Pagina 285 di 788

The Notary and the Assessor gazed with open mouths, and held

their breath. Suddenly the Notary grew pale as a handkerchief;

the Assessor grew pale too: they saw-something fatal was

happening; the farther that serpent went, the longer it became;

it was already breaking in half; already that neck of dust had

vanished; the head was already near the wood, and the tails

somewhere behind! The head disappeared; for one last instant some

one seemed to wave a tassel; it was lost in the wood, and near

the wood the tail broke up.

The poor dogs ran bewildered along the border; they seemed to

offer each other mutual advice and accusations. Finally they came

back, slowly bounding over the furrows, with drooping ears and

tails between their legs; and, running up, for very shame they

did not dare to lift their eyes; and, instead of going to their

masters, they stopped on one side.