The Most Dangerous Game 13

joke about hunting. I needed a new animal. I found one. So I bought thisisland built this house, and here I do my hunting. The island is perfectfor my purposes–there are jungles with a maze of traits in them, hills,swamps–” “But the animal, General Zaroff?” “Oh,” said the general, “it supplies me with the most exciting huntingin the world. No other hunting compares with it for an instant. Everyday I hunt, and I never grow bored now, for I have a quarry with which Ican match my wits.” Rainsford’s bewilderment showed in his face. “I wanted the ideal animal to hunt,” explained the general. “So I said,`What are the attributes of an ideal quarry?’ And the answer was, ofcourse, `It must have courage, cunning, and, above all, it must be ableto reason.”‘ “But no animal can reason,” objected Rainsford. “My dear fellow,” said the general, “there is one that can.” “But you can’t mean–” gasped Rainsford. “And why not?” “I can’t believe you are serious, General Zaroff. This is a grisly joke.” “Why should I not be serious? I am speaking of hunting.” “Hunting? Great Guns, General Zaroff, what you speak of is murder.” The general laughed with entire good nature. He regarded Rainsfordquizzically. “I refuse to believe that so modern and civilized a youngman as you seem to be harbors romantic ideas about the value of humanlife. Surely your experiences in the war–“