Nevertheless, Umslopogaas kissed her and went, closing the stone after him in that fashion of which he had spoken.

When the stone was shut the cave was almost dark, except for a ray of light that entered by a hole little larger than a man's hand, that, looked at from within, was on the right of the stone.

Nada sat herself so that this ray struck full on her, for she loved light, and without it she would pine as flowers do.

There she sat and thought in the darksome cave, and was filled with fear and sorrow.

And while she brooded thus, suddenly the ray went out, and she heard a noise as of some beast that smells at prey.