“One always heard they had a therapeutic quality. They always had zoos in Mexico apparently—Moctezuma, courteous fellow, even showed stout Cortez around a zoo. The poor chap thought he was in the infernal regions.” The Consul had discovered a scorpion on the wall. “Alacrán?” Yvonne produced. “It looks like a violin.” “A curious bird is the scorpion. He cares not for priest nor for poor peon … It’s really a beautiful creature. Leave him be. He’ll only sting himself to death anyway.”
