I could not
but smile at the incongruity of its name. Toto was well enough for a
French poodle, but for a cobra!
After a moment, the adept lifted the lid of a round basket which stood
on the floor near the divan, dropped the snake gently into it, and
fastened down the lid. Then he clapped his hands softly, and an
instant later the curtains at the rear of the room parted and a
strange figure appeared between them.
It was the figure of a man, not over five feet tall and very thin. He
was almost as dark as a full-blooded negro, and the white burnoose
which was thrown about his shoulders and covered him to just below
the hips, made him look even darker. His legs were bare and seemed to
be nothing but skin and bone. The flat-nosed face, with its full lips
and prominent eyes, reminded me of an idol I had seen pictured
somewhere.
The newcomer bowed low before the adept, and, at a sign from him,
picked up Toto's basket and disappeared with it through the curtains.
He had not even glanced in our direction. The adept turned back to us.
"Now, friends," he said, "will you not enter?"
Goldberger led the way into the room and stopped to look about it.
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