258 THE RIVAL QUEENS. 



is now to settle ; for, at present, all these quiescent candidates 

 for sovereignty, are swathed in the silken shrouds of their 

 second or chrysalis stage of being, that wherein Bees are 

 designated by the name of Nymphs. With heads turned 

 towards the royal apartments, the queenless subjects anxiously 

 await the moment which is to supply their craving for a sove- 

 reign. They wait long, but at length (most welcome spectacle!) 

 a royal lady, perfect in the maturity of her full proportions, 

 issues from one of the royal chambers. A loud and joyful 

 hum proclaims her queen, and her subjects are crowding round 

 to pay their ready homage when, lo ! from another of the 

 -i.-ite apartments, arrived, like herself, at Bee's and queen's 

 estate, and nearly at the self-same moment, comes forth a second 

 claimant to the regal honours. The rivals catch a glimpse of 

 each other, exchange a glance of angry defiance, then, while the 

 crowd falls back to permit their meeting, rush like she-dragons 

 on one another. Head to head, chest to chest, they strive and 

 grapple, and each has only (in dragon sort) to bend her tail, 

 and fix her venomed dart, and both will fall victims to each 

 other's stings. But, no ! at this moment, as if seized simul- 

 taneously with panic fear, they part and recede from the deadly 

 and too equal strife. 



The spectators have hitherto been looking on, inactive, 

 though not mute, having kept up a ceaseless hum ; but now 

 that the royal combatants give way and separate, that hum 

 increases to a perfect uproar, and a i'cvv individuals, darting 



