sting of life
left of her to decay?

Could she be still alive? Might she not? What if she were! Things went
very strangely in this strange world! Even then there would be little
chance of bringing her back, but I must know she was dead before I
buried her!

As I left the forest-hall, I had spied in the doorway a bunch of ripe
grapes, and brought it with me, eating as I came: a few were yet left on
the stalk, and their juice might possibly revive her! Anyhow it was all
I had with which to attempt her rescue! The mouth was happily a little
open; but the head was in such an awkward position that, to move the
body, I passed my arm under the shoulder on which it lay, when I found
the pine-needles beneath it warm: she could not have been any time dead,
and MIGHT still be alive, though I could discern no motion of the heart,
or any indication that she breathed! One of her hands was clenched hard,
apparently inclosing something small. I squeezed a grape into her mouth,
but no swallowing followed.

To do for her all I could, I spread a thick layer of pine-needles and
dry leaves, laid one of my garments over it, warm from my body, lifted
her upon it, and covered her with my clothes and a great heap of leaves:
I would save the little warmth left in her, hoping an increase to it
when the sun came back. Then I tried another grape, but could perceive
no slightest movement of mouth or throat.

"Doubt," I said to myself, "may be a poor encouragement to do anything,
but it is a bad reason for doing nothing." So tight was the skin upon
her bones that I dared not use friction.

I crept into the heap of leaves, got as close to her as I could, and
took her in my arms. I had not much heat left in me, but what I had
I would share with her! Thus I spent what remained of the night,
sleepless, and longing for the sun. Her cold seemed to radiate into me,
but no heat to pass from me to her.

Had I fled from the beautiful sleepers, I thought, each on her "dim,
straight" silver couch, to lie alone with such a bedfellow! I had
refused a lovely privilege: I was given over to an awful duty! Beneath
the sad, slow-setting moon, I lay with the dead, and watched for the
dawn.

The darkness had given way, and the eastern horizon was growing dimly
clearer, when I caught sight of a motion rather than of anything
that moved--not far from me, and close to the ground. It was the low
undulating of a large snake, which passed me in an unswerving line.
Pr