Oh! that shot was good.  It struck the lion in the body and pierced him through.  Out he came, roaring, rolling, and tearing at the ground.  But by now I had another arrow on the string, and although the King lifted his bow, I loosed first.  Again it struck, this time in the throat, and that lion groaned and died.

The King looked at me angrily, and from the court behind rose a murmur of wonder mingled with wrath, wonder at my marksmanship, and wrath because I had dared to shoot before the King.

“The wager looks well for us,” muttered Bes, but I bade him be silent, for more lions were stirring.

Now one leapt across the open space, passing in front of the King and within thirty paces of us.  He shot and missed it, sending his shaft two spans above its back.  Then I shot and drove the arrow through it just where the head joins the neck, cutting the spine, so that it died at once.

Again that murmur went up and the King struck the charioteer on the head with his clenched fist, crying out that he had suffered the horses to move and should be scourged for causing his hand to shake.

This charioteer, although he was a lord—­since in the East men of high rank waited on the King like slaves and even clipped his nails and beard—­craved pardon humbly, admitting his fault.

“It is a lie,” whispered Bes.  “The horses never stirred.  How could they with those grooms holding their heads?  Nevertheless, Master, the pearls are as good as round your neck.”

“Silence,” I answered.  “As we have heard, in the East all men speak the truth; it is only Egyptians who lie.  Also in the East men’s necks are encircled with bowstrings as well as pearls, and ears are long.”

The hounds continued to bay, drawing nearer to us.  A lioness bounded out of the reeds, ran towards the King’s chariot and as though amazed, sat down like a dog, so near that a man might have hit it with a stone.  The King shot short, striking it in the fore-paw only, whereon it shook out the arrow and rushed back into the reeds, while the court behind cried,

“May the King live for ever!  The beast is dead.”

“We shall see if it is dead presently,” said Bes, and I nodded.

Another lion appeared to the right of the King.  Again he shot and missed it, whereon he began to curse and to swear in his own royal oaths, and the charioteer trembled.  Then came the end.

One of the hounds drew quite close and roused the lioness that had been pricked in the foot.  She turned and killed it with a blow of her paw, then, being mad, charged straight at the King’s chariot.  The horses reared, lifting the grooms off their feet.  The King shot wildly and fell backwards out of the chariot, as even Kings of the world must do when they have nothing left to stand on.  The lioness saw that he was down and leapt at him, straight over the chariot.  As she leapt I shot at her in the air and pierced her through the loins, paralysing her, so that although she fell down near the King, she could not come at him to kill him.