I -- I alone know how to mourn for him as he deserves.' But while we were still shaking hands, such a look of awful desolation came upon her face that I perceived she was one of those creatures that are not the playthings of Time. For her he had died only yesterday. And, by Jove! the impression was so powerful that for me, too, he seemed to have died only yesterday -- nay, this very minute. I saw her and him in the same instant of time -- his death and her sorrow -- I saw her sorrow in the very moment of his death. Do you understand? I saw them together -- I heard them together.
The narrator reflects on a profound moment of grief that transcends time, as he witnesses a woman's deep sorrow for a lost loved one. Even as they exchange greetings, her expression reveals a sense of unbearable despair, suggesting that for her, the death occurred just moments ago. This realization strikes the narrator with such intensity that he also feels as if the tragedy is fresh, drawing him into her emotional experience.
This shared moment of grief connects both the narrator and the woman to their lost loved one, emphasizing the timeless nature of sorrow. Despite the passage of time, her mourning feels immediate and all-consuming, highlighting how deeply personal loss impacts one's experience of time and memory. The interplay of their emotions suggests a strong bond between past and present, encapsulating the essence of mourning in a manner that resonates with the reader.
