He loosened his grasp and slipped
one hand over the heart. It would never beat again. The man was stone
dead. Arthur got up and straightened himself. The darkness was intense
still, and he could see nothing. Susie heard him, and at length she was
able to speak.
'Arthur what have you done?'
'I've killed him,' he said hoarsely.
'O God, what shall we do?'
Arthur began to laugh aloud, hysterically, and in the darkness his
hilarity was terrifying.
'For God's sake let us have some light.'
'I've found the matches,' said Dr Porhoet.
He seemed to awake suddenly from his long stupor. He struck one, and it
would not light. He struck another, and Susie took off the globe and the
chimney as he kindled the wick. Then he held up the lamp, and they saw
Arthur looking at them. His face was ghastly. The sweat ran off his
forehead in great beads, and his eyes were bloodshot. He trembled in
every limb. Then Dr Porhoet advanced with the lamp and held it forward.
They looked down on the floor for the man who lay there dead. Susie gave
a sudden cry of horror.
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