The Life of Jean Henri Fabre 



countering no resistance. The female follows obe- 

 diently, held by the tips of her claws, face to face 

 with her leader. 



The promenade .is interrupted by halts which 

 do not in any way modify the method of conjunc- 

 tion ; it is resumed, now in this direction, now in 

 that, from one end of the enclosure to the other. 

 Nothing indicates the goal for which the strollers 

 are making. They loiter, musing and assuredly 

 exchanging glances. Thus in my village, on Sun- 

 day, after vespers, the young people stroll along 

 by the hedges, two by two. 



Often they turn to one side. It is always the 

 male who decides the fresh direction to be followed. 

 Without releasing his companion's hands he grace- 

 fully turns about, placing himself side by side with 

 his companion. Then, for a moment, with his 

 tail lying flat, he caresses her back. The other 

 does not stir; she remains impassive. Sometimes 

 the two heads touch, bending a little to right 

 and left as if whispering into each other's ears. 

 What are they saying? How translate into words 

 their silent epithalamium? 



Sometimes, too, their foreheads touch and the 

 two mouths meet with tender effusiveness. To de- 

 scribe these caresses the word " kisses " occurs to 

 the mind. One dare not employ it; for here is 

 neither head, face, lips, or cheeks. Truncated as 

 though by a stroke of the shears, the animal has 

 not even a snout. Where we should look for a 

 face, are two hideous jaws like a wall. And this 

 for the Scorpion is the height of beauty! With 



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