We Abandon Hope

           Icangivenoadequatedescriptionofthehorrorsofthenightwhichfollowed. Mercifullytheyweretosomeextentmitigatedbysleep,foreveninsuchapositionasoursweariednaturewillsometimesassertitself. ButI,atanyrate,founditimpossibletosleepmuch. Puttingasidetheterrifyingthoughtofourimpendingdoom —forthebravestmanonearthmightwellquailfromsuchafateasawaitedus,andInevermadeanypretensionstobebrave —thesilenceitselfwastoogreattoallowofit. Reader,youmayhavelainawakeatnightandthoughtthequietoppressive,butIsaywithconfidencethatyoucanhavenoideawhatavivid,tangiblethingisperfectstillness. Onthesurfaceoftheearththereisalwayssomesoundormotion,andthoughitmayinitselfbeimperceptible,yetitdeadensthesharpedgeofabsolutesilence. Butheretherewasnone. Wewereburiedinthebowelsofahugesnow-cladpeak. Thousandsoffeetaboveusthefreshairrushedoverthewhitesnow,butnosoundofitreachedus. WewereseparatedbyalongtunnelandfivefeetofrockevenfromtheawfulchamberoftheDead;andthedeadmakenonoise. DidwenotknowitwholaybypoorFoulata’sside?Thecrashingofalltheartilleryofearthandheavencouldnothavecometoourearsinourlivingtomb. Wewerecutofffromeveryechooftheworld—wewereasmenalreadyinthegrave.