TWO YOUNG NATURALISTS. 155 



said that spiders are not insensible to the charms 

 of music. Although it is so well known, I may 

 remind you that Pellisson, when he was in the Bas- 

 tille " 



Leon suddenly stopped. Another spider, with 

 enormous legs and hungry aspect, ' had suddenly 

 descended on the newly stretched threads. Possibly 

 his web had been destroyed, and he had not at the 

 time the material in his possession that would en- 

 able him to construct another, so that no resource 

 remained to him except to establish himself, by 

 the right of the strongest, on the territory of the 

 other. 



The legitimate proprietor fled in alarm. At first it 

 endeavoured for a few moments to resist, but soon 

 perceiving that the struggle was an unequal one, it 

 pitiably retired and left the place. 



Rene, who had watched in an attentive manner all 

 the phases of this drama, wished to crush the usurper, 

 but Leon prevented him. 



"Why destroy it?" said he. "It is but obeying 

 the mandate of its nature. Everyone must live, and 

 if the first spider retired so promptly it was probably 

 that it felt itself able to construct a new web. More- 

 over, have we men the right to show ourselves so 

 severe ? " 



The face of the Parisian grew serious, and his 

 memory carrying him back several years, Eene" re- 



