They kept referring to it as "declining," even though she herself was fascinated by it, the changes it was going through, following the rules of its nature day by day, independent of her will.
Referiam-se a ele como "decadente", embora ela própria estivesse fascinada por ele, pelas mudanças pelas quais ele passava, seguindo as leis da natureza dia após dia, independentemente do desejo dela.