portrait of a lady

'you are invulnerable, you have no achilles' heel.
you will go on, and when you have prevailed
you can say: at this point many a one has failed.
but what have i, but what have i, my friend,
to give you, what can you receive from me?
only the friendship and the sympathy
of one about to reach her journey's end.'

[...]

well! and what if she should die some afternoon,
afternoon grey and smoky, evening yellow and rose;
should die and leave me sitting pen in hand
with smoke coming down above the housetops;
doubtful, for a while
not knowing what to feel or if i understand
or whether wise or foolish, tardy or too soon . . .
would she not have the advantage, after all?
this music is successful with a 'dying fall'
now that we talk of dying --
and should i have the right to smile?

[excerpts from ts eliot's "portrait of a lady"]