Война и мир

Chapter 20

           Formerlyonlybeesladenwithhoneyflewintothehive,andtheyflewoutempty;nowtheyflyoutladen.Thebeekeeperopensthelowerpartofthehiveandpeersin.Insteadofblack,glossybees—tamedbytoil,clingingtooneanother’slegsanddrawingoutthewax,withaceaselesshumoflabor—thatusedtohanginlongclustersdowntothefloorofthehive,drowsyshriveledbeescrawlaboutseparatelyinvariousdirectionsonthefloorandwallsofthehive.Insteadofaneatlygluedfloor,sweptbythebeeswiththefanningoftheirwings,thereisafloorlitteredwithbitsofwax,excrement,dyingbeesscarcelymovingtheirlegs,anddeadonesthathavenotbeenclearedaway.

           Thebeekeeperopenstheupperpartofthehiveandexaminesthesuper.Insteadofserriedrowsofbeessealingupeverygapinthecombsandkeepingthebroodwarm,heseestheskillfulcomplexstructuresofthecombs,butnolongerintheirformerstateofpurity.Allisneglectedandfoul.Blackrobberbeesareswiftlyandstealthilyprowlingaboutthecombs,andtheshorthomebees,shriveledandlistlessasiftheywereold,creepslowlyaboutwithouttryingtohindertherobbers,havinglostallmotiveandallsenseoflife.Drones,bumblebees,wasps,andbutterfliesknockawkwardlyagainstthewallsofthehiveintheirflight.Hereandthereamongthecellscontainingdeadbroodandhoneyanangrybuzzingcansometimesbeheard.Hereandthereacoupleofbees,byforceofhabitandcustomcleaningoutthebroodcells,witheffortsbeyondtheirstrengthlaboriouslydragawayadeadbeeorbumblebeewithoutknowingwhytheydoit.

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