er.

Le feu agonisait dans le foyer, sous la cendre noire des lettres; deux
bougies s'eteignirent; un meuble craqua.

Dans l'hotel tout etait muet, tout semblait mort, sauf la haute
horloge flamande de l'escalier qui, regulierement, carillonnait
l'heure, la demie et les quarts, chantait dans la nuit la marche du
Temps, en la modulant sur ses timbres divers.

La comtesse immobile sentait grandir en son ame une intolerable
terreur. Des cauchemars l'assaillaient; des idees effrayantes lui
troublaient l'esprit; et elle crut s'apercevoir que les doigts
d'Olivier se refroidissaient dans les siens. Etait-ce vrai? Non,
sans doute! D'ou lui etait venue cependant la sensation d'un contact
inexprimable et glace? Elle se souleva, eperdue d'epouvante, pour
regarder son visage.--Il etait detendu, impassible, inanime,
indifferent a toute misere, apaise soudain par l'Eternel Oubli.

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by Guy de Maupassant

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