THE TRIUMPH OF LIFE 



one. Has this uncanny world elves in its water 

 gorges that seek for hidden treasures? 



But there are the lights again. In their 

 illumination something of the true outline of 

 this black nether world suddenly unfolds it- 

 self. Something resembling delicate branches 

 of tiny trees appears. But no : the lanterns are 

 gone and now the picture suddenly illuminates 

 itself. Pale violet glass-like little apples from 

 which proceed a milky glow hang directly from 

 the bark of the twigs. On the oozy bottom lies 

 a ghostly star whose whole outline is shining. 

 The form is distinct, since to the rim of each 

 arm there is attached a green phosphorescent 

 glow. A shadow glides by, it has the long out- 

 line of a black fish. Now it has again plunged 

 into thie night, but a flash is seen in the direc- 

 tion in which it has disappeared, in the form of 

 a long streak of golden points, that move so 

 regularly that they seem fastened to the swim- 

 ming body of the fish. 



The riddle is solved. We are in an illuminat- 

 ed aquarium. The fish shine. A star fish lying 

 on the bottom shines. The individual plant-like 

 coral animals shine on the branches of the polyp 

 stems. Gradually it glimmers, glows and 

 sparkles all around. There comes the reddish 

 green double light back. It is indeed a fish, 

 one of the malacosteidae. It carries two lan- 

 terns^ the one close under the eye shines ruby 



