Chapter 12, Part 2 Summary

When Christine awakes to find Claude already out of bed. She rushes to the studio, at first seeing nothing, until looking up at the huge picture on the wall, she discovers Claude hanging from the ladder in front of his unfinished picture. He hangs there facing his Woman as though looking at her with sightless eyes. Christine is filled with the mixed emotions of horror, grief, and anger. She collapses where they find her, lying half dead on the floor.

Sandoz takes charge of all the arrangements and the day of the funeral sees a small gathering of people arrive. One of the relatives, a second cousin, appears to be a prominent businessman who walks directly behind the hearse on the way to the cemetery. A distant woman relative surveys the remains of Claude's studio, sniffs, and departs. Christine is in...