THE EGG 33 



proper shape. How are these conditions realized in 

 the egg? To understand the matter thoroughly let 

 us go back to the orange wrapped in a handkerchief 

 twisted at both ends. Is it not true that if both ends 

 untwist a little, the orange, supposing it to need by 

 degrees more room, will always find the necessary 

 space without for a moment ceasing to be enveloped 

 and motionless? In the same manner the suspend- 

 ing cords of the white slacken and gradually untwist 

 as the little bird grows, at the expense of the yolk, 

 in its soft hammock of glair; the needed space is 

 made, and at the same time the feeble little bird re- 

 mains just as finely swaddled and suspended in the 

 center of the egg, protected from contact with the 

 hard shell. " 



"At the beginning, " interposed Jules, "you called 

 an egg a marvel. I see that there are, in fact, in the 

 egg things very worthy of our admiration : the shell, 

 with its numerous air-holes; the cavity at the large 

 end; the air-chamber where provision is made for 

 breathing; the soft little bed of glair with its sus- 

 pending cords that untwist to make more room, and 

 perhaps that is not all?" 



"No, my friend, that is very far from being all. 

 I limit myself her^ to the simplest things and those 

 that are not beyond your grasp. How would it be 

 if you could follow me in the unfolding of higher 

 ideas? You would see how everything in the egg is 

 arranged with infinite delicacy, with a foresight that 

 we may call maternal, and then you would find my 

 word marvel the right one. But, not to go beyond 





