THE SWARM 



hilated when she returns, trailing behind 

 her, trophywise, the infallible sign of her 

 impregnation. Who shall say where the 

 wisdom resides tliat can thus balance 

 present and future, and prefer \vh2l is not 

 >et visible to that which already is seen? 

 Where the anonxmous prudence that 

 selects and abandons, raises and lowers; 

 that of so many workers makes so many 

 queens, and of so many mothers can make 

 a people of virg^ins? W'e have said else- 

 where that it lodged in the " Spirit of 

 the Hive," but whtrt shall this spirit of 

 the hi\e be looked for if not in the 

 assembly of workers? To be convinced 

 of its residence there, we need not per- 

 haps ha\-e studied so closely the habits of 

 this royal republic. It was enough to 

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