see the whole scene over again in all its imposing reality.

"Quick," said the inspector. Thereupon one of the men put out his
hand, began to unsew the shroud, and taking hold of it by one end
suddenly laid bare the face of Marguerite.

It was terrible to see, it is horrible to relate. The eyes were
nothing but two holes, the lips had disappeared, vanished, and
the white teeth were tightly set. The black hair, long and dry,
was pressed tightly about the forehead, and half veiled the green
hollows of the cheeks; and yet I recognised in this face the
joyous white and rose face that I had seen so often.

Armand, unable to turn away his eyes, had put the handkerchief to
his mouth and bit it.

For my part, it was as if a circle of iron tightened about my
head, a veil covered my eyes, a rumbling filled my ears, and all
I could do was to unstop a smelling bottle which I happened to
have with me, and to draw in long breaths of it.

Through this bewilderment I heard the inspector say to Duval, "Do
you identify?"

"Yes," replied the young man in a dull voice.

"Then fasten it up and take it away," said the inspector.

The grave-diggers put back the shroud over the face of the
corpse, fastened up the coffin, took hold of each end of it, and