Screens of board and canvas hid the auditorium from view, but I was conscious of a vast multitude on the other side, vociferous and in the best of humours. Between the strains of the orchestra and the rattling volleys of applause, I heard the faint stamping and trampling from the stables, and, a sound that struck a chill to my heart--the prolonged roar of exasperation and _ennui_ which could only proceed from a bored lion. Then there was a rap at the door, which made me start, and Niono burst in. "So you've found your way here," he said. "Feeling pretty fit? That's the ticket! The bride ain't arrived yet, so you've lots of time." "You've heard nothing from the Home Office yet, I suppose?" I asked. "Not a word--and, between you and me, I made sure they meant to crab the show. You've the devil's own luck!" "I have, indeed," I said, with feeling. "Still, we mustn't be too sure--they may stop us yet!" "They may try it on--but our men have got their instructions. If they _did_ come now, they wouldn't get near the ring till it was all over, so don't you worry yourself about that." I said everything seemed to have been admirably arranged. "By the way," I added, "where have you put the tiger?" "Do you mean old Rajah?" he said; and I replied that I _did_ mean old Rajah. "Why, _he's_ all right--in the cage along with the others--where did you _suppose_ he'd be--loose?" "I particularly requested," I explained, "that he might be put somewhere else during the wedding. Mademoiselle promised that it should be seen to." "It's nothing to do with Ma'amsell," he said, huffily; "_she_ don't give orders here, Ma'amsell don't." "I mean, she promised to mention the matter to you," I said, more diplomatically. "She never said nothing about it to _me_," he replied; "I expect she forgot." "I can only say it was extremely careless of her," I said. "The fact is, I have my doubts whether that tiger is to be trusted." "Well, you never can trust a tiger same as you can a lion," he replied, candidly, "so I won't deceive you. But old Rajah ain't so particular nasty--as tigers go." "He may not be," I said, "but, in Miss de Castro's interests, I must beg you to shift him into some other cage till this affair is over. I can't allow her to run any unnecessary risk." "I don't say you're wrong," he answered, "I wish I'd known before, I'd have asked the gov'nor." [Illustration: "If them two got together, there'd be the doose's delight."] "Ask him now," I urged, "surely you can put the tiger back in the hospital cage for an hour or two." "The Jaguar's in there," he said; "he was a bit off colour, so we put him there this morning. And if them two got together, there'd be the doose's delight!" "Couldn't you put him somewhere else, then?" I suggested.