My Neighbour 241 



she saved her silk so as to have enough for the 

 whole web. The gap will be better mended, 

 little by little, afterwards, as the sheet is 

 strengthened all over with new layers. And 

 this will take long. Two months later, the 

 window — my work — still shows through and 

 makes a dark stain against the dead-white of 

 the fabric. 



Neither weavers nor spinners, therefore, know 

 how to repair their work. Those wonderful 

 manufacturers of silk-stuffs lack the least 

 glimmer of that sacred lamp, reason, which 

 enables the stupidest of darning- women to mend 

 the heel of an old stocking. The ofi&ce of 

 inspector of Spiders' webs would have its uses, 

 even if it merely succeeded in ridding us of a 

 i^istaken and mischievous idea. 



