The unknown is
proverbially the uncanny. I can picture nervous readers of the
SMOKY CHIMNEY keeping the light turned on in their bedrooms all
night out of sheer sickening uncertainty as to WHAT the cobra
might have been gloating about."
"Cobras gloat naturally," said Clovis, "just as wolves are always
ravening from mere force of habit, even after they've hopelessly
overeaten themselves. I've got a fine bit of colour painting
later on," he added, "where I describe the dawn coming up over the
Brahma-putra river:
'The amber dawn-drenched East with sun-shafts kissed,
Stained sanguine apricot and amethyst,
O'er the washed emerald of the mango groves
Hangs in a mist of opalescent mauves,
While painted parrot-flights impinge the haze
With scarlet, chalcedon and chrysoprase.'"
"I've never seen the dawn come up over the Brahma-putra river,"
said Bertie, "so I can't say if it's a good description of the
event, but it sounds more like an account of an extensive jewel
robbery. Anyhow, the parrots give a good useful touch of local
colour. I suppose you've introduced some tigers into the scenery?
An Indian landscape would have rather a bare, unfinished look
without a tiger or two in the middle distance.
Pages:
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215