128 The Life of the Spider 



One morning, I catch the two harridans fight- 

 ing out their quarrel on the floor. The loser is 

 laid flat upon her back ; the victress, belly to 

 belly with her adversary, clutches her with her 

 legs and prevents her from moving a limb. 

 Both have their poison-fangs wide open, ready 

 to bite without yet daring, so mutually for- 

 midable are they. After a certain period of 

 waiting, during which the pair merely exchange 

 threats, the stronger of the two, the one on 

 top, closes her lethal engine and grinds the 

 head of the prostrate foe. Then she calmly 

 devours the deceased by small mouthfuls. 



Now what do the youngsters do, while their 

 mother is being eaten ? Easily consoled, heed- 

 less of the atrocious scene, they climb on the 

 conqueror's back and quietly take their places 

 among the lawful family. The ogress raises 

 no objection, accepts them as her own. She 

 makes a meal off the mother and adopts the 

 orphans. 



Let us add that, for many months yet, until 

 the final emancipation comes, she will carry 

 them without drawing any distinction between 

 them and her own young. Henceforth, the two 



