Chapter 8

           Hesaidthedeadhadsouls,butwhenIaskedhim

           Howthatcouldbe—Ithoughtthedeadweresouls,

           Hebrokemytrance.Don’tthatmakeyoususpicious

           Thatthere’ssomethingthedeadarekeepingback?

           Yes,there’ssomethingthedeadarekeepingback.

           —ROBERTFROST,"TWOWITCHES"

           TheweekbeforeChristmasisoftenaquietoneinafuneralparlor,Shadowlearned,oversupper.Mr.Ibisexplainedittohim."ThelingeringonesareholdingonforonefinalChristmas,"saidMr.Ibis,"orevenforNewYear’s,whiletheothers,theonesforwhomotherpeople’sjollityandcelebrationwillprovetoopainful,havenotyetbeentippedovertheedgebythatlastshowingofIt’saWonderfulLife,havenotquiteencounteredthefinalstraw,orshouldIsay,thefinalsprigofhollythatbreaksnotthecamel’sbutthereindeer’sback."Andhemadealittlenoiseashesaidit,halfsmirk,halfsnort,whichsuggestedthathehadjustutteredawell-honedphraseofwhichhewasparticularlyfond.IbisandJacquelwasasmall,family-ownedfuneralhome:oneofthelasttrulyindependentfuneralhomesinthearea,orsoMr.Ibismaintained."Mostfieldsofhumanmerchandisingvaluenationwidebrandidentities,"hesaid.Mr.Ibisspokeinexplanations:agentle,earnestlecturingthatputShadowinmindofacollegeprofessorwhousedtoworkoutattheMuscleFarmandwhocouldnottalk,couldonlydiscourse,expound,explain.