who, on the steps of the houses, 

 provoke us by hideous grimaces, 

 a silent contempt, but one that 

 will not forget; and remember 

 that it is lawful and even com- 

 mendable to chase and strangle 

 mice, rats, wild rabbits and, gen- 

 erally speaking, all animals (we 

 learn to know them by secret 

 marks) that have not yet made 

 their peace with mankind* 



All this and so much more! 

 . . . Was it surprising that 

 Pelleas often appeared pensive in 

 the face of those numberless prob- 



* 



i 



