THE SWARM 



last drop of honey, the wholesomest food. 

 And be the disaster never so great, the 

 city of virgins will not lose heart so 

 long- as the queen be alive. Break their 

 comb t\\enty times in succession, take 

 twenty times from them their \oung 

 and their food you still shall never 

 succeed in making them doubt of the 

 future; and though they be starving, 

 and their number so small that it scarcely 

 suffices to shield their mother from 

 tlie enemy's gaze, they will set about 

 to reorganize the laws of tlie colon}', 

 and to provide for what is most pressing; 

 the>- will distribute the work in accord- 

 ance with the new necessities of this 

 disastrous moment, and thereupon will 

 immediately re-assume their labours with 



[59] 



