136 TWO NEW WORLDS 



the suprarstar. The galaxies darting about within 

 the sphere of the supra-star resemble a swarm 

 of gnats dancing in the sun." 



Now, it has often been a subject of some curiosity 

 to know what these swarming gnats were doing. 

 Zoologists no doubt have their theories ; but what- 

 ever they be, we can imagine that the gnats in their 

 sport are leading a very intense and presumably 

 joyous kind of life a life in which considerations 

 of food play a very subordinate part. Each gnat 

 consists of about a trillion atoms, arranged in cells 

 and groups fulfilling various functions, the chief 

 items of expenditure being connected with loco- 

 motive activities. A small speck of protoplasm 0*1 

 micron in diameter contains as many atoms as 

 the Milky Way contains stars. An amoeba lives 

 in water, which shields it from the dire effects 

 of gravitational acceleration, and which, by its 

 dissociating power, furnishes it with certain ions 

 or chemical substances made appetising, so to speak, 

 by the relish of an electric charge. Its own sub- 

 stance consists largely of water, which in its turn 

 consists of molecules, ternary stars, so to speak, 

 revolving almost in contact two hydrogen satellites 

 about an oxygen sun. When the amoeba is hungry 

 it fuses its own body round about a desirable victim, 

 and absorbs a number of star-clusters, shall we 

 say? which, after a short sojourn among the 

 counter-attractions of the amoeba's other star- 



