The Theory of Parasitism 



absence of some duration, she finds her place 

 taken, her cell used by another. The victim 

 of an usurper's villainy, like the prisoners in 

 my paper screws, she behaves as they do and 

 indemnifies herself for her loss by breaking 

 into another's home. 



Lastly, it was a matter of learning the be- 

 haviour, after their act of violence, of the 

 Masons who have smashed in a door, bru- 

 tally expelled the egg within and replaced it 

 by one of their own laying. When the lid is 

 repaired to look as good as new and every- 

 thing restored to order, will they continue 

 their burglarious ways and exterminate the 

 eggs of others to make room for their own? 

 By no means. Revenge, that pleasure of the 

 gods and perhaps also of Bees, is satisfied 

 after one cell has been ripped open. All 

 anger is appeased when the egg for which so 

 much work has been done is safely housed. 

 Henceforth, both prisoners and stray laggards 

 resume their ordinary labours, indifferently 

 with the rest. They build honestly, they pro- 

 vision honestly, nor meditate further evil. 

 The past is quite forgotten until a fresh dis- 

 aster occurs. 



To return to the parasites: a mother 

 235 



