on the edge of the clearing, two vast rat-like shadows, but as big as
elephants, and bringing a most intolerable smell of sour slime with them.
There, on the edge of the amphitheatre, each for the first time appeared
to become aware of the other's presence--the footsteps stopped dead.
I could hear the water dripping from the fur of those giant brutes amongst
the shadows and the deep breathing of the one nearest me, a scanty ten
paces off, but not another sound in the stillness.

Minute after minute passed, yet neither moved. A half-hour grew to a
full hour, and that hour lengthened amid the keenest tension till my
ears ached with listening, and my eyes were sore with straining into
the blackness. At last I began to wonder whether those earth-shaking
beasts had not been an evil dream, and was just venturing to stretch out
a cramped leg, and rally myself upon my cowardice, when, without warning,
at my elbow rose the most ear-piercing scream of rage that ever came
from a living throat. There was a sweeping rush in the darkness which I
could feel but not see, and with a shock the two gladiators met in the
midst of the arena. Over and over they went screaming and struggling,
and slipping and plunging. I could hear them tearing at each other,
and the sharp cries of pain, first one and then another gave as claw or
tooth got home, and all the time, though the ground was quaking under
their struggles and the air full of horrible uproar, not a thing was
to be seen. I did not even know what manner of beasts they were who
rocked and rolled and tore at each other's throats, but I heard their
teeth snapping, and their fierce breath in the pauses of the struggle,
and could but wait in a huddle amongst the roots until it was over.
To and fro they went, now at the far side of the dark clearing, now
so close that hot drops of blood from their jaws fell on my face like
rain in the darkness. It seemed as though the fight would never end,
but presently there was more of worrying in it and less of snapping;