The Life of the Spider 



Every Spider, as she goes, at the same time 

 spins a safety-cord which will guard the rope- 

 walker against the risk of an always possible 

 fall. In the rear, therefore, the thread is of 

 double thickness and can be seen, whereas in 

 front, it is still single and hardly perceptible 

 to the eye. 



Obviously, this invisible foot-bridge is not 

 flung out by the animal : it is carried and un- 

 rolled by a gust of air. The Epeira, supplied 

 with this line, lets it float freely; and the wind, 

 however softly blowing, bears it along and 

 unwinds it. Even so is the smoke from the 

 bowl of a pipe whirled up in the air. 



This floating thread has but to touch any 

 object in the neighbourhood and it will re- 

 main fixed to it. The suspension-bridge is 

 thrown; and the Spider can set out. The 

 South-American Indians are said to cross the 

 abysses of the Cordilleras in travelling-cradles 

 made of twisted creepers; the little Spider 

 passes through space on the invisible and the 

 imponderable. 



But to carry the end of the floating thread 

 elsewhither a draught is needed. At this mo- 

 ment, the draught exists between the door of 

 my study and the window, both of which are 



196 



