Seems to me, as above, to be about infidelity, as anybody that's tried desperately hard "to make an honest mistake" will agree. Specifically though, I feel there's an air of self-loathing here, the protagonist is disgusted by his own behaviour and consumed by guilt, but unable to resist his compulsions. "...guilt and disgrace keep the dead man awake..." Seems fairly self-explanatory, as with the crescendo "when they unearth these passages, will I appear to be proud, not if you're listening close enough......"
Seems to me, as above, to be about infidelity, as anybody that's tried desperately hard "to make an honest mistake" will agree. Specifically though, I feel there's an air of self-loathing here, the protagonist is disgusted by his own behaviour and consumed by guilt, but unable to resist his compulsions. "...guilt and disgrace keep the dead man awake..." Seems fairly self-explanatory, as with the crescendo "when they unearth these passages, will I appear to be proud, not if you're listening close enough......"