A child’s voice said:—
“De profundis.”
The grave voice began again:—
“Requiem æternam dona ei, Domine.”
The child’s voice responded:—
“Et lux perpetua luceat ei.”
He heard something like the gentle patter of several drops of rain on the plank which covered him. It was probably the holy water.
He thought: “This will be over soon now. Patience for a little while longer. The priest will take his departure. Fauchelevent will take Mestienne off to drink. I shall be left. Then Fauchelevent will return alone, and I shall get out. That will be the work of a good hour.”
The grave voice resumed
“Requiescat in pace.”