272 AN ODD LIFE.
year — the agony of a condemned criminal who does not know on what day he is to be execu — "
His voice failed suddenly. He had slightly raised him- self on his pillow in his excitement, but now his head fell back, revealing the fatal white patches on the baby throat. I seized his hand quickly to feel his pulse. The little palm lay cold in mine. I started violently and sat up rigidly in my chair.
The child was dead. Downton was sobbing at my side.
As I was writing out the certificate, an odd thought came into my head. I scribbled what I thought an appropriate epitaph and showed it to Downton, but he glared at me furiously. I hastened home to bed.
My epitaph ran :
HERE LIES
WILLIAM ("WILLY") STREETSIDE,
WHO LED A DOUBLE LIFE,
AND DIED IN BLAMELESS REPUTE,
AT THE AVERAGE AGE
OF 39 YEARS.
c * 4nd in their death they were not divided"
