The Telegraph-Wire 259 



Soon after, she hoists him, fastened by a Une 

 to her spinneret, and drags him to her hiding- 

 place, where a long banquet will be held. So 

 far, nothing new : things happen as usual. 



I leave the Spider to mind her own affairs for 

 some days, before I interfere with her. I again 

 propose to give her a Locust ; but, this time, 

 I first cut the signalling-thread with a touch 

 of the scissors, without shaking any part of 

 the edifice. The game is then laid on the 

 web. Complete success : the entangled insect 

 struggles, sets the net quivering ; the Spider, 

 on her side, does not stir, as though heedless of 

 events. 



The idea might occur to one that, in this 

 business, the Epeira stays motionless in her 

 cabin since she is prevented from hurrying 

 down, because the foot-bridge is broken. Let 

 us undeceive ourselves : for one road open to 

 her there are a hundred, all ready to bring her 

 to the place where her presence is now required. 

 The network is fastened to the branches by a 

 host of lines, all of them very easy to cross. 

 Well, the Epeira embarks upon none of them, 

 but remains moveless and self-absorbed. 



