his past loves and his past fears : mindful fabrications of these now resided together as hollow effigies of emotions he had once had ; effigies which were full-figured , yet dull and dilute and featureless ; effigies which could be easily reduced to ashes in a matter of moments , never once , in all the heat of their combustion , managing to thaw those heart-contorting originals from which they were artlessly fashioned .