The first step was to restore confidence, so I asked him, speaking pretty loud so that he would hear me through his closed ears,”Would you like some sugar to get your flies around again?”

He seemed to wake up all at once, and shook his head. With a laugh he replied, “Not much! Flies are poor things, after all!” After a pause he added, “But I don't want their souls buzzing round me, all the same.”

“Or spiders?” I went on.

“Blow spiders! What's the use of spiders? There isn't anything in them to eat or � “ He stopped suddenly as though reminded of a forbidden topic.

“So, so!” I thought to myself, “this is the second time he has suddenly stopped at the word `drink'. What does it mean?”