A key word here in this foreboding passage from the narrative of "The Most Dangerous Game" is the word narrowly. Not only is General Zaroff evaluating Rainsford as potential prey, but he has become so distorted in his thinking that he now sees men only as prey. This "narrow" perspective becomes, of course, Zaroff's nemesis as, in his surety of his own superiority, he affords Rainsford a second chance when he spots Rainsford in the tree and turns back so that he can hunt another day. For, as Rainsford shudders in terror, he resolves to not lose his nerve.
It is this "nerve" of Rainsford that Zaroff has underestimated in his narrow appraisal; it is this nerve of Rainsford that alters him into "an animal at bay" who pants "nerve, nerve, nerve" and returns to defeat his hunter in the end.
There is, then, also some situational irony to this passage that foreshadows later events since Zaroff is "studying" Rainsford, but he does not find all the answers to his potential prey.
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