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Itwasearly，andwhenfirstIgottomyroomIfeltlittleinclinedforsleep。Iwanderedtothewindow，anddrawingasidethecurtains，lookedoutuponthestill，starlitsky。AtleastI
shouldrestquietto-night。Theairwasveryclear，andtheskyseemedfullofstars。AsIstoodtherescrapsofschoolroomlearningcamebacktomymind。Thatthestarswereallsuns，surroundedperhapsintheirturnbyworldsaslargeorlargerthanourown。Worldsbeyondworlds，andothersfartherstill，whichnomanmightnumberorevendescry。Andaboutthedistanceofthosewonderfulsunstoo，——thatone，forinstance，atwhichIwaslooking，——whatwasitthatIhadbeentold？Thatourworldwasnotyetpeopled，perhapsnotyetformed，whentheactualspotoflightwhichnowstruckmysightfirststartedfromthestar’ssurface！
Whileitflashedalong，itselftheverysymbolofspeed，thewholeofmankindhadhadtimetobeborn，andlive，anddie！
Mygazedropped，andfelluponthedim，half-seenoutlineoftheDeadStone。Thatwomantoo。Whilethatonerayspeededtowardsmeherlifehadbeenlivedandended，andherbodyhadrottedawayintotheground。Howclosetogetherweallwere！Herlifeandmine；ourjoys，sufferings，deaths——allcrowdedtogetherintothespaceofoneflashoflight！Andyettherewasnothingtherebutahorribleskeletonofdeadbones，whileI——！