The Life of the Bee 



of poison prevails; thousands of tiny 

 drops glisten at the end of the stings, 

 and diffuse rancour and hatred. Before 

 the bewildered parasites are able to realise 

 that the happy laws of the city have crum- 

 bled, dragging down in most inconceivable 

 fashion their own plentiful destiny, each 

 one is assailed by three or four envoys 

 of justice ; and these vigorously proceed 

 to cut off his wings, saw through the peti- 

 ole that connects the abdomen with the 

 thorax, amputate the feverish antennas, 

 and seek an opening between the rings 

 of his cuirass through which to pass their 

 sword. No defence is attempted by the 

 enormous, but unarmed, creatures ; they 

 try to escape, or oppose their mere bulk 

 to the blows that rain down upon them. 

 Forced on to their back, with their re- 

 lentless enemies clinging doggedly to 

 them, they will use their powerful claws 

 to shift them from side to side ; or, turn- 



352 



