"But Raja Begum's taste of blood had acted like the maddening first
sip of wine to a dipsomaniac long-deprived. Punctuated by deafening
roar, the brute's assaults grew in fury. My inadequate defense
of only one hand left me vulnerable before claws and fangs. But I
dealt out dazing retribution. Mutually ensanguined, we struggled
as to the death. The cage was pandemonium, as blood splashed in
all directions, and blasts of pain and lethal lust came from the
bestial throat.

"'Shoot him!' 'Kill the tiger!' Shrieks arose from the audience.
So fast did man and beast move, that a guard's bullet went amiss.
I mustered all my will force, bellowed fiercely, and landed a final
concussive blow. The tiger collapsed and lay quietly.

"Like a pussycat!" I interjected.

The swami laughed in hearty appreciation, then continued the
engrossing tale.

"Raja Begum was vanquished at last. His royal pride was further
humbled: with my lacerated hands, I audaciously forced open his
jaws. For a dramatic moment, I held my head within the yawning
deathtrap. I looked around for a chain. Pulling one from a pile
on the floor, I bound the tiger by his neck to the cage bars. In
triumph I moved toward the door.

"But that fiend incarnate, Raja Begum, had stamina worthy of his
supposed demoniac origin. With an incredible lunge, he snapped
the chain and leaped on my back. My shoulder fast in his jaws, I