18 
THE HONEY-MAKERS. 
heart bears witness that my love is still so weak 
as scarcely to deserve the name.” 
Although so loved and honored by her subjects, 
the queen performs not a single good deed for the 
well-being of the community during the two or 
three years of her reign, except to increase its 
numbers. Like many human sovereigns, she is 
seldom roused from her luxurious indolence, save 
when her queenly spirit is chafed by jealousy. 
Like queens of the earth, she is born on an 
equality with all her sisterhood ; and like them, 
she comes into the world a helpless infant. 
But a royal bed-chamber, large and circular, 
Roy&l Cell. 
has been built for her. Here she has ample 
room for growth, and as she rests in her dainty 
crib, is fed with the most delicious food. The 
