The Life of the Bee 



even, until at last she begins vaguely 

 to understand that these little inflexible 

 workers stand for a law before which that 

 law must bend whereby she is inspired. 



And at last she goes, and wanders from 

 comb to comb, her unsatisfied wrath find- 

 ing vent in a war-song, or angry complaint, 

 that every bee-keeper knows ; resembling 

 somewhat 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 

 from the double walls of the most carefully 

 enclosed hive. 



Upon the workers this royal cry has a 

 magical effect. It terrifies them, it in- 

 duces 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 at once desist, and wait, 

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