Chapter XXXVI

ereallinfragmentsinthefireplace.Then,desperately,sheaddedthelettersEdwardhadwrittentoherandappliedamatch.Shewatchedthemcurlandfrizzleandburnandpresentlytheywereashes. Shesankonachair,exhaustedbytheeffort,butquicklyrousedherself.Shedranksomewater,nervingherselfforamoreterribleordealforsheknewthatonthenextfewhoursdependedherfuturepeace. Bynowthenightwaslate,astormynightwiththewindhowlingthroughtheleaflesstrees.Berthastartedwhenitbeatagainstthewindowswithascreamthatwasnearlyhuman.Afearseizedherofwhatshewasabouttodo,butshewasdrivenbyagreaterfear.Shetookacandle,andopeningthedoor,listened.Therewasnoonethewindroaredwithitslongmonotonousvoice,andthebranchesofatreebeatingagainstawindowinthepassagegaveaghastlytap-tap,asifunseenspiritswerenear. Theliving,inthepresenceofdeath,feelthatthewholeairisfullofsomethingnewandterrible.Agreatersensitivenessperceivesaninexplicablefeelingofsomethingpresent,orofsomehorriblethinghappeninginvisibly.Berthawalkedtoherhusband’sroomandforawhiledarednotenter.Atlastsheopenedthedoor,shelitthecandlesonthechimney-pieceandonthedressing-table,thenwenttothebed.Edwardwaslyingonhisback,withahandkerchiefboundroundhisjawtoholditup,hishandscrossedinfront. Berthastoodinfrontofthecorpseandlooked.Theimpressionoftheyoungmanpassedaway,andshesawhimasintruthhewas,stout,red-faced,withthevenulesofhischeeksstandingoutdistinctlyinapurplenetworkthesidesofhisfacewereprominentasoflateyearstheyhadbecomeandhehadlittlesidewhiskers.Hisskinwaslinedalreadyandrough,thehairoverthefrontofhisheadwasscanty,andthescalpwasvisible,shinyandwhite.Thehandswhichoncehaddelightedherbytheirstrength,sothatshecomparedthemwiththeporphyryhandsofanunfinishedstatue,nowwererepellentintheircoarsenes