The light was within a foot of his eyes. I forced myself to murmur, 'Oh, nonsense!” and stood over him as if transfixed.

“Anything approaching the change that came over his features I have never seen before, and hope never to see again.

Oh, I wasn't touched. I was fascinated. It was as though a veil had been rent. I saw on that ivory face the expression of sombre pride, of ruthless power, of craven terror — of an intense and hopeless despair. Did he live his life again in every detail of desire, temptation, and surrender during that supreme moment of complete knowledge? He cried in a whisper at some image, at some vision — he cried out twice, a cry that was no more than a breath:

“The horror! The horror!”