“First say the prayers,” ordered Virginie.
All knelt down and, while Warten shaved the dead man, it went:
“Come to his assistance, all ye saints of God; meet him, all ye angels of God: receiving his soul, offering it in the sight of the Most High....
“To Thee, O Lord, we commend the soul of Thy servant, that being dead to this world, he may live to Thee; and whatever sins he has committed in this life, through human frailty, do Thou, in Thy most merciful goodness, forgive....”
“Amen,” they answered.
Virginie shut her book, once more sprinkled holy water on the corpse and went home, praying as she went.
Zalia made the sign of the Cross and closed her husband’s eyes; then she laid a white towel on a little table by the bed and put the candle on it and the crucifix and the holy water.
Warten and Barbara took Zeen out of the bed and put him on a chair, washed him all over with luke-warm water, put a clean shirt on him and his Sunday clothes over him; then they laid him on the bed again.
“He’ll soon begin to must,” said Barbara.
“The weather’s warm.”