My Neighbour 22ri 



crowd, the reports of the mortars, the crackle of 

 Roman candles bursting in the sky, the hiss of 

 the rockets, the rain of sparks, the sudden flashes 

 of white, red or blue light : none of this disturbs 

 the worker, who methodically turns and turns 

 again, just as she does in the peace of ordinary 

 evenings. 



Once before, the gun which I fired under the 

 plane-trees failed to trouble the concert of the 

 Cicadae ; to-day, the dazzling light of the fire- 

 wheels and the splutter of the crackers do not 

 avail to distract the Spider from her weaving. 

 And, after all, what difference would it make to 

 my neighbour if the world fell in ! The village 

 could be blown up with dynamite, without her 

 losing her head for such a trifle. She would 

 calmly go on with her web. 



Let us return to the Spider manufacturing her 

 net under the usual tranquil conditions. The 

 great spiral has been finished, abruptly, on 

 the confines of the resting-floor. The central 

 cushion, a mat of ends of saved thread, is next 

 pulled up and eaten. But, before indulging in 

 this mouthful, which closes the proceedings, two 

 Spiders, the only two of the order, the Banded 



