At all events it caused me to reflect on a subject which had not
previously seemed one for reflection. I was in the orchard, following
in the rear of a party of grown-up persons, mostly visitors to the
house; when among the foremost there were sudden screams, gestures of
alarm, and a precipitate retreat: a snake had been discovered lying in
the path and almost trodden upon. One of the men, the first to find a
stick or perhaps the most courageous, rushed to the front and was
about to deal a killing blow when his arm was seized by one of the
ladies and the blow arrested. Then, stooping quickly, she took the
creature up in her hands, and going away to some distance from the
others, released it in the long green grass, green in colour as its
glittering skin and as cool to the touch. Long ago as this happened it
is just as vivid to my mind as if it had happened yesterday. I can see
her coming back to us through the orchard trees, her face shining with
joy because she had rescued the reptile from imminent death, her
return greeted with loud expressions of horror and amazement, which
she only answered with a little laugh and the question, "Why should
you kill it?" But why was she glad, so innocently glad as it seemed to
me, as if she had done some meritorious and no evil thing? My young
mind was troubled at the question, and there was no answer.
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