"Oh-h, my God!"--Mother moaned, as Jack stood at the door, staring
strangely at her. "Kill it!--why don't he kill it?"

Jack did n't move, but talked to himself. Mother shuddered.

The reptile crawled to the bedroom door. Then for the first time the
man's eyes rested upon it. It glided into the bedroom, and Mother and Sal
ran off for Dad.

Jack fixed his eyes on the snake and continued muttering to himself.
Several times it made an attempt to mount the dressing-table. Finally it
succeeded. Suddenly Jack's demeanour changed. He threw off his ragged
hat and talked wildly. A fearful expression filled his ugly features.
His voice altered.

"You're the Devil!" he said; "THE DEVIL! THE DEVIL! The missus brought
you--ah-h-h!"

The snake's head passed behind the looking-glass. Jack drew nearer,
clenching his fists and gesticulating. As he did he came full before the
looking-glass and saw, perhaps for the first time in his life, his own
image. An unearthly howl came from him. "ME FATHER!" he shouted, and
bolted from the house.

Dad came in with the long-handled shovel, swung it about the room, and
smashed pieces off the cradle, and tore the bed-curtains down, and made a
great noise altogether. Finally, he killed the snake and put it on the
fire; and Joe and the cat watched it wriggle on the hot coals.

Meanwhile, Jack, bare-headed, rushed across the yard. He ran over little