Killing off characters

"Soon Larrie's worked up rage gave way to tears. 'There's no-one, no-one I have in life,' he cried. 'I wish I were dead.' Still John gave no answer. 'I'll kill myself,' Larrie went on. 'I'll kill us both. Indeed, it would be better if the world were rid of our sort.' "John reckoned without the determination of hysterics, but Larrie reckoned without his poor command over the car. He swerved to frighten John and, in a moment, the car was over the edge, falling ten or more feet to a ridge below. Larrie was thrown through the windscreen. A vein in his neck was severed and he bled to death among the wild lavender. John lay trapped by his legs beneath the body of the car. It was two hours before he was found. They took him to hospital in Cahors, and to save his life they were forced to amputate his right leg." [Chapter ends]. Angus Wilson, Anglo-Saxon Attitudes. I can't believe how brutally this author just killed off one of his characters. I feel shaken. I was rather attached to old Larrie and he's been dispatched with barely a drop of ink spilt.