The Glow-Worm and Other Beetles 



not regain his activity more rapidly, would 

 he not at least betray by a few twitches his 

 desire to escape into the basement? 



I was expecting to see him do so; and I 

 was mistaken. Whether I place him on 

 wood, glass, sand or garden mould, the 

 Beetle in no way modifies his tactics. On a 

 surface readily excavated he continues his 

 immobility as long as on an unassailable sur- 

 face. 



This indifference to the nature of the sup- 

 port half opens the door to doubt; what fol- 

 lows opens it wide. The patient is on the 

 table before me and I watch him closely. 

 With his gleaming eyes, overshadowed by 

 his antennae, he also sees me; he watches me; 

 he observes me, if I may so express myself. 

 What can be the visual impression of the in- 

 sect when face to face with that monstrosity, 

 man? How does the pigmy measure the 

 enormous monument that is the human body? 

 Seen from the depths of the infinitely little, 

 the immense perhaps is nothing. 



We will not go so far as that; we will ad- 

 mit that the insect watches me, recognizes 

 me as his persecutor. So long as I am here, 

 he will suspect me and refuse to budge. If 

 he does decide to do so, it will be after he 

 has exhausted my patience. Let us there- 



374 



