The Life of the Caterpillar 



opposite slope. An even chance is a great 

 thing. Another time we shall be more suc- 

 cessful. 



In the second place, the exhaustion due to 

 fatigue and hunger. A lame one stops, 

 unable to go farther. In front of the de- 

 faulter the procession still continues to wend 

 its way for a short time. The ranks close 

 up and an empty space appears. On coming 

 to himself and resuming the march, the cater- 

 pillar who has caused the breach becomes a 

 leader, having nothing before him. The least 

 desire for emancipation is all that he wants 

 to make him launch the band into a new path 

 which perhaps will be the saving path. 



In short, when the Processionaries' train 

 is in difficulties, what it needs, unlike ours, is 

 to run off the rails. The side-tracking is left 

 to the caprice of a leader who alone is capable 

 of turning to the right or left; and this leader 

 is absolutely non-existent so long as the ring 

 remains unbroken. Lastly, the breaking of the 

 circle, the one stroke of luck, is the result of 

 a chaotic halt, caused principally by excess of 

 fatigue or cold. 



The liberating accident, especially that of 

 fatigue, occurs fairly often. In the course of 



