“Why do you fear? What’s the use? The thing is upon you. It is here. You must die. And now!” Clarinda smiled, her satisfaction was intense. Had he not murdered her? Had he not destroyed her? Was not her destruction greater than the destruction she passed on to him?
The old man gasped and his heart beat with fury in his breast. He could barely see her as she sat before him. He could not understand this curious change that had come to her, his Clarinda, the thing he had loved and worshiped.
“Why this, Clarinda, when you know my condition?” he stuttered.
“I will tell you,” she said intensely. “Through all my life you aimed to destroy me, even from my youth.”
As she was about to continue the door opened and Peter rushed into the room. Clarinda sprang quickly from her chair, as she heard him enter. He cast a look toward the huddled heap in the chair, and in a moment he saw that it was dead.
“What has happened? I suspected that you were up to something,” he said.
“You are the matter,” Clarinda replied turning from him and walking to the other side of the room.
“What have I done?” he asked, his face turning pale.
“You ask!” Clarinda exclaimed.
“I ask,” he said with wonder in his voice.