第522章

第522章moscowmeanwhilewasempty.therewasstillpeopleinthecity;afiftiethpartofalltheformerinhabitantsstillremainedinit,butitwasempty.

itwasdesertedasadying,queenlesshiveisdeserted.

inaqueenlesshivethereisnolifeleft.yetatasuperficialglanceitseemsasmuchaliveasotherhives.

inthehotraysofthemiddaysunthebeessoarasgailyaroundthequeenlesshiveasaroundotherlivinghives;fromadistanceitsmellsofhoneyliketherest,andbeesflyintoandoutofitjustthesame.yetonehasbuttowatchitalittletoseethatthereisnolifeinthehive.theflightofthebeesisnotasinlivinghives,thesmellandthesoundthatmeetthebeekeeperarechanged.whenthebeekeeperstrikesthewallofthesickhive,insteadoftheinstant,unanimousresponse,thebuzzingoftensofthousandsofbeesmenacinglyarchingtheirbacks,andbytherapidstrokeoftheirwingsmakingthatwhirring,livingsound,heisgreetedbyadisconnected,droninghumfromdifferentpartsofthedesertedhive.fromthealightingboardcomesnotasofoldthespirituous,fragrantsmellofhoneyandbitterness,andthewhiffofheatfromthemultitudeswithin.asmellofchillemptinessanddecaymingleswiththescentofhoney.aroundtheentrancethereisnownothrongofguards,archingtheirbacksandtrumpetingthemenace,readytodieinitsdefence.thereisheardnomorethelow,evenhum,thebuzzoftoil,likethesingingofboilingwater,butthebroken,discordantuproarofdisordercomesforth.theblack,long-shaped,honey-smearedworkersflytimidlyandfurtivelyinandoutofthehive：theydonotsting,butcrawlawayatthesightofdanger.ofoldtheyflewinonlywiththeirbagsofhoney,andflewoutempty：nowtheyflyoutwiththeirburdens.thebeekeeperopensthelowerpartitionandpeepsintothelowerhalfofthehive.insteadoftheclustersofblack,sleekbees,clingingoneachother’slegs,hangingtothelowersideofthepartition,andwithanunbrokenhumoftoilbuildingatthewax,drowsy,witheredbeeswanderlistlesslyaboutovertheroofandwallsofthehive.insteadofthecleanlyglued-upfloor,sweptbythebees’wings,therearenowbitsofwax,excrement,dyingbeesfeeblykicking,anddeadbeeslyingnotclearedawayonthefloor.

thebeekeeperopenstheupperdoorandexaminesthesuperofthehive.inplaceofcloserowsofbees,sealingupeverygapleftinthecombsandfosteringthebrood,heseesonlytheskilful,complex,edificeofcombs,andeveninthisthevirginalpurityofolddaysisgone.allisforsaken;andsoiled,black,strangerbeesscurryswiftlyandstealthilyaboutthecombsinsearchofplunder;whilethedried-up,shrunken,listless,old-lookingbeesofthehivewanderslowlyabout,doingnothingtohinderthem,havinglosteverydesireandsenseoflife.drones,gadflies,waspsandbutterfliesflutteraboutaimlessly,brushingtheirwingsagainstthewallsofthehive.hereandthere,betweenthecellsfullofdeadbroodandhoney,isheardanangrybuzz;hereandthereacoupleofbeesfromoldhabitandcustom,thoughtheyknownotwhytheydoit,arecleaningthehive,painfullyingawayadeadbeeorawasp,ataskbeyondtheirstrength.inanothercornertwootheroldbeesarelanguidlyfightingorcleaningthemselvesorfeedingoneanother,themselvesunawarewhetherwithfriendlyorhostileintent.elsewhereacrowdofbees,squeezingoneanother,isfallinguponsomevictim,beatingandcrushingit;andthekilledorenfeebledbeedropsslowly,lightasafeather,ontotheheapofcorpses.thebeekeeperpartsthetwocentrepartitionstolookatthenursery.insteadofthedense,blackringsofthousandsofbees,sittingbacktoback,watchingthehighmysteriesoftheworkofgeneration,heseeshundredsofdejected,lifeless,andslumberingwrecksofbees.almostallhavedied,unconsciousoftheircomingend,sittingintheholyplace,whichtheyhadwatched—nownomore.theyreekofdeathandcorruption.butafewofthemstillstir,riseup,flylanguidlyandsettleonthehandofthefoe,withoutthespirittodiestinginghim;therestaredeadandaseasilybrushedasideasfishes’scales.thebeekeeperclosesthepartition,chalksamarkonthehive,andchoosinghisowntime,breaksitupandburnsit.

sowasmoscowdeserted,asnapoleon,weary,uneasyandfrowning,pacedupanddownatthekamerkolezhskywallawaitingthatmerelyexternal,butstilltohismindessentialobservanceoftheproprieties—adeputation.

somefewmenwerestillastirinoddcornersofmoscow,aimlesslyfollowingtheiroldhabits,withnounderstandingofwhattheyweredoing.

when,withduecircumspectness,napoleonwasinformedthatmoscowwasdeserted,helookedwrathfullyathisinformant,andturninghisbackonhim,wentonpacingupanddowninsilence.

“mycarriage,”hesaid.hesatdowninhiscarriagebesidetheadjutantonduty,anddroveintothesuburbs.

“moscowdeserted！whatanincredibleevent！”hesaidtohimself.

hedidnotdriverightintothetown,butputupforthenightataninninthedorogomilovsuburb.thedramaticscenehadnotcomeoff.