"And think of the myriads of these creatures which must have laboured to produce such an effect," said an engineer.
Quiroga, so the doctor was called, ended by showing them a drop of water. One by one they all looked at the invisible world revealed by the microscope.
"I see one animal larger than the others," said the Duke, as he applied one of his prominent eyes to the tube of the instrument.
"And you will see all the others fly before him," said the doctor.
"Very true."
"That is a rotifer. He is the shark of the drop of water."
"Look yourself a minute, it seems to me that he is hiding behind something that looks like seaweed."
"You may call it seaweed. Perhaps he is hiding to catch his prey."
"Yes, yes. Now he has rushed out on a much smaller creature. It is gone, he must have eaten it."
And the Duke looked up, beaming with satisfaction at having seen this strange microscopic tragedy.