A forked tongue came and went like black lightning through its eager little lips, and a handsomely marked adder began to glide, like molten metal, along the bank to Silencieux.

The brilliant whiteness of the image had fascinated the little creature.

Antony kept very still.

Darting its head from side to side, venomously alert against the smallest sound, the adder reached Silencieux.

Then to Antony's delight it coiled itself round the white throat, still restlessly moving its head wonderingly beneath the chin.
With a grace to which all movement from the beginning of time seemed to have led up, it clasped Silencieux's neck and softly reared its lips to hers.