The Life of the Bee 



these, though a trifle languid perhaps, are 

 still immovably faithful to the duty a 

 precise destiny has laid upon them, still 

 conscious of the part that they have them- 

 selves to play ; they resume their labours, 

 therefore, fill as best they can the place 

 of those who have gone, remove all trace 

 of the orgy, carefully house the provisions 

 that have escaped pillage, sally forth to 

 the flowers again, and keep scrupulous 

 guard over the hostages of the future. 



And for all that the moment may 

 appear gloomy, hope abounds wherever 

 the eye may turn. We might be in one 

 of the castles of German legend, whose 

 walls are composed of myriad phials con- 

 taining the souls of men about to be born. 

 For we are in the abode of life that goes 

 before life. On all sides, asleep in their 

 closely sealed cradles, in this infinite 

 superposition of marvellous six-sided cells, 

 lie thousands of nymphs, whiter than 

 234 



