The Hunting Wasps 



empty so long. At the sight of those 

 strange animals, studded with spikes all over 

 the carapace and perched on long legs that 

 give them a certain resemblance to a mon- 

 strous Spider, the onlookers gave a cry of 

 surprise, almost of alarm. Favier, for his 

 part, remained unmoved; and, as he skil- 

 fully seized the terrible Spider struggling to 

 get away, he said: 



"I know that thing; I've eaten It at 

 Vasna. It's first-rate." 



And he looked round at the bystanders 

 with an air of humorous mockery which was 

 meant to convey: 



" You've never been out of your hole, you 

 people." 



One more story of him, to have done. A 

 woman living in his neighbourhood had been, 

 by the doctor's advice, to take the sea-baths 

 at Cette. She returned from her trip bring- 

 ing with her a curious thing, a strange fruit 

 on which she based high hopes. When held 

 to the ear and shaken, it rattled, proving 

 that it contained seeds. It was round and 

 prickly. At one end was a sort of bud, 

 closed with a Httle white flower; at the other, 

 a slight cavity was pierced with a few holes. 



The neighbour ran round to Favier to 

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