‘Nonsense, my good man,’ said the undertaker, who was pretty well used to misery in all its shapes. ‘Nonsense!’

‘I tell you,’ said the man: clenching his hands, and stamping furiously on the floor, — ‘I tell you I won’t have her put into the ground. She couldn’t rest there. The worms would worry her — not eat her — she is so worn away.’

The undertaker offered no reply to this raving; but producing a tape from his pocket, knelt down for a moment by the side of the body.

‘Ah!’ said the man: bursting into tears, and sinking on his knees at the feet of the dead woman; ‘kneel down, kneel down — kneel round her, every one of you, and mark my words! I