Чужак в чужой стране

           "Oh,forPete’ssake!Ialreadyhadrattlesnakesandwatermoccasinsinmycollection.Apoisonoussnakeisnotdangerous,notanymorethanaloadedgunisdangerous–ineachcase,ifyouhandleitproperly.ThethingthatmadethatcoralsnakedangerouswasthatIhadn’tknownwhatitwas,whatitcoulddo.If,inmyignorance,Ihadhandleditcarelessly,itwouldhavekilledmeascasuallyandasinnocentlyasakittenscratches.Andthat’swhatI’mtryingtotellyouaboutMike.Heseemsasgentleasalamb–andI’mconvincedthathereallyisgentleandunreservedlyfriendlywithanyonehetrusts.Butifhedoesn’ttrustyou–well,he’snotwhatheseemstobe.Heseemslikeanordinaryyoungmalehuman,ratherunderdeveloped,decidedlyclumsy,andabysmallyignorant?butbrightandverydocileandeagertolearn.Allofwhichistrueandnotsurprising,inviewofhisancestryandhisstrangebackground.But,likemypetsnake,Mikeismorethanheappearstobe.IfMikedoesnottrustyou,blindlyandallout,hecanbeinstantlyaggressiveandmuchmoredeadlythanthatcoralsnake.Especiallyifhethinksyouareharmingoneofhiswaterbrothers,suchasJill–orme."

           Harshawshookhisheadsadly."Duke,ifyouhadgivenwaytoyournaturalimpulsetotakeapokeatme,afewminutesagowhenItoldyousomehomelytruthsaboutyourself,andifMikehadbeenstandinginthatdoorwaybehindyou?well,I’mconvincedthatyouwouldhavestoodnochanceatall.None.