“Go away, little one. I have need of air, and the sun will not mind seeing me face to face to-day.”
I trembled for the misfortune that seemed to have overtaken him.
“To-morrow! to-morrow!!” he cried, making gestures which denoted the trouble of his mind. “To-morrow I shall be the queen’s husband!”
A mist obscured my eyes; deep resentment filled my heart. I was mad with jealousy.
“From to-day till to-morrow many things may happen!” I exclaimed.
“Silence! how dare you in my presence proclaim your seditions?”
“No,” I said, “you shall never wear the crown!” I flew at him, and profiting by a momentary turn of his head, pierced him to the heart with my sting. Hardly had he breathed his last, when I burst into remorseful tears.
I returned to the hive to find everything in the greatest disorder. The entire community, a prey to the deepest agitation, were jostling and knocking each other about.
“What has happened?” I inquired of the first Bee I met.
“What happened?” he replied. “Why, one of the Drones is missing.