his handsome young son stuart was gone forever , and in his place was a wasted , warped invalid , a white faced boy with burning eyes and a strange sexless voice , who lived now entirely behind closed blinds the doctor and his wife grew used to hearing the nocturnal concerts every now and then the doctor went up to speak to the pale faced 'feminine ' creature who lived in the attic he could not help but note a mental deterioration the creature could no longer remember much of 'her past ' nevertheless they conversed pleasantly in french or in english for a little while , then the emaciated and distracted young person would turn to his books as if the father were n't there , and the father would go away .