Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (paragraph 9)

I think that when the seamstress gets bitten by the snake it is like she is being bitten by the hand that feeds her. Luo keeps throwing the keys into the water for her, and because she listens to him so much she ends up being bitten by the snake. The snake bite may also be a sign of bad luck for her, or a reminder that life is not as carefree and safe as she may imagine it to be. I think that by being responsible for looking after the seamstress while Luo is away, the narrator takes on an air of duty and determination to successfully carry out his mission for his dear friend. The way that the narrator and the seamstress share there time together it almost seems as though they could be falling for one another, but the narrator is determined not to let such a thing happen. I was worried that the bullies would seriously injure the narrator, and I thought that the narrator would surely get turned in for having the book. I think that the narrators world becomes so bleek after that moment because his treasured secret has been exposed and he feels as though a part of himself has been emotionally attacked.