In "The Dead Assassin" by Vaughn Entwistle, the imagery of carrying a burden to the hearse evokes a sense of solemnity and heaviness, which reflects the emotional weight of loss and mourning. The comparison to men walking through the thick silt of the Thames illustrates the struggle and difficulty involved in facing death, emphasizing a feeling of lethargy and an almost surreal experience in this moment of grief.

This quote highlights the somber atmosphere surrounding the funeral, where the act of transporting the deceased becomes a metaphor for the burden of sorrow. The underwater motion suggests a sense of entrapment and the inevitability of fate, portraying a vivid picture of how loss permeates the lives of those left behind, making the process seem both slow and laborious.