raight towards me, child, as if it would devour
me. I lay quite still, for I was stupefied with horror, whilst the
creature came still nearer; and now it was nearly upon me, when it
suddenly drew back a little, and then--what do you think?--it lifted its
head and chest high in the air, and high over my face as I looked up,
flickering at me with its tongue as if it would fly at my face. Child,
what I felt at that moment I can scarcely say, but it was a sufficient
punishment for all the sins I ever committed; and there we two were, I
looking up at the viper, and the viper looking down upon me, flickering
at me with its tongue. It was only the kindness of God that saved me:
all at once there was a loud noise, the report of a gun, for a fowler was
shooting at a covey of birds, a little way off in the stubble. Whereupon
the viper sunk its head, and immediately made off over the ridge of the
hill, down in the direction of the sea. As it passed by me, however--and
it passed close by me--it hesitated a moment, as if it was doubtful
whether it should not seize me; it did not, however, but made off down
the hill. It has often struck me that he was angry with me, and came
upon me unawares for presuming to meddle with his people, as I have
always been in the habit of doing.'

[Picture: Once I saw him standing in the middle of a dusty road]

'But,' said I, 'how do you know that it was the king of the vipers?'

'How do I know!' said the old man, 'who else should it be? There was as
much difference between it and other reptiles as between King George and
other people.'

'Is King George, then, different from other people?' I demanded.

'Of course,' said the old man; 'I have never seen him myself, but I have
heard people say that he is a ten times greater man than other folks;
indeed, it stands to reason that he must be different from the rest, else
people would not be so eager to see him. Do you think, child, that
people would be fools enough to run a matter of twenty or thirty miles to
see the king, provided King George--'

'Haven't the French a king?' I demanded.

'Yes,' said the old man, 'or something much the same, and a queer one he
is; not quite so big as King George, they say, but quite as terrible a
fellow. What of him?'

'Suppose he should come to Norman Cross!'

'What should he do at Norman Cross, child?'

'Why, you were talking about the vipers in your bag breaking their
hearts, and so on, and their