Page:Magician 1908.djvu/63

 it stood almost on the tip of its tail, and it swayed slowly to and fro.

Oliver Haddo seemed extraordinarily fascinated. He leaned forward with eager face, and his unnatural eyes were fixed on the charmer with an indescribable expression. Margaret drew back in terror.

“You need not be frightened,” said Arthur. “These people only work with animals whose fangs have been extracted.”

Oliver Haddo looked at him before answering. He seemed to consider each time what sort of man this was to whom he spoke.

“A man is only a snake-charmer because, without recourse to medicine, he is proof against the fangs of the most venomous serpents.”

“Do you think so?” said Arthur.

“I saw the most noted charmer of Madras die two hours after he had been bitten by a cobra,” said Haddo. “I had heard many tales of his prowess, and one evening asked a friend to take me to him. He was out when we arrived, but we waited, and presently, accompanied by some friends, he came. We told him what we wanted. He had been at a marriage-feast and was drunk. But he sent for his snakes, and forthwith showed us marvels which this man has never heard of. At last he took a great cobra from his sack and began to handle it. Suddenly it darted at his chin and bit him. It made two marks like pin-points. The juggler started back.

“‘I am a dead man,’ he said.