The Physician in the Hive. 



about a dozen bees escaped into the air, and flew straig-ht 

 for the window-glass. The bee-master followed them, took 

 one carefully by the wings, and brought it over to the old 

 g-entleman. His apprehensions visibly redoubled. The 

 doctor seized him in an iron, professional grip. 



*' Just here, I think. Close under the shoulder-blade. 

 Now, your lordship ..." 



Viciously the infuriated bee struck home. For eight or 

 ten seconds she worked her wicked will on the patient. 

 Then, turning round and round, she at last drew out her 

 sting, and darted back to the wmdow. 



But the bee-master was ready with another of his liv- 

 ing stilettos. Half a dozen times the operation was re- 

 peated on various parts of the suffering patient's body. 

 Then the old gentleman — who, by this time, had passed 

 from whimpering- through the various stages of glowing 

 indignation to sheer undisguised profanity — was restored 

 to his apparel. The procession was re-formed, and the 

 bee-master conducted it to the waiting carriage, with the 

 same ceremony as before. 



As we stood looking after the retreating vehicle, the 

 old bee-man entered into explanations. 



" That," said he, '* is Lord H , and he has been a 



martyr to rheumatism these ten years back. I could have 

 cured him long ago if he had only come to me before, as 1 

 have done many a poor soul in these parts; but he, and those 

 like him, are the last to hear of the physician in the hive. 

 He will begin to get better now, as you will see. He is to 

 be brought here every fortnight; but in a month or two he 

 will not need the chair. And before the winter is out he 

 will walk again as well as the best of us." 



We went slowly back through the bee-farm. The work- 

 ing-song of the bees seemed as loud as ever in the keen 

 October sunshine. But the steady deep note of summer 

 was gone ; and the peculiar bee-voice of autumn — shrill, 

 anxious, almost vindictive — rang out on every side. 



"Of course," continued the bee-master, "there is 

 nothing new in this treatment of rheumatism by bee-stings. 

 It is literally as old as the hills. Every bee-keeper for the 

 last two thousand years has known of it. But it is as 

 much as a preventive as a cure that the acid in a bee's 

 sting is valuable. The rarest thing in the world is to find 



57 



