For embedded in all this greedy commotion there was also a flickering and fluttering of forest-deep darkness. Self-interest peered through the windows of mournful eyes like a lantern left burning in broad daylight when a man with black crepe on the sleeve of a black garment that was a blend of condolence and business suit appeared at the door and stopped, apparently waiting for either himself or Ulrich to burst into sobs. But when after a few seconds neither had done so, the man seemed to consider the gesture sufficient, for now he entered the room entirely and introduced himself, in the same manner in which any other tradesman would have, as the director of the funeral parlor. He said he had come to inquire if Ulrich was satisfied with the services that had been rendered thus far, and assured him that everything else would be conducted in a manner that even the blessed Herr Papa, difficult to please as he famously was, would have found absolutely unimpeachable. He pressed into Ulrich’s hand a sheet of paper equipped with blocks of small print and rectangles that turned out to be a contract form itemizing all classes of funerals, and forced him to read particular words, such as: . . . eight horses or two horses . . . wreath carriages . . . number of . . . harnesses à la . . . with outriders, silver-plated . . . attendants à la . . . torches in Marienburg style . . . in Admont style . . . number of attendants . . . illumination, style of . . . illumination, duration of . . . coffin woods . . . floral tributes . . . name, date of birth, sex, profession . . . disclaimer of liability for any unforeseen . . . Ulrich had no idea where some of the more antiquated terms came from; he inquired, the funeral director looked at him with surprise, and he too had no idea. He stood in front of Ulrich like a reflex arc in the brain of humanity, a link between stimulus and response that required no consciousness. A centuries-old tradition had been entrusted to this merchant of mourning, who was at liberty to invoke it as his product description. Evidently he felt that Ulrich had loosened a screw that should have been left untouched, and quickly sought to tighten it again with a remark that was intended to expedite the delivery to its destination. He explained that all these distinctions were unfortunately prescribed by the statutes of the national association of undertakers, but that it really didn’t matter if they were ignored, as indeed they always were, and if Ulrich would be kind enough to sign—since Madam, his sister, had declined to do so yesterday without first consulting her brother—it would simply indicate that the gentleman was in accord with the instructions left by his father, and he could be assured of a first-class operation.