Then the Strangler again began to creep on his knees and belly, till he arrived at the cabin of Djalma—­that cabin constructed of mats suspended from bamboos.  After listening attentively, he drew from his girdle a knife, the sharp-pointed blade of which was wrapped in a fig-leaf, and made in the matting an incision of three feet in length.  This was done with such quickness, and with so fine a blade, that the light touch of the diamond cutting glass would have made more noise.  Seeing, by means of this opening, which was to serve him for a passage, that Djalma was still fast asleep, the Thug, with incredible temerity, glided into the cabin.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE TATTOOING

The heavens, which had been till now of transparent blue, became gradually of a greenish tint, and the sun was veiled in red, lurid vapor.  This strange light gave to every object a weird appearance, of which one might form an idea, by looking at a landscape through a piece of copper colored glass.  In those climates, this phenomenon, when united with an increase of burning heat, always announces the approach of a storm.

From time to time there was a passing odor of sulphur; then the leaves, slightly shaken by electric currents, would tremble upon their stalks; till again all would return to the former motionless silence.  The weight of the burning atmosphere, saturated with sharp perfumes, became almost intolerable.  Large drops of sweat stood in pearls on the forehead of Djalma, still plunged in enervating sleep—­for it no longer resembled rest, but a painful stupor.

The Strangler glided like a reptile along the sides of the ajoupa, and, crawling on his belly, arrived at the sleeping-mat of Djalma, beside which he squatted himself, so as to occupy as little space as possible.  Then began a fearful scene, by reason of the mystery and silence which surrounded it.

Djalma’s life was at the mercy of the Strangler.  The latter, resting upon his hands and knees, with his neck stretched forward, his eye fixed and dilated, continued motionless as a wild beast about to spring.  Only a slight nervous trembling of the jaws agitated that mask of bronze.

But soon his hideous features revealed a violent struggle that was passing within him—­a struggle between the thirst, the craving for the enjoyment of murder, which the recent assassination of the slave had made still more active, and the orders he had received not to attempt the life of Djalma, though the design, which brought him to the ajoupa, might perhaps be as fatal to the young Indian as death itself.  Twice did the Strangler, with look of flame, resting only on his left hand, seize with his right the rope’s end; and twice his hand fell—­the instinct of murder yielding to a powerful will, of which the Malay acknowledged the irresistible empire.

In him, the homicidal craving must have amounted to madness, for, in these hesitations, he lost much precious time:  at any moment, Djalma, whose vigor, skill, and courage were known and feared, might awake from his sleep, and, though unarmed, he would prove a terrible adversary.  At length the Thug made up his mind; with a suppressed sigh of regret, he set about accomplishing his task.