The man who liked lions

A solitary man, Mr. Kemper, watches zoo lions with a mixture of contempt and memory, viewing modern humans as lesser animals. Brief encounters with other visitors and a furtive observer hint that his mind and motives are unusual, possibly linked to a vanished past in which his people mastered time by mental science. He provokes a bystander with talk of lion fights and arranges a meeting, while recollections of primeval plains and hunting instincts intrude on the present. The narrative builds tension between ancient predatory drives and contemporary social surveillance.