One moment, fate-stricken, I heard in the silence the heavy drip of something going pattering down into the pit--the next, darkness overwhelmed and the world ceased for me. * * * * * Did I ever see Zyp again? I know that some one came to me, lying entranced in a long, sick dream, who bore her resemblance, at least, and who spoke gentle words to me and put cold, sweet drink to my lips. But, when I woke at last, she was not there--only a kind, soft woman, a ministering nurse, who moved without noise, and foresaw all my fretful wants. If she came, she went and left no trace; and I know in my heart I am never to see her more. And here, month by month, I sit alone in the old haunted, crazy place--alone with my memories and my ghosts and my ancient fruitless regrets. Dolly and my father--the doctor, and those other two, found far away, welded in a dead embrace, and crushed and dinted one into the other--the fair and the ugly, all, all gone, and I am alone. I am not thirty, yet my hair is white and it is time I was gone. And to hear death knock at my door this very night would be ecstasy. [THE END.] TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES. The edition published by John Long (London, 1902) was referenced for most of the changes listed below. Minor spelling inconsistencies (_e.g._ finger-tips/finger tips, footfalls/foot-falls, etc.) and obsolete spellings (_e.g._ clew, grewsome, etc.) have been preserved. Alterations to the text: Add TOC. Assorted punctuation corrections. [Chapter V] Change (“It’s awful and _its_ grand, but there are always”) to _it’s_. “and she _fell_ at home among the flowers at once” to _felt_. “forever and a day, Mr. _Ralf_ Trender” to _Ralph_. “_Its_ naught that concerns you,” to _It’s_. [Chapter VIII] “on the _wash hand stand_ a rush candle” to _wash-hand stand_. [Chapter X] (glancing at me, “_Dad_ thought there ought to be) to _dad_. [Chapter XIV] “on which a protruding red _upperlip_ lay like” to _upper lip_. “I had been with him getting on a a year” delete one _a_. [Chapter XV] “eye to find flaws in my _phrasology_” to _phraseology_. [Chapter XVII] “something the fascinating figure she always was” add _of_ after _something_. [Chapter XVII] (“passion of the past” the _poet_ strove to explore) to _poets_. [Chapter XXI] “another weekly dissipation on _Hampsted_ heath is over” to _Hampstead_. [Chapter XXIII] (“Well, _its_ best,” I muttered at last) to _it’s_. [Chapter XXX] (“I mean it _to_,” I said) to _too_. [Chapter XLI] “It is the man’s _were wolf_, my good friend” to _werewolf_. [Chapter XLII] (“question, mon _frere_, and I will answer.”) to _frère_. [Chapter XLIII] “and sobbing like _an_ hysterical school-girl.” to _a_. [Chapter XLV] “I was doing so _matter-in-fact_ as to half-cure me” to _matter-of-fact_. [Chapter XLVI] “and well out of the _perdendicular_” to _perpendicular_. [Chapter LI] (to a patient I once attended. _Good night_.”) to _Good-night_. [Chapter LII]