"King Hiram," Antinea repeated. "Come here."
The beast relaxed like a spring released. He fawned at his mistress's feet. I saw his red tongue licking her bare little ankles.
"Ask the gentleman's pardon," she said.
The leopard looked at me spitefully. The yellow skin of his muzzle puckered about his black moustache.
"Fftt," he grumbled like a great cat.
"Go," Antinea ordered imperiously.
The beast crawled reluctantly toward me. He laid his head humbly between his paws and waited.
I stroked his beautiful spotted forehead.
"You must not be vexed," said Antinea. "He is always that way with strangers."
"Then he must often be in bad humor," I said simply.