gems, and from the point of its dangerous arrowy head the
glistening tongue flickered ceaselessly as I stood a few yards
away regarding it.

"I admire you greatly, Sir Serpent," I said, or thought, "but it
is dangerous, say the military authorities, to leave an enemy or
possible enemy in the rear; the person who does such a thing must
be either a bad strategist or a genius, and I am neither."

Retreating a few paces, I found and picked up a stone about as
big as a man's hand and hurled it at the dangerous-looking head
with the intention of crushing it; but the stone hit upon the
rocky ground a little on one side of the mark and, being soft,
flew into a hundred small fragments. This roused the creature's
anger, and in a moment with raised head he was gliding swiftly
towards me. Again I retreated, not so slowly on this occasion;
and finding another stone, I raised and was about to launch it
when a sharp, ringing cry issued from the bushes growing near,
and, quickly following the sound, forth stepped the forest girl;
no longer elusive and shy, vaguely seen in the shadowy wood, but
boldly challenging attention, exposed to the full power of the
meridian sun, which made her appear luminous and rich in colour
beyond example. Seeing her thus, all those emotions of fear and
abhorrence invariably excited in us by the sight of an active
venomous serpent in our path vanished instantly from my mind: I
could now only feel astonishment and admiration at the brilliant
being as she advanced with swift, easy, undulating motion towards
me; or rather towards the serpent, which was now between us,
moving more and more slowly as she came nearer. The cause of
this sudden wonderful boldness, so unlike her former habit, was