40 THE LIFE OF THE BEE 



22 



The man who never before has beheld the swarm of 

 a populous hive must regard this riotous, bewildering spectacle 

 with some apprehension and diffidence. He will be almost 

 afraid to draw near ; he will wonder can these be the earnest, 

 the peace-loving, hard-working bees whose movements he 

 has hitherto followed ? It was but a few moments before 

 he had seen them troop in from all parts of the country, as 

 preoccupied, seemingly, as little housewives might be with 

 no thoughts beyond household cares. He had watched them 

 stream into the hive, imperceptibly almost, out of breath, 

 eager, exhausted, full of discreet agitation ; and had seen the 

 young amazons stationed at the gate salute them, as they 

 passed by, with the slightest wave of antenns. And then, 

 the inner court reached, they had hurriedly given their harvest 

 of honey to the adolescent porteresses always stationed within, 

 exchanging with these at most the three or four probably 

 indispensable words ; or perhaps they would hasten them- 

 selves to the vast magazines that encircle the brood-cells, 

 and deposit the two heavy baskets of pollen that depend 

 from their thighs, thereupon at once going forth once more, 

 without giving a thought to what might be passing in the 

 royal palace, the work-rooms, or the dormitory where the 

 nymphs lie asleep ; without for one instant joining the babel 

 of the pubhc place in front of the gate, where it is the 

 wont of the cleaners, at time of great heat, to congregate 

 and gossip. 



