hofthosewholiverightfullythroughtheirhopesandvisionsoftheOtherworld,soletmedeclarethatallI’veseeesspecificallytomyownverypersonalcircumstances.Anybelieverwithevenalittleknowledgeoflifeafterdeathwouldknowthatamaltentinmystatewouldbehard-pressedtoseetheriversofHeaven.

    Inshort,I,whoamknownasMasterElegantEffendi,amdead,butIhavenotbeenburied,andthereforemysoulhasnotpletelyleftmybody.Thisextraordinarysituation,althoughnaturallymycaseisn’tthefirst,hasinflictedhorriblesufferingupontheimmortalpartofme.ThoughIotfeelmycrushedskullormydeposingbodycoveredinwounds,fullofbrokenbonesandpartiallysubmergedinice-coldwater,Idofeelthedeeptormentofmysoulstrugglingdesperatelytoescapeitsmortalcoil.It’sasifthewholeworld,alongwithmybody,weretragintoabolusofanguish.

    IlyparethistratothesurprisingsenseofreleaseIfeltduringtheunequaledmomentofmydeath.Yes,Iinstantlyuoodthatthewrettedtokillmewhenheuedlystruckmewithastoneandcrackedmyskull,butIdidn’tbelievehe’dfollh.IsuddenlyrealizedIefulman,somethingIhadn’tbeenawareofwhilelivingmylifeintheshadowsbetweenworkshopandhousehold.Igpassionately

    tolifewithmynails,myfingersandmyteeth,whichIsankintohisskin.Iwon’tboreyouwiththepainfuldetailsofthesubsequentblowsIreceived.

    WheninthecourseofthisagonyIknewIwoulddie,anincrediblefeelingofrelieffilledme.Ifeltthisreliefduringthemomentofdeparture;myarrivaltothissidewassoothing,likethedreamofseeingoneselfasleep.Thesnow-andmud-coveredshoesofmymurdererwerethelastthingsInoticed.IyeyesasifIweregoingtosleep