h which Providence has placed him in, and from the protection of
kind friends--that he himself, long an outcast from his fellow-men,
cannot help him, and that by starting alone in life he will have a far
better prospect of success than should it be known whose son he is.
These remarks, though Arthur is thankful to have found his father, have
made him very unhappy. He will talk to you by-and-by, when he has
thought the matter over; and do you know, the recluse--I mean, Mr
Mallet--says that papa is an old friend of his, and that Arthur may tell
him so, as he is sure that though papa may not desire to meet him, he
will not in consequence withdraw his protection from his son."

"That I am sure papa will not," I exclaimed. "Poor Arthur! I do not
know whether to be sorry or glad at what you have told me. Had he
spoken to me I might have been better able to advise him."

Ellen looked into my face. Perhaps she thought that I felt a little
jealous that Arthur had not first consulted me. We agreed not to say
anything about the matter, but to let Arthur speak to our father
himself, being assured that he would do what was kind and generous, and
act as he judged for the best.

Arthur during the day was, I observed, more silent than usual. He was
waiting, I suspected, to become more acquainted with our father before
venturing to speak to him. I was not present when he did so.

The day after our arrival Duppo came to me with a countenance of alarm.
"We get among witches!" he exclaimed, looking round cautiously. I asked
him what he could mean; and he then told me that he had seen the two
young ladies in a wood close to the house, amusing themselves by playing
with venomous snakes, which he was sure they could not do if they were
like other human beings. "Come, you see them," he said, wishing to
prove his assertion correct; and he led me round the house, through the
grove of palms, where, sure enough, seated on a bench, from whence there
was a lovely view of the lake, were the two daughters of our host. I
confess I was almost startled on seeing them with a number of brilliant
looking snakes. One was round each of their necks, while others they
had twisted like bracelets, encircling their arms; and one of the girls
was holding another in her hand, allowing its forked tongue to dart out
towards her face. They were of a bright grass-green colour, with
remarkably thin bodies; and it was curious to see the graceful way in
whi