THE S W A R ^\ 



almost, out of breath, eager, exhausted, full 

 of discreet a§-iTarion : and had seen the 

 young amazons stationed at the gate salute 

 them, as they passed by, with the slightest 

 wave of antenna. And then, the inner 

 court reached, they had hurriedly given 

 their harvest of honey to the adolescent 

 portresses ahvays stationed v/ithin, exchang- 

 ing v.'ith these at m.ost the three or four 

 probably indispensable words : or perhaps 

 they vrould hasten themselves to the va5t 

 magazines that encircle the brood-cells, and 

 deposit the two heavy baskets of pollen 

 that depend from their thighs, thereupon at 

 once going fonh once more, without giving 

 a thought to v.-hat mhght be passing in the 

 royal palace, the work-rooms, or the dormi- 

 tory where the nym.phs lie asleep; without 



