The Life of the Spider 



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 re- 

 quired. 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. 



Why? Because her telegraph, being out of 

 order, no longer tells her of the shaking of the 

 web. The captured prey is too far off for her 

 to see it; she is all unwitting. A good hour 

 passes, with the Locust still kicking, the Spider 

 impassive, myself watching. Nevertheless, in 

 the end, the Epeira wakes up : no longer feel- 

 ing the signalling-thread, broken by my 



