The clear stars before him took to shuddering and he knew why; they shuddered at sight of what was behind him. He had never divined before that strange Things hid themselves from men, under pretence of being snow-clad mounds of swaying trees; but now...
His own true hidden reality that he had desired to know grew palpable, recognizable. It seemed to him just this: a great, glad, abounding hope that he had saved his brother; too expansive to be contained by the limited form of a sole man, it yearned ...
So they went running together, silent, toward the vast wastes of snow where no living thing but they two moved under the stars of night.
Like lightning she snatched her axe, and struck him on the neck - deep - once - twice - his life-blood gushed out, staining her feet. The stars touched midnight.
The last hour from midnight had lost half its quarters, and the stars went lifting up the great minutes...
