The Life of Jean Henri Fabre 



professional emoluments were severely strained : I 

 devoted a month's salary to the acquisition of the 

 book. I had to resort to miracles of economy for 

 some time to come before making up the enormous 

 deficit. 



The book was devoured; there is no other word 

 for it. In it I learnt the name of my black Bee; 

 I read for the first time various details of the habits 

 of insects; I found, surrounded in my eyes with 

 a sort of halo, the revered names of Reaumur, Ru- 

 ber, and Leon Dufour; and, while I turned over 

 the pages for the hundredth time, a voice within me 

 seemed to whisper: 



" You also shall be of their company! " ^ 



1 Souvenirs, i., pp. 278-280. The Mason Bees, chap. 1., 

 "The Mason Bee." 



98 



