“Bless me, oh, my uncle!” I cried.
My voice was choked with sobs, for I saw that I had arrived just in time to receive his last breath.
I felt the old man’s hands placed upon my forehead, and I fancied that I heard his voice murmuring feebly a prayer.
When the prayer was finished, he cried, “Oh, heaven, receive my spirit!”
I felt his hand slowly slipping from my brow.
I stayed a moment immovable, and then, taking his hands in mine, I raised myself gently, and looked at him.
He had fallen backwards, his head resting on his breast, and his eyes and mouth open.
But the mouth no longer had breath, and the light had departed from the eyes.
He was dead!