"'A Triton among minnows,' remarked Valiant, not entirely under his
breath; 'horses obey, and students admire, and there is no end to her
greatness.'

"'There is an end to everything, Edward,' she remarked a shade sadly and
quietly.

"He turned to me and said: 'Science is a great study, Marmion, but it is
sardonic too; for you shall find that when you reduce even a Triton to
its original elements--'

"'Oh, please let me finish,' she interrupted softly. 'I know the lecture
so well. It reads this way: "The place of generation must break to give
place to the generated; but the influence spreads out beyond the
fragments, and is greater thus than in the mass--neither matter nor mind
can be destroyed. The earth was molten before it became cold rock and
quiet world." There, you see, Marmy, that I am a fellow-student of
yours.'

"Valiant's eyes were ugly to watch; for she had quoted from a lecture of
his, delivered to us that week. After an instant he said, with slow
maliciousness: 'Oh, ye gods, render me worthy of this Portia, and teach
her to do as Brutus's Portia did, ad eternum!'

"She shuddered a little, then said very graciously, and as if he had
meant nothing but kindness: 'Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks.'
I will leave you now to your cigarettes; and because I must go out soon,
and shall not, I fear, see you again this afternoon, good-bye, Marmy,
till Saturday--till Saturday.' And she left us.