Chapters 10 - The Epoch of Decline and 11 - The Awakening Summary

Trueba, about seventy years old, returns to Clara's bed on the first night after she dies, stripping her corpse and examining it in great detail. He sleeps alongside her in profound sadness. He notes that he has lost, by actual measurement, four inches in height. He wonders if it is an invisible disease or, perhaps, simply the fulfillment of Férula's curse. While Clara is being buried the head of Nivea is rediscovered, now desiccated and ancient. Rather than cause a fuss, the head secretly is placed into Clara's coffin and buried with her. After Clara dies, the entire house falls into abject ruin. Trueba maintains his personal room and office but nobody else cares for the remainder of the sprawling campus. Trueba does, however...