is way--never!
Notwithstanding which, in one frenzied moment in which she had known
naught but her delirium, her loaded whip had found it for her--the way!

And yet it being so found, and she stood staring, seeing what she had
done--seeing what had befallen--'twas as if the blow had been struck not
at her own temple but at her heart--a great and heavy shock, which left
her bloodless, and choked, and gasping.

"What! what!" she panted. "Nay! nay! nay!" and her eyes grew wide and
wild.

She sank upon her knees, so shuddering that her teeth began to chatter.
She pushed him and shook him by the shoulder.

"Stir!" she cried in a loud whisper. "Move thee! Why dost thou lie so?
Stir!"

Yet he stirred not, but lay inert, only with his lips drawn back, showing
his white teeth a little, as if her horrid agony made him begin to laugh.
Shuddering, she drew slowly nearer, her eyes more awful than his own. Her
hand crept shaking to his wrist and clutched it. There was naught
astir--naught! It stole to his breast, and baring it, pressed close.
That was still and moveless as his pulse; for life was ended, and a
hundred mouldering years would not bring more of death.

"I have _killed_ thee," she breathed. "I have _killed_ thee--though I
meant it not--even hell itself doth know. Thou art a dead man--and this
is the worst of all!"

His hand fell heavily from hers, and she still knelt staring, such a look
coming into her face as throughout her life had never been there
before--for 'twas the look of a creature who, being tortured, the worst
at last being reached, begins to smile at Fate.

"I have killed him!" she said, in a low, awful voice; "and he lies
here--and outside people walk, and know not. But _he_ knows--and I--and
as he lies methinks he smiles--knowing what he has done!"

She crouched even lower still, the closer to behold him, and indeed it
seemed his still face sneered as if defying her now to rid herself of
him! 'Twas as though he lay there mockingly content, saying, "Now that I
lie here, 'tis for _you_--for _you_ to move me."

She rose and stood up rigid, and all the muscles of her limbs were drawn
as though she were a creature stretched upon a rack; for the horror of
this which had befallen her seemed to fill the place about her, and leave
her no air to breathe nor light to see.

"Now!" she cried, "if I would give way--and go mad, as I could but do,
for there is naught else left--if I would but give wa