208 SPIDEES. 



was almost become insupportable to poor 

 Pelisson, till at last he became acquainted 

 with a Spider, which he had rendered familiar 

 by frequently giving it crumbs of bread, and 

 the insect used to spin down for the same, 

 as soon as he saw the captive at his meals. 



From that period Pelisson's sufferings 

 were in some measure softened, as the care of 

 the Spider was to him both an employ and 

 an amusement : he considered that he was 

 no longer alone, and found comfort in that 

 thought. 



It however happened one day, that the 

 gaoler brought the bread and water later 

 than usual, and he was still in the cell when 

 the Spider spun down for his accustomed 

 repast. Immediately Pelisson threw it a 

 few crumbs, but the sight highly offended 

 the gaoler, who loaded the prisoner with re- 

 proaches for so vile an amusement, as he 

 called it, and with one of the large keys he 

 was holding in his hand he unmercifully 

 killed the poor insect, which for the first time, 

 made Pelisson shed tears. 



