The Life of the Bee 



quietly, take a step back, execute a slight 

 turn on herself, and proceed to the next 

 cell, into which she will first, before intro- 

 ducing her abdomen, dip her head to make 

 sure that all is in order and that she is 

 not laying twice in the same cell ; and in 

 the meanwhile two or three of her escort 

 will have plunged into the cell she has 

 quitted to see whether the work be duly 

 accomplished, and to care for, and ten- 

 derly house, the little bluish egg she has 

 laid. 



From this moment, up to the first frosts 

 of autumn, she does not cease laying ; 

 she lays while she is being fed, and even 

 in her sleep, if Indeed she sleeps at all, 

 she still lays. She represents henceforth 

 the devouring force of the future, which 

 invades every corner of the kingdom. 

 Step by step she pursues the unfortunate 

 workers who are exhaustedly, feverishly 

 erecting the cradles her fecundity de- 



215 



