“I don’t want to be free, my lord. What use is freedom to me? I am your little slave. I should always be your little slave just as before.”
“Then ask me something else, Tarrar, something that you would like very much.”
Tarrar grinned with his white teeth through his tears:
“May I tell you, my lord?”
“Yes.”
Tarrar hesitated. Then he said, shyly:
“Two other little dancing snakes, my lord.”
Lucius laughed softly:
“Child!” he said. “I will give you two other little snakes! But I fear that those also will refuse to dance as only the Indian merchant can make them dance.”
“I fear so too,” said Tarrar, reflecting. “The snake that is still alive has crept back to the merchant, I expect, out of the skin which it left behind it. I also fear that the new snakes would refuse to dance.... Then I would rather have nothing, my lord. I don’t want anything. If only I may serve you.”