The Life of the Bee 
one we are striving to solve. But our 
consciousness, and the interest we take in 
existence, must grapple, not with what might 
have been, but with what is. 
Around the virgin queen, and dwelling 
with her in the hive, are hundreds of exu- 
berant males, for ever drunk on honey; the 
sole reason for their existence being one act 
of love. But, notwithstanding the incessant 
contact of two desires that elsewhere invari- 
ably triumph over every obstacle, the union 
never takes place in the hive, nor has it been 
possible to bring about the impregnation of 
a captive queen.’ While she lives in their 
midst the lovers about her know not what 
she is. ‘They seek her in space, in the re- 
mote depths of the horizon, never suspect- 
ing that they have but this moment quitted 
her, have shared the same comb with her, 
have brushed against her, perhaps, in the 
eagerness of their departure. One might 
1 Professor M‘Lain has recently succeeded in caus- 
ing a few queens to be artificially impregnated ; but this 
has been the result of a veritable surgical operation 
of the most delicate and complicated nature. More- 
over, the fertility of these queens was ephemeral and 
restricted. 
242 
