The dead die hard, trespassers on the beyond, they must take the place as they find it, the shafts and manholes back into the muck, till such time as the lord of the manor incurs through his long acquiescence a duty of care in respect of them. They are free among the dead by all means, then their troubles are over, their natural troubles. But the debt of nature, that scandalous post-obit on one's own estate, can no more be discharged by kicking the bucket than descent can be made into the same stream twice. This is a true saying.
The passage reflects on the concept of death and the burdens it carries. It suggests that the dead must accept their fate and the circumstances surrounding their demise. The metaphor of "shafts and manholes" indicates a descent into the depths of life and existence, where the dead must navigate their surroundings until someone takes responsibility for their state, which highlights the indifference of life and the living towards the deceased.
Furthermore, the quote emphasizes the inevitability of nature's cycle and the notion that death does not absolve one of duty or responsibility. The line about not being able to enter the same stream twice serves as a philosophical reminder of life's permanence and the continuous flow of time. It encapsulates the idea that one's existence remains tied to the impacts they leave behind, and death is just another phase that cannot erase those ties.
