When Suok stopped by the cage she thought that the parrot sitting closest to the bars, an old bird with a long red beard, opened one eye and looked at her.
His eye was just like a lemon pit.
But that was not all. It quickly closed its eye, as if it were pretending to be asleep.
And Suok even thought it hid a smile in its red beard.
"I'm being silly," she said to herself.
But she felt frightened all the same.
Every now and then something would click, crunch and squeak, in the stillness.
If you ever go into a stable or pass by a chicken coop at night you will be amazed how quiet it is; and yet, you will hear any number of small noises: the rustle of a wing, a grunt, a board squeaking or a tiny peep that has escaped from a sleeping hen's throat.
"Where can Prospero be?" Suok was getting very worried. "What if he was executed today and they put an eagle in his cage?"
And then a hoarse voice whispered:
"Suok!"
There was a sound of heavy, rapid breathing and other noises which seemed like the moaning of a large, sick dog.
"Oh!" she gasped.
She turned the light where the voice had called to her.
There were two red dots gleaming in the darkness.
A large, black creature was standing up in the cage like a bear, holding on to the bars, its head pressed against them.
"Prospero!" she said softly.
Many thoughts flashed through her mind:
"Why is he so ugly?
He's covered with hair like a bear.
And there are red sparks in his eyes.
He has long curved claws.
It's a gorilla, not a man."
Suok was ready to cry.
"You've come at last, Suok," the terrible creature said. "I knew I would see you again."
"I've come to set you free," Suok said in a shaky voice.
"I'll never leave this cage.
I'm dying."
And the terrible whining noises came again.
The creature collapsed. Then it raised itself again and pressed against the bars.
"Come closer, Suok."
Suok came closer.
A terrible face was staring at her.
No, this was not a human face.
It looked more like the muzzle of a wolf.
But the most frightening thing was that the wolf had human ears, though they were covered with short, stiff bristles.
Suok wanted to close her eyes.
The lantern bobbed up and down in her trembling hand.
Yellow patches of light darted through the air.
"You're afraid of me, Suok.
I don't look like a human being any more.
Don't be afraid!
Come closer.
You've grown so. And you're thinner.
Your face is very sad."
He spoke with great difficulty.
He was slipping lower and lower and finally lay down on the wooden floor of his cage.
His breath came in quick gasps, his mouth was open, revealing two rows of long yellow teeth.
"I'm dying.
But I knew I'd see you again before I died."