The noise now ceased, and the bees were suffered to hang, unmolested, for nearly an hour, in a large round cluster; still and motionless, as if no life or power was in them. Their proceedings were so entirely new to the Butterfly, that, had not his friend been amongst them, he should have wished to see the end; but he saw a man approach, whose face and arms were entirely covered, and placing a new hive under them, he shook the branch till the whole united body fell into it. A cloth was then thrown over them, and he bore it away in triumph.
"And will they suffer themselves to be thus taken?" thought his attentive observer, as he eagerly extended his wings to follow the man; "will they be content to remain in that desolate habitation without a cell, or any provision in it? no, no; the man will soon perceive his mistake," continued he, as he saw him place it on a block, which had been before prepared for it, "as soon as they can get their liberty, they will return from whence they came." However, it was himself, and not the man, who was mistaken; on the whole, the Bees liked their new abode very well; and it was not till the next day that he saw any of its inhabitants coming out in search of food; when he met his friend, who asked him "if he did not think he had given him notice of something worth seeing?"
"I think I see that you have changed for the worse," returned the Butterfly; "you have left a full hive with comfortable cells, and plenty of food, for one which is destitute of both!"
"We shall soon get this as well stocked as the other," replied the Bee; "but did you not see our Queen? a sight of her is seldom had; were you not charmed with her majestic appearance?"
"Upon my word, no," said the Butterfly with a smile; "but you must recollect that I am not one of her numerous progeny; and to the eye of a Butterfly she is no more than another of her species; but why did you leave your home? is it grown old, and crazy; or does it let the rain in?"
"I fancy we understand building better than for that to be the case," answered the Bee, somewhat offended; "but we were too full; we encreased so fast that there was not room for us all in one hive. We have therefore chosen another queen, in whom, by the bye, I am astonished that you see nothing to admire; and we young ones are come forth with her, to form another settlement. Happy shall we be to contribute to her tranquillity and comfort, and to supply her every want; while she is kind enough to permit us to call her ours, for the present; therefore, you must not expect to see me one moment at leisure; till we have, in some degree, given our abode the appearance of an habitation, we cannot be comfortable; we have already formed a cell for our beloved Queen, and a few others for her principal attendants; among which number, I am proud to say, I am; you must excuse me if I now leave you abruptly, as I am on the search for something nice for her to eat."
"Proud, indeed," thought the Butterfly, as he saw his friend hastily depart. "Why, I am hardly spoken to now this new queen is come in the way. Well," continued he, "I am glad we have no sovereign, in whose service we might spend our lives. Our time is our own, and we enjoy it as we like," added he, clapping his wings, and flying off in pursuit of some companion as thoughtless as himself. The next morning he returned very early to the hive in hopes of seeing his old friend, though he did not suppose he would allow him his company for more than a minute.
"We can converse together as we fly," said the Bee, who advanced to meet him, "but I must fetch some honey for her majesty's breakfast; won't you accompany me? we still go on building very fast, and wax is brought in great abundance for that purpose."
"While you are thus employed, I do not expect to have much of your company," said the Butterfly, "and have therefore made an agreement with some of my old acquaintance to take an excursion into the country, and enjoy ourselves there for a few days. The summer is passing quickly away, and our lives, supposing no accident cuts us off, must end with it; we must, therefore, frisk while we may."