THE SWARM 



for one instant joining in the babel of the 

 public place in front of the §:ate, where it is 

 the wont of the cleaners, at time of grtit 

 heat, to congregate and to gossip. 



To-day this is all changed. A certain 

 number of workers, it is true, will peace- 

 fully go to the fields, as though nothing 

 were happening: will come back, clean 

 the hive, attend to the brood-cells, and 

 hold altogether aloof from the general 

 ecstisy. These are the ones that will not 

 accompany the queen; they will remain 

 to guard the old home, feed the nine 

 or ten tlwusand eggs, the eighteen 

 thousand lan.T, the thirty-six thousand 

 nymphs and se%-en or eight royal prin- 



[47] 



