fabre, poet of science-第25章

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location　for　its　burrows。



The　fantastic　history　of　the　larvae　of　the　Anthrax　furnishes　us　with　one　of

the　most　suggestive　examples　of　these　strange　coincidences。　（10/9。）



The　Anthrax　is　a　black　fly；　which　sows　its　eggs　on　the　surface　of　the　nests

of　the　Mason…bee；　whose　larvae　are　at　the　moment　reposing　in　their　silken

cocoons。



〃The　grub　of　the　Anthrax　emerges　and　comes　to　life　under　the　touch　of　the

sunlight。　Its　cradle　is　the　rugged　surface　of　the　cell；　it　is　welcomed　into

the　world　by　a　literally　stony　harshness。。。Obstinately　it　probes　the　chinks

and　pores　of　the　nest；　glides　over　it；　crawls　forward；　returns；　and

recommences。　The　radicle　of　the　germinating　seed　is　not　more　persevering；

not　more　determined　to　descend　into　the　cool　damp　earth。　What　inspiration

impels　it？　What　compass　guides　it？　What　does　the　root　know　of　the　fertility

of　the　soil？。。。The　nurseling；　the　seed　of　the　Anthrax；　is　barely　visible；

almost　escaping　the　gaze　of　the　magnifying　glass；　a　mere　atom　compared　to

the　monstrous　foster…mother　which　it　will　drain　to　the　very　skin。　Its　mouth

is　a　sucker；　with　neither　fangs　nor　jaws；　incapable　of　producing　the

smallest　wound；　it　sucks　in　place　of　eating；　and　its　attack　is　a　kiss。〃　It

practises；　in　short；　a　most　astonishing　art；　〃another　variation　of　the

marvellous　art　of　feeding　on　the　victim　without　killing　it　until　the　end　of

the　meal；　in　order　always　to　have　a　store　of　fresh　meat。　During　the

fourteen　days　through　which　the　nourishment　of　the　Anthrax　continues；　the

aspect　of　the　larva　remains　that　of　living　flesh；　until　all　its　substance

has　been　literally　transferred；　by　a　kind　of　transpiration；　to　the　body　of

the　nurseling；　and　the　victim；　slowly　exhausted；　drained　to　the　last　drop；

while　retaining　to　the　end　just　enough　life　to　prove　refractory　to

decomposition；　is　reduced　to　the　mere　skin；　which；　being　insufflated；　puffs

itself　out　and　resumes　the　precise　form　of　the　larva；　there　being　nowhere　a

point　of　escape　for　the　compressed　air。〃



Now　the　grub　of　the　Anthrax　〃appears　precisely　at　the　exact　moment　when　the

larva　of　the　Chalicodoma　is　attacked　by　that　lethargy　which　precedes

metamorphosis；　and　which　renders　it　insensible；　and　during　which　the

substance　of　the　grub　about　to　be　transfigured　into　a　bee　commences　to

break　down　and　resolve　itself　into　a　liquid　pulp；　for　the　processes　of　life

always　liquefy　the　grub　before　achieving　the　perfect　insect。〃　（11/2。）



Here　again　the　time…tables　coincide。



But　it　is　perhaps　in　the　celebrated　Odyssey　of　the　grub　of　the　Sitaris　that

Fabre　most　urgently　claims　our　admiration　for　the　marvellous　and

incomprehensible　wisdom　of　the　Unconscious！



Let　us　recapitulate　the　unheard…of　series　of　events；　the　inextricable

complication　of　circumstances；　which　are　required　to　condition　the　lowly

life　of　a　Sitaris。



In　the　first　place；　this　microscopic　creature　must　be　provided　with　talons；

or　how　could　it　adhere　to　the　fleece　of　the　Anthophora；　on　which　it　must

live　as　parasite　for　a　certain　length　of　time？



Then　again；　it　must　transfer　itself　from　the　male　to　the　female　bee　in　the

course　of　its　travels　abroad；　or　its　destiny　would　be　cut　short。



Again；　it　must　not　miss　the　opportunity　of　embarking　itself　upon　the　egg

just　at　the　propitious　moment。



Then　the　volume　of　this　egg　must　be　so　calculated　as　to　represent　an

allowance　of　food　exactly　proportioned　to　the　duration　of　the　first　phase

of　its　metamorphosis。　Moreover；　the　quantity　of　honey　accumulated　by　the

bee　must　suffice　for　the　whole　of　the　remaining　cycle　of　its　larval

existence。



Let　a　single　link　of　the　chain　be　broken；　and　the　entire　species　of　the

Sitaris　is　no　longer　possible。



If　every　species　has　its　law；　if　the　Geotrupes　remain　faithful　to　filth；

although　experience　shows　that　they　can　accommodate　themselves　equally　well

to　the　putrefaction　of　decayed　leaves；　if　the　predatory　speciesthe

Cerceris；　the　Sphex；　the　Ammophilaresort　only　to　one　species　of　quarry　to

nourish　their　larvae；　although　these　same　larvae　accept　all　indifferently；

it　is　on　account　of　those　superior　economic　laws　and　secret　alliances　the

profound　reasons　for　which　as　a　rule　escape　us　or　are　beyond　the　scope　of

our　theories。



For　all　things　are　produced　and　interlocked　by　the　eternal　necessity；　link

engages　in　link；　and　life　is　only　a　plexus　of　solitary　forces　allied　among

themselves　by　their　very　nature；　the　condition　of　which　is　harmony。　And　the

whole　system　of　living　creatures　appears　to　us；　through　the　work　of　the

great　naturalist；　as　an　immense　organism；　a　sort　of　vast　physiological

apparatus；　of　which　all　the　parts　are　mutually　interdependent；　and　as

narrowly　controlled　as　all　the　cells　of　the　human　body。



Fabre　goes　on　to　present　us　with　other　facts；　which　at　a　first　glance

appear　highly　immoral；　I　am　referring　to　certain　phases　of　sexual　love

among　the　lower　animals；　and　his　ghoulish　revelations　concerning　the

horrible　bridals　of　the　Arachnoids；　the　Millepoda；　and　the　Locustidae。



The　Decticus　surrenders　only　to　a　single　exploit　of　love；　a　victim　of　its

〃strange　genesics〃；　utterly　exhausted　by　the　first　embrace；　empty；　drained；

extenuated；　motionless　in　all　its　members；　utterly　worn　out；　it　quickly

succumbs；　a　mere　broken　simulacrum；　like　the　miserable　lover　of　a　monstrous

succubus　who　〃loves　him　enough　to　devour　him。〃　（11/3。）



The　female　scorpion　devours　the　male；　〃all　is　gone　but　the　tail！〃



The　female　Spider　delights　in　the　flesh　of　her　lover。



The　cricket　also　devours　a　small　portion　of　her　〃debonair〃　admirer。



The　Ephippigera　〃excavates　the　stomach　of　her　companion　and　eats　him。〃



But　the　horror　of　these　nuptial　tragedies　is　surpassed　by　the　insatiable

lust；　the　monstrous　conjunction；　the　bestial　delights　of　the　Mantis；　that

〃ferocious　spectre；　never　wearied　of　embraces；　munching　the　brains　of　its

spouse　at　the　very　moment　of　surrendering　her　flanks　to　him。〃　（11/4。）



Whence　these　strange　discords；　these　frightful　appetites？



Fabre　refers　us　to　the　remotest　ages；　to　the　depths　of　the　geological

night；　and　does　not　hesitate　to　regard　these　cruelties　as　〃remnants　of

atavism；〃　the　lingering　furies　of　an　ancient　strain；　and　he　ventures　a

profound　and　plausible　explanation。



The　Locusts；　the　Crickets；　and　the　Scolopendrae　are　the　last

representatives　of　a　very　ancient　world；　of　an　extinct　fauna；　of　an　early

creation；　whose　perverse　and　unbridled　instincts　were　given　free　vent；　when

creation　was　as　yet　but　dimly　outlined；　〃still　making　the　earliest　essays

of　its　organizing　forces〃；　when　the　primitive　Orthoptera；　〃the　obscure

forebears　of　those　of　to…day；　were　〃sowing　the　wild　oats　of　a　frantic　rut；

〃in　the　colossal　forests　of　the　secondary　period；　by　the　borders　of　the

vast　lakes；　full　of　crocodiles；　and　antediluvian　marshes；　which　in　Provence

were　shaded　by　palms；　and　strange　ferns；　and　giant　Lycopodia；　never　as　yet

enlivened　by　the　song　of　a　bird。



These　monstrosities；　in　which　life　was　making　its　essays；　were　subject　to

singular　physical　necessities。　The　female　reigned　alone；　the　male　did　not

as　yet　exist；　or　was　tolerated　only　for　the　sake　of　his　indispensable

assistance。　But　he　served　also　another　and　less　obvious　end；　his　substance；

or　at　least　some　portion　of　his　substance；　was　an　almost　necessary

ingredient　in　the　act　of　generation；　something　in　the　nature　of　a　necessary

excitant　of　the　ovaries；　〃a　horrible　titbit；〃　which　completed　and

consummated　the　great　task　of　fecundation。　Such；　in　Fabre's　eyes；　was　the

imperious　physiological　reason　of　these　rude　laws。　This　is　why　the　love　of

the　males　is　almost　equivalent　to　their　suicide；　the　Gardener…beetle；

attacked　by　the　female；　attempts　to　flee；　but　does　not　defend　himself；　〃it

is　as　though　an　invincible　repugnance　prevents　him　from　repulsing　or　from

eating　the　eater。〃　In　the　same　way　the　male　scorpion　〃allows　himself　to　be

devoured　by　his　companion　without　ever　attempting　to　employ　his　sting；〃　and

the　lover　of　the　Mantis　〃allows　himself　to　be　nibbled　to　pieces　without　any

revolt　on　his　part。〃



A　strange　morality；　but　not　more　strange　than　the　organic　peculiarities

which　are　its　foundation；　a　strange　world；　but　perhaps　some　distant　sun　may

light　others　like　it。



These　terrible　creatures　are　a　source　of　dismay　to　Fabre。　If　all　things

proceed　from　an　underlying　Reason；　if　the　divine　harmony　of　things

testifies　everywhere　to　a　sovereign　Logic；　how　shall　the　proofs　of　its

excellence　and　its　sovereign　wisdom　be　found　in　such　things　as　these？



Far　from　attributing　to　the　order　of　the　universe　a　supposed　perfection；

far　from　considering　nature　as　the　most　immediate　expression　of　the　Good

and　the　Beautiful；　in　the　words　of　Tolstoy　（11/5。）；　he　sees　in　it　only　a

rough　sketch　which　a　hidden　God；　hidden；　but　close　at　hand；　and　living

eternally　present　in　the　heart　of　His　creatures；　is　seeking　to　test　and　to

shape。



Living　always　with　his　eyes　upon　some　secret　of　the　marvels　of　God；　whom　he

sees　in　every　bush；　in　every　tree；　〃although　He　is　veiled　from　our

imperfect　senses〃　（11/6。）；　the　vilest　insect　reveals　to　him；　in　the　least

of　its　actions；　a　fragment　of　this　universal　Intelligence。



What　marvels　indeed　when　seen　from　above！　But　consider　the　Reversewhat

antinomies；　what　flagrant　contradictions！　What　poor　and　sordid　means！　And

Fabre　is　astonished；　in　spite　of　all　his　candid　faith；　that　the　fatality　of

the　belly　should　have　entered　into　the　Divine　plan；　and　the　necessity　of

all　those　atrocious　acts　in　which　the　Unconscious　delights。　Could　not　God

ensure　the　preservation　of　life　by　less　violent　means？　Why　these

subterranean　dramas；　these　slow　assassinations？　Why　has　Evil；　THE　POISON　OF

THE　GOOD　（11/7。）；　crept　in　everywhere；　even　to　the　origin　of　life；　like　an

eternal　Parasite？



Within　this　fatal　circle；　in　which　the　devourer　and　the　devoured；　the

exploiter　and　the　exploited；　lead　an　eternal　dance；　can　we　not　perceive　a

ray　of　light？



For　what　is　it　that　we　see？



The　victims　are　not　merely　the　predestined　victims　of　their　persecutors。

They　seek　neither　to　struggle　nor　to　escape　nor　to　evade　the　inevitable；

one　might　say　that　by　a　kind　of　renunciation　they　offer　themselves　up　whole

as　a　sacrifice！



What　irresistible　destiny　impels　the　bee　to　meet　half…way　the　Philanthus；

its　terrible　enemy！　The　Tarantula；　which　could　so　easily　withstand　the

Pompilus；　when　the　latter　rashly　carries　war　into　its　lair；　does　not

disturb　itself；　and　never　dreams　of　using　its　poisoned　fangs。　Not　less

absolute　is　the　submission　of　the　grasshopper　before　the　Mantis；　which

itself　has　its　tyrant；　the　Tachytes。



Similarly　those　which　have　reason　to　fear　for　their　offspring；　if　not　for

themselves；　do　nothing　to　evade　the　enemy　which　watches　for　them；　the

Megachile；　although　it　could　easily　destroy　it；　is　indifferent　to　the

presence　of　a　miserable　midge；　〃the　bandit　who