The Life of the Bee 
her venomous weapon until the victim 
perish. She then becomes calmer, ap- 
peased by the death that puts a term to 
the hatred of every creature; she with- 
draws her sting, hurries to the adjoining 
cell, attacks it and opens it, passing it 
by should she find in it only an im- 
perfect larva or nymph; nor does she 
pause till, at last, exhausted and breath- 
less, her claws and teeth glide harmless 
over the waxen walls. 
The bees that surround her have calmly. 
watched her fury, have stood by, inac- 
tive, moving only to leave her path clear ; 
but no sooner has a cell been pierced 
and laid waste than they eagerly flock 
to it, drag out the corpse of the rav- 
ished nymph, or the still living larva, 
and thrust it forth from the hive, there- 
upon gorging themselves with the pre- 
cious royal jelly that adheres to the sides 
of the cell. And finally, when the queen 
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