I40 THE LIFE OF THE BEE 



And at last she goes, and wanders from comb to comb, 

 her unsatisfied wrath finding vent in the war-song, or angry 

 complaint, that every bee-keeper knows ; resembling some- 

 what the note of a distant trumpet of silver ; so intense, 

 in its passionate feebleness, as to be clearly audible, in the 

 evening especially, two or three yards away from the double 

 walls of the most carefully enclosed hive. 



Upon the workers this royal cry has a magical effect. 

 It terrifies them, it induces a kind of respectful stupor ; and 

 when the queen sends it forth, as she halts in front of the 

 cells whose approach is denied her, the guardians who have 

 but this moment been hustling her, pushing her back, will 

 instantaneously cease, and wait, with bent head, till the cry 

 shall have ceased to resound. Indeed, some believe that it is 

 thanks to the prestige of this cry, which the Sphinx Atropos 

 imitates, that the latter is enabled to enter the hive, and 

 gorge itself with honey, without the least molestation on 

 the part of the bees. 



For two or three days, sometimes even for five, this in- 

 dignant lament will be heard, this challenge that the queen 

 addresses to her well-protected rivals. And as these in their 

 turn develop, in their turn grow anxious to see the light, they 

 too set to work to gnaw the lids of their cells. A mighty 

 disorder would now appear to threaten the republic. But the 

 genius of the hive, at the time that it formed its decision, 

 was able to foretell every consequence that might ensue ; 

 and the guardians have had their instructions : they know 

 exactly what must be done, hour by hour, to meet the attacks 

 of a foiled instinct, and conduct two opposite forces to a suc- 

 cessful issue. They are fully aware that if the young queens 



