“Ah——hewasnotwell——youareright。Hewasill——hewasillwhenIcame。”
Therewasnothingmoretodoorsay。Shecroucheddownatthesideofthebed，andFitzpierstookaseat。Thustheyremainedinsilence，andlongasitlastedsheneverturnedhereyes，orapparentlyherthoughts，atalltoherhusband。Heoccasionallymurmured，withautomaticauthority，someslightdirectionsforalleviatingthepainofthedyingman，whichshemechanicallyobeyed，bendingoverhimduringtheintervalsinsilenttears。
Winterborneneverrecoveredconsciousnessofwhatwaspassing；andthathewasgoingbecamesoonperceptiblealsotoher。Inlessthananhourthedeliriumceased；thentherewasanintervalofsomnolentpainlessnessandsoftbreathing，attheendofwhichWinterbornepassedquietlyaway。
ThenFitzpiersbrokethesilence。“Haveyoulivedherelong？”
saidhe。