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He took off his coat, which he folded and placed on the parapet; then he
unbuttoned his waistcoat. As he was about to take it off, his hand
struck against something in the pocket. It was the red book which had
been given him by the librarian of the House of Lords: he drew it from
the pocket, examined it in the vague light of the night, and found a
pencil in it, with which he wrote on the first blank that he found these
two lines,--
"
I depart. Let my brother David take my place, and may he be happy!"
Then he signed, "Fermain Clancharlie, peer of England."
He took off his waistcoat and placed it upon the coat; then his hat,
which he placed upon the waistcoat. In the hat he laid the red book open
at the page on which he had written. Seeing a stone lying on the ground,
he picked it up and placed it in the hat. Having done all this, he
looked up into the deep shadow above him. Then his head sank slowly, as
if drawn by an invisible thread towards the abyss.
There was a hole in the masonry near the base of the parapet; he placed
his foot in it, so that his knee stood higher than the top, and scarcely
an effort was necessary to spring over it. He clasped his hands behind
his back and leaned over. "So be it," said he.
And he fixed his eyes on the deep waters. Just then he felt a tongue
licking his hands.
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