Only then appeared my uncle, John Grimmer, who kept
quoting his favourite text at me--"Vanity of vanities. All is vanity,"
he said, adding: "Did I not tell you that it was thus years ago? Now you
have learned it for yourself. Only, Nephew Hubert, don't think that you
have finished with vanities yet, as I have, for I say that there are
plenty more to come for you."
Thus he seemed to talk on about this and other matters, such as what
would happen to his wealth and whether the hospitals would be quick
to seize the lands to which he had given it the reversion, till I grew
quite tired of him and wished that he would go away.
Then at length there was a great crash that I think disturbed him,
for he did go, saying that it was only another "vanity," after which I
seemed to fall asleep for weeks and weeks.
I woke up again for a warmth and brightness on my face caused me to open
my eyes. I lifted my hand to shield them from the brightness and noted
with a kind of wonder that it was so thin that the light shone through
it as it does through parchment, and that the bones were visible beneath
the skin.
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