fabre, poet of science-第34节

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Unconscious。



Modern　art；　influenced　more　especially　by　the　subtle　Japanese；　is　already

treading　this　path。



What　artist　could　ever　engrave　on　rare　metals　or　model　in　precious

substances　a　more　beautiful　subject　than　the　wonderful　picture　of　the

Tarantula　offering；　at　the　length　of　her　extended　limbs；　her　white　sac　of

eggs　to　the　sun；　or　the　transparent　nymph　of　the　Onthophagus　taurus；　〃as

though　carved　from　a　block　of　crystal；　with　its　wide　snout　and　its　enormous

horns　like　those　of　the　Aurochs〃？　（12/12。）　What　an　undiscovered　subject　he

might　find　in　the　nymph　of　the　Ergatus　（12/13。）；　with　its　almost

incorporeal　grace；　as　though　made　of　〃translucent　ivory；　like　a　communicant

in　her　white　veils；　the　arms　crossed　upon　the　breast；　a　living　symbol　of

mystic　resignation　before　the　accomplishment　of　destiny〃；　or　in　the　still

more　mysterious　nymph　of　the　Scarabaeus　sacer；　first　of　all　〃a　mummy　of

translucent　amber；　maintained　by　its　linen　cerements　in　a　hieratic　pose；

but　soon　upon　this　background　of　topaz；　the　head；　the　legs；　and　the　thorax

change　to　a　sombre　red；　while　the　rest　of　the　body　remains　white；　and　the

nymph　is　slowly　transfigured；　assuming　that　majestic　costume　which　combines

the　red　of　the　cardinal's　mantle　with　the　whiteness　of　the　sacerdotal　alb。〃



On　the　other　hand；　what　Sims　or　Bateman　ever　imagined　weirder　caricature

than　the　grotesque　larva　of　the　Oniticella；　with　its　extravagant　dorsal

hump；　or　the　fantastic　and　alarming　silhouette　of　the　Empusa；　with　its

scaly　belly　raised　crozierwise　and　mounted　on　four　long　stilts；　its　pointed

face；　turned…up　moustaches；　great　prominent　eyes；　and　a　〃stupendous　mitre〃：

the　most　grotesque；　the　most　fantastic　freaks　that　creation　can　ever　have

evolved？　（12/14。）





CHAPTER　13。　THE　EPIC　OF　ANIMAL　LIFE。



Although　in　his　portraits　and　descriptions　Fabre　is　simple　and　exact；　and

so　full　of　natural　geniality；　although　he　can　so　handle　his　words　as　to

render　them　〃adequate〃　to　reproduce　the　moving　pictures　of　the　tiny

creatures　he　observes；　his　style　touches　a　higher　level；　flashes　with

colour；　and　grows　rich　with　imagery　when　he　seeks　to　interpret　the　feelings

which　animate　them：　their　loves；　their　battles；　their　cunning　schemes；　and

the　pursuit　of　their　prey；　all　that　vast　drama　which　everywhere　accompanies

the　travail　of　creation。



It　is　here　in　particular　that　Fabre　shows　us　what　horizons；　as　yet　almost

unexplored；　what　profound　and　inexhaustible　resources　science　is　able　to

offer　poetry。



The　breaking　of　egg　or　chrysalid　is　in　itself　a　moving　event；　for　to　attain

to　the　light　is　for　all　these　creatures　〃a　prodigious　travail。〃



The　hour　of　spring　has　sounded。　At　the　call　of　the　field…cricket；　the

herald　of　the　spring；　the　germs　that　slumber　in　nymph　or　chrysalis　have

broken　through　their　spell。



What　haste　and　ingenuity　are　required　to　emerge　from　the　natal　darkness；　to

unwrap　the　swaddling…bands；　to　break　the　subterranean　shells；　to　demolish

the　waxen　bulkheads；　to　perforate　the　soil　or　to　escape　from　prisons　of

silk！



The　woodland　bug；　whose　egg　is　a　masterpiece；　invents　I　know　not　what

magical　centre…bit；　what　curious　piece　of　locksmith's　work；　in　order　to

unlock　its　natal　casket　and　achieve　its　liberty。



For　days　the　grasshopper　〃butts　its　head　against　the　roughness　of　the　soil；

and　wars　upon　the　pebbles；　by　dint　of　frantic　wriggling　it　escapes　from　the

womb　of　the　earth；　bursts　its　old　coat；　and　is　transfigured；　opening　its

eyes　to　the　light；　and　leaping　for　the　first　time。〃



The　Bombyx　of　the　pine…tree　〃decks　its　brow　with　points　of　diamond；　spreads

its　wings；　and　erects　its　plumes；　and　shakes　out　its　fleece　to　fly　only　in

the　darkness；　to　wed　the　same　night；　and　to　die　on　the　morrow。〃



What　marvellous　inventions；　what　machinery；　what　incredible　contrivances；

〃in　order　that　a　tiny　fly　can　emerge　from　under　ground〃！



The　Anthrax　assumes　a　panoply　of　trepans；　an　assortment　of　gimlets　and

knives；　harpoons　and　grapnels；　in　order　to　perforate　its　ceiling　of　cement；

then　the　lugubrious　black　fly　appears；　all　moist　as　yet　with　the　humours　of

the　laboratory　of　life；　steadies　itself　upon　its　trembling　legs；　dries　its

wings；　quits　its　suit　of　armour；　and　takes　flight。〃



The　blue…fly；　buried　in　the　depth　of　the　sand；　〃cracks　its　barrel…shaped

coffin；〃　and　splits　its　mask；　in　order　to　disinter　itself；　the　head　divides

into　two　halves；　between　which　we　see　emerging　and　disappearing　by　turns　a

monstrous　tumour；　which　comes　and　goes；　swells　and　shrivels；　palpitates；

labours；　lunges；　and　retires；　thus　compressing　and　gradually　undermining

the　sand；　until　at　last　the　newborn　fly　emerges　from　the　depth　of　the

catacombs。　（13/1。）



Certain　young　spiders；　in　order　to　emancipate　themselves；　to　conquer　space；

and　disperse　themselves　about　the　world；　resort　to　an　ingenious　system　of

aviation。　They　gain　the　highest　point　of　the　thicket；　and　release　a　thread；

which；　seized　by　the　wind；　carries　them　away　suspended。　Each　shines　like　a

point　of　light　against　the　foliage　of　the　cypresses。　There　is　a　continuous

stream　of　tiny　passengers；　leaping　and　descending　in　scattered　sheaves

under　the　caresses　of　the　sun；　like　atomic　projectiles；　like　the　fountain

of　fire　at　a　pyrotechnic　display。　What　a　glorious　departure；　what　an　entry

into　the　world！　Gripping　its　aeronautic　thread；　the　insect　ascends　in

apotheosis！　（13/2。）



But　if　all　are　called　all　are　not　chosen。　〃How　many　can　move　only　at　the

greatest　peril　under　the　rugged　earth；　proceeding　from　shock　to　shock；　in

the　harsh　womb　of　universal　life；　and；　arrested　by　a　grain　of　sand；　succumb

half…way〃！



There　are　others　whom　slower　metamorphoses　condemn　to　vegetate　still　longer

in　the　subterranean　night；　before　they　are　permitted　to　assume　their

festival　attire；　and　share　in　their　turn　in　the　gladness　of　creation。



Thus　the　Cicada　is　forced　to　labour　for　long　gloomy　years　in　the　darkness

before　it　can　emerge　from　the　soil。　At　the　moment　when　it　issues　from　the

earth　the　larva；　soiled　with　mire；　〃resembles　a　sewer…man；　its　eyes　are

whitish；　nebulous；　squinting；　blind。〃　Then　〃it　clings　to　some　twig；　it

splits　down　the　back；　rejects　its　discarded　skin；　drier　than　horny

parchment；　and　becomes　the　Cigale；　which　is　at　first　of　a　pale　grass…green

hue。〃　Then；　



〃Half　drunken　with　her　joy；　she　feasts

In　a　hail　of　fire〃；　



And　all　day　long　drinks　of　the　sugared　sap　of　tender　bark；　and　is　silent

only　at　night；　sated　with　light　and　heat。　The　song；　which　forms　part　of　the

majestic　symphony　of　the　harvest…tide；　announces　merely　its　delight　in

existence。　Having　passed　years　underground；　the　cigale　has　only　a　month　to

reign；　to　be　happy　in　a　world　of　light；　under　the　caressing　sun。　Judge

whether　the　wild　little　cymbals　can　ever　be　loud　enough　〃to　celebrate　such

felicity；　so　well　earned　and　so　ephemeral〃！　（13/3。）



All　sing　for　happiness；　each　after　its　kind；　through　the　calm　of　the　summer

days。　Their　minds　are　intoxicated；　it　is　their　fashion　of　praying；　of

adoring；　of　expressing　〃the　joys　of　life：　a　full　crop　and　the　sun　on　the

back。〃　Even　the　humble　grasshopper　rubs　its　flanks　to　express　its　joy；

raises　and　lowers　its　shanks　till　its　wing…cases　squeak；　and　is　enchanted

with　its　own　music；　which　it　commences　or　terminates　suddenly　〃according　to

the　alternations　of　sun　and　shade。〃　Each　insect　has　its　rhythm；　strident　or

barely　perceptible；　the　music　of　the　thickets　and　fallows　caressed　by　the

sun；　rising　and　falling　in　waves　of　joyful　life。



The　insects　make　merry；　they　hold　uproarious　festival；　and　they　mate

insatiably；　even　before　forming　a　mutual　acquaintance；　in　a　furious　rush　of

living；　for　〃love　is　the　sole　joy　of　the　animal；〃　and　〃to　love　is　to　die。〃



Hardly　unwrapped；　still　dusty　from　the　strenuous　labour　of　deliverance；

〃the　female　of　the　Scolia　is　seized　by　the　male；　who　does　not　even　give　her

time　to　wash　her　eyes。〃　Having　slept　over　a　year　underground；　the　Sitares；

barely　rid　of　their　mummy…cases；　taste；　in　the　sunlight；　a　few　minutes　of

love；　on　the　very　site　of　their　re…birth；　then　they　die。　Life　surges；

burns；　flares；　sparkles；　rushes　〃in　a　perpetual　tide；〃　a　brief　radiance

between　two　nights。



A　world　of　a　myriad　fairies　fills　the　rustling　forest：　day　and　night　it

unfolds　a　thousand　marvellous　pictures；　about　the　root　of　a　bramble；　in　the

shadow　of　an　old　wall；　on　a　slope　of　loose　soil；　or　in　the　dense　thickets。



〃The　insect　is　transfigured　for　the　nuptial　ceremony；　and　each　hopes；　in

its　ritual；　to　declare　its　passion。〃　Fabre　had　some　thought　of　writing　the

Golden　Book　of　their　bridals　and　their　wedding　festivals　（13/4。）；　the

Kamasutra　of　their　feasts　and　rules　of　love；　and　with　what　art；　at　once

frank　and　reserved；　has　he　here　and　there　handled　this　wonderful　theme！　In

the　radiant　garden　of　delight；　where　no　detail　of　truth　is　omitted；　but

where　nothing　shocks　us；　Fabre　reveals　himself　as　he　is　in　his

c