logically
and entomologically, is nothing more nor less than Baalzebub, "the
Jupiter-fly," an emblem of the Destroying Attribute, which attribute,
indeed, is found in all the insect tribes more or less. Wherefore,
as--Mr. Payne Knight, in his "Inquiry into Symbolical Languages," hath
observed, the Egyptian priests shaved their whole bodies, even to their
eyebrows, lest unaware they should harbor any of the minor Zebubs of the
great Baal. If I were the least bit more persuaded that that black cr-cr
were about me still, and that the sacrifice of my eyebrows would deprive
him of shelter, by the souls of the Ptolemies I would,--and I will too!
Icing the bell, my little dear! John, my--my cigar-box! There is not a
cr in the world that can abide the fumes of the havana! Pshaw! sir, I am
not the only man who lets his first thoughts upon cold steel end, like
this chapter, in--Pff--pff--pff!

CHAPTER IV.

Everything in this world is of use, even a black thing crawling over the
nape of one's neck! Grim unknown, I shall make of thee--a simile!

I think, ma'am, you will allow that if an incident such as I have
described had befallen yourself, and you had a proper and lady-like
horror of earwigs (however motherly and fond of their offspring), and
also of early hornets,--and indeed of all unknown things of the insect
tribe with black heads and two great horns, or feelers, or forceps,
just by your ear,--I think, ma'am, you will allow that you would find it
difficult to settle back to your former placidity of mood and innocent
stitch-work. You would feel a something that grated on your nerves and
cr'd-cr'd "all over you like," as the children say. And the worst is,
that you would be ashamed to say it. You would feel obliged to look
pleased and join in the conversation, and not fidget too much, nor
always be shaking your flounces and looking into a dark corner of your
apron. Thus it is with many other things in life besides black insects.
One has a secret care, an abstraction, a something between the memory
and the feeling, of a dark crawling cr which one has never dared to
analyze. So I sat by my another, trying to smile and talk as in the old
time, but longing to move about, and look around, and escape to my own
solitude, and take the clothes off my mind, and see what it was that had
so troubled and terrified me; for trouble and terror were upon me. And
my mother, who was always (Heaven bless her!) inquisitive enough in all
tha