MyDEARP，Youmayaswellcomenow。DandFareagreedthatIcannotholdoutbeyondto-morrowmidnight；andIthinktheyhavehitthetimeverynearly。
VALDEMAR
Ireceivedthisnotewithinhalfanhourafteritwaswritten，andinfifteenminutesmoreIwasinthedyingman’schamber。Ihadnotseenhimfortendays，andwasappalledbythefearfulalterationwhichthebriefintervalhadwroughtinhim。Hisfaceworealeadenhue；
theeyeswereutterlylustreless；andtheemaciationwassoextremethattheskinhadbeenbrokenthroughbythecheek-bones。Hisexpectorationwasexcessive。Thepulsewasbarelyperceptible。Heretained，nevertheless，inaveryremarkablemanner，bothhismentalpowerandacertaindegreeofphysicalstrength。Hespokewithdistinctnesstooksomepalliativemedicineswithoutaidand，whenIenteredtheroom，wasoccupiedinpencilingmemorandainapocket-book。Hewasproppedupinthebedbypillows。DoctorsD
andFwereinattendance。