object of their wrath, and that they were all with one common fury rushing toward me to wreak vengeance upon me and upon Almah for the slaughter of the nightmare hag.
All this was the work of but a few moments.

And now as I stood there holding Almah--appalled, despairing, yet resolute and calm--I became aware of a more imminent danger.

On the top of the pyramid, at the report of the rifle, all had fallen down flat on their faces, and it was over them that I had rushed to Almah's side.