fabre, poet of science-第40章

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〃produces　almost　immediately　a　gradual　swoon。〃



Thus　the　great　hairy　Bourdon；　in　the　course　of　its　peregrinations　across

the　wastes　of　thyme；　sometimes　foolishly　strays　into　the　lair　of　the

Tarantula；　whose　eyes　glimmer　like　jewels　at　the　back　of　his　den。　Hardly

has　the　insect　disappeared　underground　than　a　sort　of　shrill　rattling　is

heard；　a　〃true　death…song；〃　immediately　followed　by　the　completest　silence。

〃Only　a　moment；　and　the　unfortunate　creature　is　absolutely　dead；　proboscis

outstretched　and　limbs　relaxed。　The　bite　of　the　rattlesnake　would　not

produce　a　more　sudden　paralysis。〃



The　terrible　spider　〃crouching　on　the　battlements　of　his　castle；　his　heavy

belly　in　the　sun；　attentive　to　the　slightest　rustling；　leaps　upon　whatever

passes；　fly　or　Libellula；　and　with　a　single　stroke　strangles　his　victim；

and　drains　its　body；　drinking　the　warm　blood。〃



〃To　dislodge　him　from　his　keep　needs　all　the　cunning　strategy　of　the

Pompilus；　a　terrible　duel；　a　hand…to…hand　combat；　stupendous；　truly　epic；

in　which　the　subtle　address　and　the　ingenious　audacity　of　the　winged　insect

eventually　triumph　over　the　dreadful　spider　and　his　poisoned　fangs。〃

（13/9。）



On　the　pink　heather　〃the　timid　spider　of　the　thickets　suspends　by　ethereal

cables　the　branching　whorl　of　his　snare；　which　the　tears　of　the　night　have

turned　into　chaplets　of　jewels。。。The　magical　jewellery　sparkles　in　the　sun；

attracting　mosquitoes　and　butterflies；　but　whosoever　approaches　too　closely

perishes；　a　victim　of　curiosity。〃　Above　the　funnel　is　the　trap；　〃a　chaos　of

springs；　a　forest　of　cordage；　like　the　rigging　of　a　ship　dismembered　by　the

tempest。　The　desperate　creature　struggles　in　the　shrouds　of　the　rigging；

then　falls　into　the　gloomy　slaughter…house　where　the　spider　lurks　ready　to

bleed　his　prey。〃



Death　is　everywhere。



Each　crevice　of　bark；　each　shadow　of　a　leaf；　conceals　a　hunter　armed　with　a

deadly　weapon；　all　his　senses　on　the　alert。　Everywhere　are　teeth；　fangs；

talons；　stings；　pincers；　and　scythes。



Leaping　in　the　long　grasses；　the　Decticus　with　the　ivory　face　〃crunches　the

heads　of　grasshoppers　in　his　mandibles。〃



A　ferocious　creature；　the　grub　of　the　Hemerobius；　disembowels　plant…lice；

making　of　their　skins　a　battle…dress；　covering　its　back　with　the

eviscerated　victims；　〃as　the　Red　Indian　ties　about　his　loins　the　tresses　of

his　scalped　enemies。〃



Caterpillars　are　surrounded　by　the　implacable　voracity　of　the　Carabidae：　



〃The　furry　skins　are　gaping　with　wounds；　their　contents　escape　in　knots　of

entrails；　bright　green　with　their　aliment；　the　needles　of　the　pine…tree；

the　caterpillars　writhe；　struggling　with　loop…like　movements；　gripping　the

sand　with　their　feet；　dribbling　and　gnashing　their　mandibles。　Those　as　yet

unwounded　are　digging　desperately　in　the　attempt　to　escape　underground。　Not

one　succeeds。　They　are　scarcely　half　buried　before　some　beetle　runs　to　them

and　destroys　them　by　an　eviscerating　wound。〃



At　the　centre　of　its　net；　which　seems　〃woven　of　moonbeams；〃　in　the　midst　of

its　snare；　a　glutinous　trap　of　infernal　ingenuity；　or　hidden　at　a　distance

in　its　cabin　of　green　leaves；　the　Epe？ra　fasciata　waits　and　watches　for　its

prey。　Let　the　terrible　hornet；　or　the　Libellula　auripennis；　flying　from

stem　to　stem；　fall　into　the　limed　snare；　the　insect　struggles；　endeavours

to　unwind　itself；　the　net　trembles　violently　as　though　it　would　be　torn

from　its　cables。　Immediately　the　spider　darts　forward；　running　boldly　to

the　intruder。　With　rapid　gestures　the　two　hinder　limbs　weave　a　winding…

sheet　of　silk　as　they　rotate　the　victim　in　order　to　enshroud　it。。。The

ancient　Retiarius；　condemned　to　meet　a　powerful　beast　of　prey；　appeared　in

the　arena　with　a　net　of　cordage　lying　upon　his　left　shoulder；　the　animal

sprang　upon　him；　the　man；　with　a　sudden　throw；　caught　it　in　the　meshes；　a

stroke　of　the　trident　despatched　it。　Similarly　the　Epe？ra　throws　its　web；

and　when　there　is　no　longer　any　movement　under　the　white　shroud　the　spider

draws　closer；　its　venomous　fangs　perform　the　office　of　the　trident。

（13/10。）



The　Praying　Mantis；　that　demoniac　creature　which　alone　among　the　insects

turns　its　head　to　gaze；　〃whose　pious　airs　conceal　the　most　atrocious

habits；〃　remains　on　the　watch；　motionless；　for　hours　at　a　time。　Let　a　great

grasshopper　chance　to　come　by：　the　Mantis　follows　it　with　its　glance；

glides　between　the　leaves；　and　suddenly　rises　up　before　it；　〃and　then

assumes　its　spectral　pose；　which　terrifies　and　fascinates　the　prey；　the

wing…covers　open；　the　wings　spring　to　their　full　width；　forming　a　vast

pyramid　which　dominates　the　back；　a　sort　of　swishing　sound　is　heard；　like

the　hiss　of　a　startled　adder；　the　murderous　fore…limbs　open　to　their　full

extent；　forming　a　cross　with　the　body；　and　exhibiting　the　axillae

ornamented　with　eyes　vaguely　resembling　those　of　the　peacock's　tail；　part

of　the　panoply　of　war；　concealed　upon　ordinary　occasions。　These　are　only

exhibited　when　the　creature　makes　itself　terrible　and　superb　for　battle。

Then　the　two　grappling…hooks　are　thrown；　the　fangs　strike；　the　double

scythes　close　together　and　hold　the　victim　as　in　a　vice。〃　（13/11。）



There　is　no　peace；　night　falls　and　the　horrible　conflict　continues　in　the

darkness。　Atrocious　struggles；　merciless　duels；　fill　the　summer　nights。　On

the　stems　of　the　long　grasses；　beside　the　furrows；　the　glow…worm

〃anaethetizes　the　snail；〃　instilling　into　it　its　venom；　which　stupefies　and

produces　sleep；　in　order　to　immobilize　its　prey　before　devouring　it。



Having　chorused　their　joy　all　the　day　long　in　the　sunshine；　in　the　evening

the　Cicadae　fall　asleep　among　the　olives　and　the　lofty　plane…trees。　But

suddenly　there　is　a　sound　as　of　a　cry　of　anguish；　short　and　strident；　it　is

the　despairing　lamentation　of　the　cicada；　surprised　in　repose　by　the　green

grasshopper；　that　ardent　hunter　of　the　night；　which　leaps　upon　the　cicada；

seizes　it　by　the　flank；　and　devours　the　contents　of　the　stomach。　After　the

orgy　of　music　comes　night　and　assassination。



Such　is　the　gloomy　epic　which　goes　forward　among　the　flowers；　amidst　the

foliage；　under　the　shadowy　boughs；　and　on　the　dusty　fallows。　Such　are　the

sights　that　nature　offers　amid　the　profound　peace　of　the　fields；　behind　the

flowering　of　the　sudden　spring…tide　and　the　splendours　of　the　summer。　These

murders；　these　assassinations　are　committed　in　a　mute　and　silent　world；　but

〃the　ear　of　the　mind〃　seems　to　hear



〃A　tiger's　rage　and　cries　as　of　a　lion

Roaring　remotely　through　this　pigmy　world。〃



Was　it　to　these　thrilling　revelations　that　Victor　Hugo　intended　to　apply

these　so　wonderfully　appropriate　lines？　Was　it　he　who　bestowed　upon　Fabre；

according　to　a　poetic　tradition；　the　name　of　〃the　Homer　of　the　insects；〃

which　fits　him　so　marvellously　well？



It　is　possible；　although　Fabre　himself　can　cite　no　evidence　to　support

these　suggestions；　but　let　us　respect　the　legend；　simply　because　it　is

charming；　and　because　it　adds　an　exact　and　picturesque　touch　to　the

portrait　of　Fabre。



In　this　drama　of　a　myriad　scenes；　in　which　the　little　actors　in　their

rustic　stage　play　each　in　his　turn　their　parts　at　the　mercy　of　occasion　and

the　hazard　of　encounter；　the　humblest　creatures　are　personages　of

importance。



Like　the　human　comedy；　this　also　has　its　characters　privileged　by　birth；

clothed　in　purple；　dazzling　with　embroidery；　〃adorned　with　lofty　plumes；〃

who　strut　pretentiously；　〃its　idle　rich；〃　covered　with　robes　of　gold　of

rustling　splendour；　who　display　their　diamonds；　their　topazes　and　their

sapphires；　who　gleam　with　fire　and　shine　like　mirrors；　magnificent　of　mien；

but　their　brains　are　〃dense；　heavy；　inept；　without　imagination；　without

ingenuity；　deprived　of　all　common　sense；　knowing　no　other　anxiety　than　to

drink　in　the　sunlight　at　the　heart　of　a　rose　or　to　sleep　off　their　draughts

in　the　shadow　of　a　leaf。



Those　who　labour；　on　the　contrary；　do　not　attract　the　eye；　and　the　most

obscure　are　often　the　m