My Neighbour 219 



The spot appears well-chosen, for the Epeira 

 does not change it throughout the season, 

 though she renews her net almost every night. 



Punctually as darkness falls, our whole family 

 goes and calls upon her. Big and little, we 

 stand amazed at her wealth of belly and her 

 exuberant somersaults in the maze of quivering 

 ropes ; we admire the faultless geometry of the 

 net as it gradually takes shape. All agleam 

 in the lantern-hght, the work becomes a fairy 

 orb, which seems woven of moonbeams. 



Should I linger, in my anxiety to clear up 

 certain details, the household, which by this 

 time is in bed, waits for my return before going 

 to sleep : 



* What has she been doing this evening ? * 

 I am asked. ' Has she finished her web ? Has 

 she caught a Moth ? ' 



I describe what has happened. To-morrow, 

 they will be in a less hurry to go to bed : 

 they will want to see everything, to the very 

 end. What dehghtful, simple evenings we have 

 spent looking into the Spider's workshop ! 



The journal of the Angular Epeira, written 

 up day by day, teaches us, first of all, how she 



