The Life of the Bee 
things without giving an order, receiving 
obedience but not recognition. For the 
destiny once imposed by the seasons he has 
substituted his will. He repairs the in- 
justice of the year, unites hostile republics, 
and equalises wealth. He restricts or aug- 
ments the births, regulates the fecundity of 
the queen, dethrones her and installs another 
in her place, after dexterously obtaining the 
reluctant consent of a people who would be 
maddened at the mere suspicion of an in- 
conceivable intervention. When he thinks 
fit he will peacefully violate the secret of 
the sacred chambers, and the elaborate, tor- 
tuous policy of the palace. He will five or 
six times in succession deprive the bees of 
the fruit of their labour without harming 
them, without their becoming discouraged 
or even impoverished. He proportions the 
store-houses and granaries of their dwellings 
to the harvest of flowers that the Spring is 
spreading over the dip of the hills. He 
compels them to reduce the extravagant 
number of lovers who await the birth of the 
royal princesses. In a word, he does with 
them what he will, he obtains what he will, 
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