The Life of the Bee 
leave it, perhaps thirty times in an hour. 
Their admirable labours, therefore, are in- 
spired by a single desire: zeal to bring as 
much wealth as they can to the home of 
their sisters, the home of the future. When 
we discover a cause as disinterested as this 
for the follies of men, we are apt to call 
them by another name. 
45 
However, the whole truth must be told. 
In the midst of the marvels of their industry, 
their policy, their sacrifice, one thing exists 
that must always check and weaken our 
admiration ; and this is the indifference with 
which they regard the misfortunes or death 
of their comrades. There is a strange 
duality in the character of the bee. In the 
heart of the hive all help and love each 
other. They are as united as the good 
thoughts that dwell in the same soul. 
Wound one of them, and a thousand will 
sacrifice themselves to avenge its injury. 
But outside the hive they no longer recog- 
nise each other. Mutilate them, crush them 
126 
