On  a  sudden,  while  he  lay  in  utter  despair,  he  thought  he
heard  the  clashing  sound  of  an  elephant's  bells,  and  the  peculinr
and  monotonous  cry  of  palankeen-bearers.  Could  it  be  ?  or  was
it  only  a  mockery  of  his  senses,  such  as  had  raised  water  to  his
lips  and  spread  before  him  delicious  and  juicy  fruits  ?  He
listened  in  fearful  suspense ;  he  did  not  hear  it  for  a  time,  and
hope,  which  had  arisen  strong  within  him,  was  dying  away,  when
it  came  again  on  the  soft  night  breeze  that  had  just  arisen,  and
he  could  hear  it  clearly  above  the  yells  and  howls  of  the  beasts
around  him,  who  were  fighting  savagely  over  the  dead.
Alia !  how  he  panted,  as  the  welcome  sound  came  nearer  and
nearer;  and  how  his  spirit  sank  within  him  as  he  thought  it
might  only  be  travellers  by  some  by-road  he  knew  not  of.  Now
his  faculties  were  all  sharply  alive ;  had  he  possessed  the  power
of  motion,  how  gladly  would  he  have  hurried  to  meet  them  ;  he
tried  to  move,  to  raise  himself,  and  fell  back  helpless.  '  Alas  ! '
he  said  aloud,  '  it  is  but  a  delusion  5  they  will  pass  me,  and  the
hght  of  morning  will  never  shine  on  Kasim  Ali  alive.'  His  own
voice  seemed  awful  in  the  solitude,  but  he  could  speak  now,
although  very  faintly,  and  if  they  passed  near  him  he  was
determined  to  exert  his  utmost  energy  in  one  cry,  should  it  even
be  his  last  effort.
A  horse's  neigh  now  rang  shrill  and  clear  in  the  distance,  and
the  clash  of  the  elephant's  bells  became  more  and  more  distinct.
