THE RIVAL QUEENS. 259 



from the crowd, dare to seize upon the retreating queens and 

 stay their flight, to hang, even, on their " recreant limbs," 

 and hold them back from further retreat, as well as from ad- 

 vance. But, see ! as if their failing spirits were chafed into 

 new fury by the indignity thus offered, they burst from their 

 subjects' hold, and rush back to the encounter. Again the 

 issue hangs suspended, but not for long ; for now, one of the 

 queenly combatants, more powerful or more skilful than her 

 rival, rises above her, seizes one of her scanty wings, and inflicts 

 on her undefended body a mortal sting. She withdraws her 

 barbed weapon, while her wounded competitor falls down 

 drags her huge length along then struggles and expires. 



The conqueror's victory is complete, and now surely she will 

 rest proudly satisfied with her success in fair and equal combat. 

 But what does she next? What means she by approaching 

 rapidly to the nearest of the royal chambers, where still sleeps, 

 unconscious, one of the four remaining nymphs of royal 

 breeding ? With vindictive fury she tears from its entrance 

 the silken tapestry by which it is partially defended, and now 

 she thrusts into the aperture her poisoned dart, and inflicts on 

 the helpless occupant a fatal wound. Her thirst for rival 

 blood still rages unabated : another hapless nymph, and yet 

 another dies for its assuagement ; and she ceases not from the 

 work of murder until her victims and her strength fail together. 



While the ferocious queen is thus employed, what is the 

 behaviour of her surrounding subjects? Do they submit 



