The Life of the Fly 



sistible, it is all such easy going and so lucid 

 that often one seems to be remembering rather 

 than learning. 



And so we proceed, with our positions re- 

 versed. I dig into the hard rock, crumble it, 

 loosen it until I make room for thought to 

 penetrate. My comrade — I can now allow 

 myself to speak of him on equal terms — my 

 comrade listens, suggests objections, raises 

 difficulties which we try to solve in unison. 

 The two combined levers, inserted in the fis- 

 sure, end by shaking and overturning the 

 rocky mass. 



I no longer see in the corner of the quarter- 

 master's eye the leery droop that greeted 

 me at the start. Cordial frankness now 

 reigns, the infectious high spirits imparted by 

 success. Little by little, dawn breaks, very 

 misty as yet, but laden with promises. We 

 are both greatly amazed; and my share in the 

 satisfaction is a double one, for he sees twice 

 over who makes others see. Thus do we pass 

 half the night, in delightful hours. We cease 

 when sleep begins to weigh too heavily on 

 our eyelids. 



When my comrade returns to his room, 

 does he sleep, careless for the moment of the 

 shifting scene which we have conjured up? 



300 



