“And even in Paradise devise the snake,”
which reminds me that, last night, I said to the ancient and worthy person to whom is entrusted the care of this house—
“Leave the drawing-room doors open while I am at dinner: the room gets overheated.”
Then he, “I not like leave open the doors, because plenty snakes.”
“Snakes: where?”
“Outside, plenty snakes, leave doors open come inside.”
“What sort of snakes?”
“Long snakes” (stretching out his arm to show the length), “short snakes” (measuring off about a foot with the other hand).
“Have you seen them?”
“Yes, plenty.”