She crouched down at the side of the bed, and Fitzpiers took a seat.

Thus they remained in silence, and long as it lasted she never turned her eyes, or apparently her thoughts, at all to her husband.

He occasionally murmured, with automatic authority, some slight directions for alleviating the pain of the dying man, which she mechanically obeyed, bending over him during the intervals in silent tears.
Winterborne never recovered consciousness of what was passing; and that he was going became soon perceptible also to her.

In less than an hour the delirium ceased; then there was an interval of somnolent painlessness and soft breathing, at the end of which Winterborne passed quietly away.
Then Fitzpiers broke the silence.

"Have you lived here long ?" said he.
Grace was wild with sorrow--with all that had befallen her--with the cruelties that had attacked her--with life--with Heaven.