UNKNOWN TONGUES. 245 



to pass, that the Lord shall hiss for the fly and for the bee 

 that is in the land of Assyria." 



How easily spiders are made to know the voice of their 

 master, is familiar to all, from many a sad prisoner's tale. 

 When the great and brilliant Lauzun was held in captivity, 

 his only joy and comfort was a friendly spider. She came 

 at his call ; she took her food from his finger, and well un- 

 derstood his word of command. In vain did jailors and 

 soldiers try to deceive his tiny companion. She would not 

 obey their voices, and refused the tempting bait from their 

 hand. Here, then, was an ear not only, but a keen power 

 of distinction. The despised little animal listened with 

 sweet affection, and knew how to discriminate between not 

 unsimilar tones ! So it was with the friend of the pat- 

 riot, Quatremere d'ljonville, who paid, with captivity, for 

 the too ardent love of his country. He also had tamed 

 spiders, and taught them to come at his call. But the 

 little creatures were not only useful to him, but to the 

 nation to which he belonged. For, when the French 

 invaded Holland, the prisoner managed to send them a 

 message that the inundated and now impassable country 

 would soon be frozen over so that they would be able 

 to march over the ice-bridged swamps and lakes, though 

 spiders, true barometers as they are, had taught him to 

 read, in their queer habits, the signs of approaching 

 weather. The frost came, and with it the French; Hol- 

 land was taken and the lucky prophet set free. The 

 spiders, alas! were forgotten. 



Even the "hateful toad" has been the captive's friend 

 and companion, and shown itself endowed with a fine ear 



