\"Anotherskeleton！\"Isaidtomyself,kneelingandlayingmyhanduponit。Abodyitwas,however,andnoskeleton,thoughasnearlyoneasbodycouldwellbe。Itlayonitsside,andwasverycold——
notcoldlikeastone,butcoldlikethatwhichwasoncealive,andisalivenomore。ThecloserIlookedatit,theoftenerItouchedit,thelessitseemedpossibleitshouldbeotherthandead。Foronebewilderedmoment,Ifancieditoneofthewilddancers,aghostlyCinderella,perhaps,thathadlostherwayhome,andperishedinthestrangenightofanout—of—doorworld！Itwasquitenaked,andsowornthat,evenintheshadow,Icould,peeringclose,havecountedwithouttouchingthem,everyribinitsside。Allitsbones,indeed,wereasvisibleasiftight—coveredwithonlyathinelasticleather。Itsbeautifulyetterribleteeth,unseemlydisclosedbytheretractedlips,gleamedghastlythroughthedark。Itshairwaslongerthanitself,thickandveryfinetothetouch,andblackasnight。
Itwasthebodyofatall,probablygracefulwoman。——Howhadshecomethere？Notofherself,andalreadyinsuchwastedcondition,surely！Herstrengthmusthavefailedher;shehadfallen,andlainthereuntilshediedofhunger！Buthow,evenso,couldshebethusemaciated？Andhowcameshetobenaked？Wherewerethesavagestostripandleaveher？orwhatwildbeastswouldhavetakenhergarments？Thatherbodyshouldhavebeenleftwasnotwonderful！
Irosetomyfeet,stood,andconsidered。Imustnot,couldnotletherlieexposedandforsaken！Naturalreverenceforbadeit。Eventhegarmentofawomanclaimsrespect;herbodyitwereimpossibletoleaveuncovered！Irreverenteyesmightlookonit！Brutalclawsmighttossitabout！Yearswouldpasserethefriendlyrainswasheditintothesoil！——Butthegroundwashard,almostsolidwithinterlacingroots,andIhadbutmybarehands！
Atfirstitseemedplainthatshehadnotlongbeendead:therewasnotasignofdecayabouther！Butthenwhathadtheslowwastingoflifeleftofhertodecay？