The Clotho Spider 343 



We can have an answer by the next morning. 

 If, among the cabins swung from the ceihngs of 

 the deal or cardboard dohnens, there be one that 

 is all dilapidated, that was seriously knocked 

 out of shape at the time of removal, the Spider 

 abandons it during the night and instals herself 

 elsewhere, sometimes even on the trellis-work 

 of the wire cage. 



The new tent, the work of a few hours, attains 

 hardly the diameter of a two-franc piece. It is 

 built, however, on the same principles as the old 

 manor-house and consists of two thin sheets 

 laid one above the other, the upper one flat and 

 forming a tester, the lower curved and pocket- 

 shaped. The texture is extremely dehcate : 

 the least trifle would deform it, to the detri- 

 ment of the available space, which is already 

 much reduced and only just sufficient for the 

 recluse. 



Well, what has the Spider done to keep the 

 gossamer stretched, to steady it and to make 

 it retain its greatest capacity ? Exactly what 

 our static treatises would advise her to do : she 

 has ballasted her structure, she has done her 

 best to lower its centre of gravity. From the 



