– Hullo-hullo-look-who-comes-hullo-my-little-snake-in-the-grass-my-little-anguish-in-herba –’ the Consul at this moment greeted Mr Quincey’s cat, momentarily forgetting its owner again as the grey, meditative animal, with a tail so long it trailed on the ground, came stalking through the zinnias: he stooped, patting his thighs – ‘hello-pussy-my-little-Priapusspuss, my-little-Oedipusspusspuss,’ and the cat, recognizing a friend and uttering a cry of pleasure, wound through the fence and rubbed against the Consul’s legs, purring. ‘My little Xicotancatl.’ The Consul stood up. He gave two short
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