The Swarm 
[17] 
That is a thing, some will say, that 
men would not do,—a proof that the 
bee, notwithstanding the marvels of its 
organisation, still is lacking in intellect and 
veritable consciousness. Is this so certain? 
Other beings, surely, may possess an intel- 
lect that differs from ours, and produces 
different results, without therefore being 
inferior. And besides, are we, even in 
this little human parish of ours, such 
infallible judges of matters that pertain to 
the spirit? Can we so readily divine 
the thoughts that may govern the two 
or three people we may chance to see 
moving and talking behind a closed win- 
dow, when their words do not reach us? 
Or let us suppose that an inhabitant of 
Venus or Mars were to contemplate us 
from the height of a mountain, and watch 
the little black specks that we form in 
: 61 
