From the very beginning of Saint Sebastian’s Abyss, we see how close Schmitt and the narrator are, whose name we never know. We see their relationship unfold into a clump of hatred they both have towards each other. Both very intelligent men, who have such a passion for art, yet such difference of opinions on different painting’s. How could this be if they were always the best of friends?
The narrator held on to false hope of Schmitt finding out what the letters meant though all these years, maybe so they could catch back up and rekindle their relationship. Once Schmitt dies and he finds out how close he was to finding these unforgotten letters at the bottom of the painting of Saint Sebastian’s Abyss, part of him dies too. All these years of hatred and friendship for nothing. To realize the one thing they were most passionate about just died with Schmitt.
Once the death of Schmitt, he seeks and hunts to find out what the clues Schmitt left mean, which lead to nothing. An emptiness he feels as he cannot find the most important thing he longs for. After years of obsessing over this painting he eventually feels nothing. He is gutted. I think he realizes he lost one of the most important people in his life a long time ago, but realized it when it was to late. Therefore that’s why he feels empty and the last time he looks at the painting, its as if he is looking at a blank canvas. The person he enjoyed the most was not there to give him a hard time, or even bond over their love for this painting. Instead he is left with many questions that will never be answered or thought of again.