The Life of the Fly 



with the object of reaching the dainty morsel 

 contained within, the Caddis-worm, close- 

 pressed, appears at the mouth of the sheath, 

 slips out and quickly decamps under the eyes 

 of the Dytiscus, who appears to notice no- 

 thing. 



I have said before 1 that the trade of killing 

 can dispense with intelligence. The brutal 

 ripper of sheaths does not see the little white 

 sausage that slips between his legs, passes un- 

 der his fangs and madly flees. He continues 

 to tear away the outer case and to tug at the 

 silken lining. When the breach is made, he is 

 quite crestfallen at not finding what he ex- 

 pected. 



Poor fool ! Your victim went out under 

 your nose and you never saw it. The worm 

 has sunk to the bottom and taken refuge 

 in the mysteries of the rock-work. If things 

 were happening in the large expanseof a pond, 

 it is clear that, with their system of expedi- 

 tious removals, most of the lodgers would 

 escape scot-free. Fleeing to a distance and 

 recovering from the sharp alarm, they would 

 build themselves a new scabbard and all would 



'In the essay on the Giant Scarites, not yet translated 

 into English, of which the first line reads: 'The trade 

 of war does not induce talent.' — Translator's Note. 



202 



