In Search of Goliathus Hercules (35 page)

“W
hat the devil is going on here?” bellowed Maestro Antonio.

Drawn by the commotion of crashing plates and Henri’s shouts in insect, Billy, Robin, and Maestro Antonio rushed in. They found Henri’s mother lying unconscious on the floor among shattered bits of chinaware, and Henri standing in the middle of the room, his face and arms bloodied. Prince whizzed through the air, grazing Henri again and again.

“Stop! Please stop! I will not fight you. I promised I wouldn’t hurt you,” said Henri in insect. “What’s wrong? Please tell me!” Prince took no notice and continued to swipe at Henri each time he swooped by.

“You see! You see! I told you not to trust him!” yelled Billy. He grabbed a pillow and tried to swat Prince with it.

Robin ran to where Henri’s mother lay. “I think she fainted!”

The others paid no attention. Maestro Antonio had picked up a pillow too, which he used as a shield, slowly edging toward Henri. Billy continued to run about the room, cursing in insect as he tried to whack the beetle. Sometimes he threw the pillow, but he missed Prince every time. His efforts only succeeded in causing further chaos as he broke a lamp and a china figurine.

Finally, Robin yelled in insect: “Everyone stop! Prince, come here now!”

To everybody’s surprise, the beetle flew toward Robin.

“Watch out!” yelled Billy. But he needn’t have worried. Prince landed two feet away from her and stood still.

“Prince, what are you doing?” cried Robin in despair.

Maestro Antonio quietly walked over and turned on the hearing-aid machine so that they could all hear his response.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? Nothing?!” said Robin hysterically. “This doesn’t look like nothing. Why are you attacking Henri? Why is Henri’s mother unconscious on the floor?”

The beetle chose to ignore the first question. Instead he asked, “Will she be all right?” Prince moved closer to Henri’s mother. There was a collective intake of breath.

“Take another step, you dirty bug, and I’ll finally have the perfect excuse to squash you!” said Billy, pillow in hand.

“Billy! I don’t think he means to harm her, do you, Prince?” asked Robin.

“No, I would never, ever hurt her. She’s…she’s Henri’s mother,” the beetle said.

“All right. I believe you. I think she’ll be fine, but why were you attacking Henri?” she asked.

Prince looked at Robin and then at Henri. “I was upset with him.”

“Why?” asked Henri.

“I don’t want to talk about it right now,” the beetle said.

“Someone get a damp cloth. Let’s get Henri’s mother on the bed,” said Robin.

Together Maestro Antonio and Billy lifted her while Henri fetched a cloth for his mother’s forehead. They all gathered around the bed, including Prince. In fact, much to everyone’s alarm, he flew and landed on the pillow right beside Henri’s mother’s head.

“How dare you? You must have a death wish,” said Billy. “If you hurt her in any way…”

“Stop it, Billy!” said Henri. “Prince, what are you doing there?”

“Nothing!” the beetle retorted sulkily.

“You already caused her to faint once,” said Billy. “She’ll probably faint again when she opens her eyes and sees your hideous face next to hers.”

“You’re right. I am hideous.” Prince crawled over to the next pillow, but he was still close to her face. “But it wasn’t me who caused her to faint. He did.” He tossed his horns toward Henri.

“Yes, it’s true. I…I told—well,
showed
—my mother what’s happening to me. Um…I guess it was a little more than she expected.”

“Obviously!” said Prince. “You should have done it more gently.”

“Well, it’s too bad Henri didn’t consult with you on the best way to break the news,” said Billy sarcastically.

“He should have,” said Prince simply.

“Why you—” spluttered Billy.

“Forget it, Billy,” said Henri. “Prince, are you going to tell me why you’re upset?”

“No.”

“I see. I’m sure you’ll understand then when I say that it’s very difficult to trust you. I would appreciate it if you move away from my mother. If you don’t, well, I’ll be forced to do something I don’t want to do.” Henri spoke with a new firmness in his voice.

Resignedly Prince spread his wings, flew back to the tea table and, of his own accord, entered his cage.

“I think it’s best if you stay somewhere else tonight,” said Henri.

“No! I don’t want to. Please let me stay here. I’ll stay in the cage. You can even lock it. I—I promise not to cause any more trouble. I’m—I’m sorry for hurting you, Henri.”

The beetle did sound sincere. Henri looked at his friends. Robin and Maestro Antonio shrugged. Billy snorted.

“You’re hiding something. You can’t fool me!” said Billy.

Henri sighed. He walked to the tea table and locked the door to the cage. “Prince, I think perhaps we need some time apart. You and I were cooped up together in the ship’s cabin for too long. You’ll have to stay with…with Tony tonight.”

“Can I come back here tomorrow?” Prince asked mournfully. He looked deflated and smaller in his cage.

“For the next few months you’ll be staying in the queen’s building at Earl’s Court during the exposition. I’ll see you every day.” Henri tried to sound cheery.

“Will your mother come to visit?” asked Prince.

Henri was surprised by this question. Prince was very fond of Robin, so perhaps the beetle preferred females, but Henri couldn’t see how he could have formed an attachment to his mother already.

“I’m sure she’ll want to visit once she gets over her shock about me,” said Henri.

With that, Maestro Antonio picked up the cage and walked to the door. Robin and Billy helped Henri tidy up the room and then left for the night. Henri pulled a chair up to the bed and sat down beside his mother. He felt worn out and baffled. What was wrong with Prince? Why was he so upset? Had seeing Henri with his mother somehow remind him of his own family he had left behind?

Unable to keep his eyes open any longer, Henri leaned forward in the chair and rested his head on the bed, using his arms as a pillow. He was almost asleep when he felt his mother take hold of his hand. She gave it a squeeze and whispered, “Everything will be fine, Henri. I love you, son.”

Henri didn’t open his eyes, but he smiled and whispered back, “I love you too.”

T
his year’s exposition, titled the British Empire Exhibition, was primarily focused upon scientific discoveries from the colonies. The insect circus featuring
Goliathus hercules
was the most eagerly anticipated exhibit, but there was also the Indian jungle designed by the renowned taxidermist, Rowland Ward. Many looked forward to a glimpse of the Victoria Diamond, a massive gemstone that had been discovered in South Africa.

There were amusements as well. As Henri, Robin, Billy, and the maestro entered the building, they saw a poster announcing:

Fortune-Telling and Eastern Mysticism

Be serenaded by gypsies!

Authentic Moorish Camp

Exotic North Africa

Rickshaws were for hire to take visitors around to all the attractions. There was even a house of distorting mirrors, just like at the circus.

“It’s like going home!” said Robin.

“Indeed it is. Just like old times!” said Maestro Antonio.

The show had opened, as it had so many times before, with the pyrotechnics of the fireflies. Starbursts and pinwheels were followed by the strains of the insect orchestra’s rendition of “God Save the Queen.” Robin once again performed her dance with the butterflies, and the fleas jumped to new heights in their routine.

Finally, the time had come for the new act! The glass tank that held the three rings of the insect circus was quickly removed and replaced with a wooden table. Upon the table were stacks of colorful paper. Maestro Antonio walked to the center of the stage and began his introduction.

“Ladies and gentlemen, tonight it is my pleasure—no, my honor—to introduce to you our newest performer. Only recently discovered in the deepest jungle of British Malaya, he is an insect so rare, so mysterious, that many believed him to be but a mythical creature!

“But be not afraid! Those who approach him with respect and understanding will discover a noble creature, the rightful king of the jungle! Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you
Goliathus hercules
!” roared Maestro Antonio.

From the ceiling, Prince descended with his enormous wings outstretched and skimmed the heads of the audience in a menacing fashion. Many people cried out and raised their hands to protect themselves. Prince did two furious circles, and then, with his sharp pinchers, he began to cut the dangling threads that held up little bags of sweets above the audience. There were cries of surprise and then delight as they fell into the laps of the spectators. When all the threads were cut, Prince landed gracefully on Maestro Antonio’s shoulder. The audience gasped.

Maestro Antonio remained calm. “Ladies and gentlemen,
Goliathus hercules
!”

There was wild applause and even a standing ovation.

“We actually call him Prince, after Prince Charming,” said Maestro Antonio with a chuckle. The audience twittered nervously. “Yes, he is fearsome looking,” he added.

At this comment, Prince gnashed his pinchers together, which sounded like a pair of rusty scissors opening and closing. Many in the audience shrieked and grabbed the hands of their companions. A child started to wail in fright.

“Now, now! There is no need to fear him. Let us not forget that we have dubbed him Prince. And indeed he is as charming as his namesake!

“Prince—and most insects—are preoccupied with many of the same concerns as we humans. They wonder about where they will get their next meal. They are concerned about providing a safe home for their families. And yes, like us, they wonder about the weather!” The audience joined the maestro in laughter.

“Did you know that most insects are quite fastidious in their grooming habits? They are not the dirty creatures they are often portrayed to be! In fact, Prince is really quite cultured.”

Maestro Antonio made a little nod toward the insect on his shoulder, and to the audience’s amazement, he seemed to bow back.

“Now, as you will no doubt be aware, our expedition party has recently returned from the tropics. I apologize that my appearance today is a tad untidy. I think this would be an excellent time for a mustache trim.”

The audience laughed. Maestro Antonio withdrew a small mirror from his coat pocket and looked at himself. Then he gave instructions to Prince in insect, and spectators gasped as the beetle’s pinchers carefully and quite expertly trimmed the maestro’s mustache.

“Well done! Why thank you, Prince!” said the maestro, looking into his mirror as the audience applauded. I couldn’t have done a better job myself.”

Maestro Antonio continued: “
Goliathus hercules
is most certainly the king of all insects, and since lions don’t live in the forests of Southeast Asia, I think it is quite fair to dub him king of the jungle! What are the qualities we expect of a king? We expect bravery and extraordinary skill on the battlefield.
Goliathus hercules
has both! We will now do a demonstration that will illustrate his agility, his exceptional coordination, and just how sharp those horns really are!”