Download - Dark Tales - House of Usher - Story

8/12/2019 Dark Tales - House of Usher - Story

1/11

The Fall of the House of Usher

by Edgar Allan Poe

(1839)

Son coeur est un luth suspendu;

Sitt quon le touche il r!sonne"De Branger.

#$%&' the hole o* a dull+ dar,+ and soundless day in the autu-n o* the year+ hen the clouds

hung oppressi.ely lo in the hea.ens+ & had been passing alone+ on horsebac,+ through a

singularly dreary tract o* country; and at length *ound -ysel*+ as the shades o* the e.ening dre

on+ ithin .ie o* the -elancholy /ouse o* $sher" & ,no not ho it as 00 but+ ith the *irst

gli-pse o* the building+ a sense o* insu**erable gloo- per.aded -y spirit" & say insu**erable; *or

the *eeling as unrelie.ed by any o* that hal*0pleasurable+ because poetic+ senti-ent+ ith hich

the -ind usually recei.es e.en the sternest natural i-ages o* the desolate or terrible" & loo,ed

upon the scene be*ore -e 00 upon the -ere house+ and the si-ple landscape *eatures o* the

do-ain 00 upon the blea, alls 00 upon the .acant eye0li,e indos 00 upon a *e ran, sedges 00and upon a *e hite trun,s o* decayed trees 00 ith an utter depression o* soul hich & can

co-pare to no earthly sensation -ore properly than to the a*ter0drea- o* the re.eller upon opiu-

00 the bitter lapse into e.eryday li*e 00 the hideous dropping o** o* the .eil" here as an iciness+

a sin,ing+ a sic,ening o* the heart 00 an unredee-ed dreariness o* thought hich no goading o*

the i-agination could torture into aught o* the subli-e" 2hat as it 00 & paused to thin, 00 hat

as it that so unner.ed -e in the conte-plation o* the /ouse o* $sher &t as a -ystery all

insoluble; nor could & grapple ith the shadoy *ancies that croded upon -e as & pondered" &

as *orced to *all bac, upon the unsatis*actory conclusion+ that hile+ beyond doubt+ there are

co-binations o* .ery si-ple natural ob4ects hich ha.e the poer o* thus a**ecting us+ still the

analysis o* this poer lies a-ong considerations beyond our depth" &t as possible+ & re*lected+

that a -ere di**erent arrange-ent o* the particulars o* the scene+ o* the details o* the picture+

ould be su**icient to -odi*y+ or perhaps to annihilate its capacity *or sorro*ul i-pression;

and+ acting upon this idea+ & reined -y horse to the precipitous brin, o* a blac, and lurid tarn that

lay in unru**led lustre by the delling+ and ga5ed don 00 but ith a shudder e.en -ore thrilling

than be*ore 00 upon the re-odelled and in.erted i-ages o* the gray sedge+ and the ghastly tree0

ste-s+ and the .acant and eye0li,e indos"

'e.ertheless+ in this -ansion o* gloo- & no proposed to -ysel* a so4ourn o* so-e ee,s" &ts

proprietor+ %oderic, $sher+ had been one o* -y boon co-panions in boyhood; but -any years

had elapsed since our last -eeting" A letter+ hoe.er+ had lately reached -e in a distant part o*

the country 00 a letter *ro- hi- 00 hich+ in its ildly i-portunate nature+ had ad-itted o* noother than a personal reply" he 6S" ga.e e.idence o* ner.ous agitation" he riter spo,e o*

acute bodily illness 00 o* a -ental disorder hich oppressed hi- 00 and o* an earnest desire to see

-e+ as his best+ and indeed his only personal *riend+ ith a .ie o* atte-pting+ by the

cheer*ulness o* -y society+ so-e alle.iation o* his -alady" &t as the -anner in hich all this+

and -uch -ore+ as said 00 it the apparent heartthat ent ith his request 00hich alloed -e

no roo- *or hesitation; and & accordingly obeyed *orthith hat & still considered a .ery singular

su--ons"

Although+ as boys+ e had been e.en inti-ate associates+ yet & really ,ne little o* -y *riend"

/is reser.e had been alays e7cessi.e and habitual" & as aare+ hoe.er+ that his .ery ancient

*a-ily had been noted+ ti-e out o* -ind+ *or a peculiar sensibility o* te-pera-ent+ displayingitsel*+ through long ages+ in -any or,s o* e7alted art+ and -ani*ested+ o* late+ in repeated deeds

o* -uni*icent yet unobtrusi.e charity+ as ell as in a passionate de.otion to the intricacies+


2/11

perhaps e.en -ore than to the orthodo7 and easily recognisable beauties+ o* -usical science" &

had learned+ too+ the .ery re-ar,able *act+ that the ste- o* the $sher race+ all ti-e0honoured as it

as+ had put *orth+ at no period+ any enduring branch; in other ords+ that the entire *a-ily lay in

the direct line o* descent+ and had alays+ ith .ery tri*ling and .ery te-porary .ariation+ so

lain" &t as this de*iciency+ & considered+ hile running o.er in thought the per*ect ,eeping o* the

character o* the pre-ises ith the accredited character o* the people+ and hile speculating upon

the possible in*luence hich the one+ in the long lapse o* centuries+ -ight ha.e e7ercised uponthe other 00 it as this de*iciency+ perhaps+ o* collateral issue+ and the consequent unde.iating

trans-ission+ *ro- sire to son+ o* the patri-ony ith the na-e+ hich had+ at length+ so

identi*ied the to as to -erge the original title o* the estate in the quaint and equi.ocal

appellation o* the /ouse o* $sher 00 an appellation hich see-ed to include+ in the -inds o*

the peasantry ho used it+ both the *a-ily and the *a-ily -ansion"

& ha.e said that the sole e**ect o* -y so-ehat childish e7peri-ent 00that o* loo,ing don

ithin the tarn 00had been to deepen the *irst singular i-pression" here can be no doubt that the

consciousness o* the rapid increase o* -y superstition 00 *or hy should & not so ter- it 00

ser.ed -ainly to accelerate the increase itsel*" Such+ & ha.e long ,non+ is the parado7ical la o*

all senti-ents ha.ing terror as a basis" And it -ight ha.e been *or this reason only+ that+ hen &again upli*ted -y eyes to the house itsel*+ *ro- its i-age in the pool+ there gre in -y -ind a

strange *ancy 00 a *ancy so ridiculous+ indeed+ that & but -ention it to sho the .i.id *orce o* the

sensations hich oppressed -e" & had so or,ed upon -y i-agination as really to belie.e that

about the hole -ansion and do-ain there hung an at-osphere peculiar to the-sel.es and their

i--ediate .icinity 00 an at-osphere hich had no a**inity ith the air o* hea.en+ but hich had

ree,ed up *ro- the decayed trees+ and the gray all+ and the silent tarn 00 a pestilent and -ystic

.apour+ dull+ sluggish+ *aintly discernible+ and leaden0hued"

Sha,ing o** *ro- -y spirit hat mustha.e been a drea-+ & scanned -ore narroly the real

aspect o* the building" &ts principal *eature see-ed to be that o* an e7cessi.e antiquity" he

discoloration o* ages had been great" 6inute *ungi o.erspread the hole e7terior+ hanging in a

*ine tangled eb0or, *ro- the ea.es" et all this as apart *ro- any e7traordinary dilapidation"

'o portion o* the -asonry had *allen; and there appeared to be a ild inconsistency beteen its

still per*ect adaptation o* parts+ and the cru-bling condition o* the indi.idual stones" &n this there

as -uch that re-inded -e o* the specious totality o* old ood0or, hich has rotted *or long

years in so-e neglected .ault+ ith no disturbance *ro- the breath o* the e7ternal air" :eyond

this indication o* e7tensi.e decay+ hoe.er+ the *abric ga.e little to,en o* instability" Perhaps the

eye o* a scrutinising obser.er -ight ha.e disco.ered a barely perceptible *issure+ hich+

e7tending *ro- the roo* o* the building in *ront+ -ade its ay don the all in a 5ig5ag

direction+ until it beca-e lost in the sullen aters o* the tarn"

'oticing these things+ & rode o.er a short causeay to the house" A ser.ant in aiting too, -y

horse+ and & entered the othic archay o* the hall" A .alet+ o* stealthy step+ thence conducted

-e+ in silence+ through -any dar, and intricate passages in -y progress to the studioo* his

-aster" 6uch that & encountered on the ay contributed+ & ,no not ho+ to heighten the .ague

senti-ents o* hich & ha.e already spo,en" 2hile the ob4ects around -e 00 hile the car.ings o*

the ceilings+ the so-bre tapestries o* the alls+ the ebon blac,ness o* the *loors+ and the

phantas-agoric ar-orial trophies hich rattled as & strode+ ere but -atters to hich+ or to such

as hich+ & had been accusto-ed *ro- -y in*ancy 00 hile & hesitated not to ac,noledge ho

*a-iliar as all this 00 & still ondered to *ind ho un*a-iliar ere the *ancies hich ordinary

i-ages ere stirring up" n one o* the staircases+ & -et the physician o* the *a-ily" /is

countenance+ & thought+ ore a -ingled e7pression o* lo cunning and perple7ity" /e accosted-e ith trepidation and passed on" he .alet no thre open a door and ushered -e into the

presence o* his -aster"


3/11

he roo- in hich & *ound -ysel* as .ery large and lo*ty" he indos ere long+ narro+

and pointed+ and at so .ast a distance *ro- the blac, oa,en *loor as to be altogether inaccessible

*ro- ithin"


4/11

and there ere but peculiar sounds+ and these *ro- stringed instru-ents+ hich did not inspire

hi- ith horror"

o an ano-alous species o* terror & *ound hi- a bounden sla.e" & shall perish+ said he+ & must

perish in this deplorable *olly" hus+ thus+ and not otherise+ shall & be lost" & dread the e.ents o*

the *uture+ not in the-sel.es+ but in their results" & shudder at the thought o* any+ e.en the -ost

tri.ial+ incident+ hich -ay operate upon this intolerable agitation o* soul" & ha.e+ indeed+ noabhorrence o* danger+ e7cept in its absolute e**ect 00 in terror" &n this unner.ed 00 in this pitiable

condition 00& *eel that the period ill sooner or later arri.e hen & -ust abandon li*e and reason

together+ in so-e struggle ith the gri- phantas-+


5/11

& shall e.er bear about -e a -e-ory o* the -any sole-n hours & thus spent alone ith the -aster

o* the /ouse o* $sher" et & should *ail in any atte-pt to con.ey an idea o* the e7act character

o* the studies+ or o* the occupations+ in hich he in.ol.ed -e+ or led -e the ay" An e7cited and

highly diste-pered ideality thre a sulphureous lustre o.er all" /is long i-pro.ised dirges ill

ring *ore.er in -y cars" A-ong other things+ & hold pain*ully in -ind a certain singular

per.ersion and a-pli*ication o* the ild air o* the last alt5 o* ?on 2eber"

&"

&n the greenest o* our .alleys+

:y good angels tenanted+

nce a *air and stately palace 00

%adiant palace 00 reared its head"

&n the -onarch houghts do-inion 00

&t stood there=

'e.er seraph spread a pinion

.er *abric hal* so *air"

&&"


6/11

:anners yello+ glorious+ golden+

n its roo* did *loat and *lo;

(his 00 all this 00 as in the olden

i-e long ago)

And e.ery gentle air that dallied+

&n that seet day+

Along the ra-parts plu-ed and pallid+A inged odour ent aay"

&&&"

2anderers in that happy .alley

hrough to lu-inous indos sa

Spirits -o.ing -usically

o a lutes ell0tund la+

%ound about a throne+ here sitting

(Porphyrogene=)

&n state his glory ell be*itting+

he ruler o* the real- as seen"&?"

And all ith pearl and ruby gloing

2as the *air palace door+

hrough hich ca-e *loing+ *loing+ *loing+

And spar,ling e.er-ore+

A troop o* Echoes hose seet duty

2as but to sing+

&n .oices o* surpassing beauty+

he it and isdo- o* their ,ing"

?"

:ut e.il things+ in robes o* sorro+

Assailed the -onarchs high estate;

(Ah+ let us -ourn+ *or ne.er -orro

Shall dan upon hi-+ desolate=)

And+ round about his ho-e+ the glory

hat blushed and bloo-ed

&s but a di-0re-e-bered story

* the old ti-e ento-bed"

?&"

And tra.ellers no ithin that .alley+

hrough the red0litten indos+ see

?ast *or-s that -o.e *antastically

o a discordant -elody;

2hile+ li,e a rapid ghastly ri.er+

hrough the pale door+

A hideous throng rush out *ore.er+

And laugh 00 but s-ile no -ore"

& ell re-e-ber that suggestions arising *ro- this ballad led us into a train o* thought hereinthere beca-e -ani*est an opinion o* $shers hich & -ention not so -uch on account o* its

no.elty+ (*or other -en ha.e thought thus+) as on account o* the pertinacity ith hich he


7/11

-aintained it" his opinion+ in its general *or-+ as that o* the sentience o* all .egetable things"

:ut+ in his disordered *ancy+ the idea had assu-ed a -ore daring character+ and trespassed+ under

certain conditions+ upon the ,ingdo- o* inorgani5ation" & lac, ords to e7press the *ull e7tent+ or

the earnest abandono* his persuasion" he belie*+ hoe.er+ as connected (as & ha.e pre.iously

hinted) ith the gray stones o* the ho-e o* his *ore*athers" he conditions o* the sentience had

been here+ he i-agined+ *ul*illed in the -ethod o* collocation o* these stones 00 in the order o*

their arrange-ent+ as ell as in that o* the -any fungihich o.erspread the-+ and o* thedecayed trees hich stood around 00 abo.e all+ in the long undisturbed endurance o* this

arrange-ent+ and in its reduplication in the still aters o* the tarn" &ts e.idence 00the e.idence o*

the sentience 00as to be seen+ he said+ (and & here started as he spo,e+) in the gradual yet certain

condensation o* an at-osphere o* their on about the aters and the alls" he result as

disco.erable+ he added+ in that silent+ yet i-portunate and terrible in*luence hich *or centuries

had -oulded the destinies o* his *a-ily+ and hich -ade himhat & no sa hi- 00 hat he

as" Such opinions need no co--ent+ and & ill -a,e none"

ur boo,s 00 the boo,s hich+ *or years+ had *or-ed no s-all portion o* the -ental e7istence o*

the in.alid 00 ere+ as -ight be supposed+ in strict ,eeping ith this character o* phantas-" 2e

pored together o.er such or,s as the ?er.ert et @hartreuse o* resset; the :elphegor o*6achia.elli; the /ea.en and /ell o* Sedenborg; the Subterranean ?oyage o* 'icholas Bli--

by /olberg; the @hiro-ancy o* %obert


8/11

/a.ing deposited our -ourn*ul burden upon tressels ithin this region o* horror+ e partially

turned aside the yet unscreed lid o* the co**in+ and loo,ed upon the *ace o* the tenant" A

stri,ing si-ilitude beteen the brother and sister no *irst arrested -y attention; and $sher+

di.ining+ perhaps+ -y thoughts+ -ur-ured out so-e *e ords *ro- hich & learned that the

deceased and hi-sel* had been tins+ and that sy-pathies o* a scarcely intelligible nature had

alays e7isted beteen the-" ur glances+ hoe.er+ rested not long upon the dead 00 *or e

could not regard her unaed" he disease hich had thus ento-bed the lady in the -aturity o*youth+ had le*t+ as usual in all -aladies o* a strictly cataleptical character+ the -oc,ery o* a *aint

blush upon the boso- and the *ace+ and that suspiciously lingering s-ile upon the lip hich is so

terrible in death" 2e replaced and screed don the lid+ and+ ha.ing secured the door o* iron+

-ade our ay+ ith toil+ into the scarcely less gloo-y apart-ents o* the upper portion o* the

house"

And no+ so-e days o* bitter grie* ha.ing elapsed+ an obser.able change ca-e o.er the *eatures

o* the -ental disorder o* -y *riend" /is ordinary -anner had .anished" /is ordinary occupations

ere neglected or *orgotten" /e roa-ed *ro- cha-ber to cha-ber ith hurried+ unequal+ and

ob4ectless step" he pallor o* his countenance had assu-ed+ i* possible+ a -ore ghastly hue 00but

the lu-inousness o* his eye had utterly gone out" he once occasional hus,iness o* his tone asheard no -ore; and a tre-ulous qua.er+ as i* o* e7tre-e terror+ habitually characteri5ed his

utterance" here ere ti-es+ indeed+ hen & thought his unceasingly agitated -ind as labouring

ith so-e oppressi.e secret+ to di.ulge hich he struggled *or the necessary courage" At ti-es+

again+ & as obliged to resol.e all into the -ere ine7plicable .agaries o* -adness+ *or & beheld

hi- ga5ing upon .acancy *or long hours+ in an attitude o* the pro*oundest attention+ as i*

listening to so-e i-aginary sound" &t as no onder that his condition terri*ied 00 that it in*ected

-e" & *elt creeping upon -e+ by slo yet certain degrees+ the ild in*luences o* his on *antastic

yet i-pressi.e superstitions"

&t as+ especially+ upon retiring to bed late in the night o* the se.enth or eighth day a*ter the

placing o* the lady 6adeline ithin the don4on+ that & e7perienced the *ull poer o* such

*eelings" Sleep ca-e not near -y couch 00 hile the hours aned and aned aay" & struggled to

reason o** the ner.ousness hich had do-inion o.er -e" & endea.oured to belie.e that -uch+ i*

not all o* hat & *elt+ as due to the beildering in*luence o* the gloo-y *urniture o* the roo- 00

o* the dar, and tattered draperies+ hich+ tortured into -otion by the breath o* a rising te-pest+

sayed *it*ully to and *ro upon the alls+ and rustled uneasily about the decorations o* the bed"

:ut -y e**orts ere *ruitless" An irrepressible tre-our gradually per.aded -y *ra-e; and+ at

length+ there sat upon -y .ery heart an incubus o* utterly causeless alar-" Sha,ing this o** ith

a gasp and a struggle+ & upli*ted -ysel* upon the pillos+ and+ peering earnestly ithin the

intense dar,ness o* the cha-ber+ hear,ened 00 & ,no not hy+ e7cept that an instincti.e spirit

pro-pted -e 00 to certain lo and inde*inite sounds hich ca-e+ through the pauses o* thestor-+ at long inter.als+ & ,ne not hence" .erpoered by an intense senti-ent o* horror+

unaccountable yet unendurable+ & thre on -y clothes ith haste (*or & *elt that & should sleep no

-ore during the night)+ and endea.oured to arouse -ysel* *ro- the pitiable condition into hich

& had *allen+ by pacing rapidly to and *ro through the apart-ent"

& had ta,en but *e turns in this -anner+ hen a light step on an ad4oining staircase arrested -y

attention" & presently recognised it as that o* $sher" &n an instant a*terard he rapped+ ith a

gentle touch+ at -y door+ and entered+ bearing a la-p" /is countenance as+ as usual+

cada.erously an 00 but+ -oreo.er+ there as a species o* -ad hilarity in his eyes 00 an e.idently

restrained hysteriain his hole de-eanour" /is air appalled -e 00 but anything as pre*erable to

the solitude hich & had so long endured+ and & e.en elco-ed his presence as a relie*"


9/11

And you ha.e not seen it he said abruptly+ a*ter ha.ing stared about hi- *or so-e -o-ents in

silence 00 you ha.e not then seen it 00 but+ stay= you shall" hus spea,ing+ and ha.ing care*ully

shaded his la-p+ he hurried to one o* the case-ents+ and thre it *reely open to the stor-"

he i-petuous *ury o* the entering gust nearly li*ted us *ro- our *eet" &t as+ indeed+ a

te-pestuous yet sternly beauti*ul night+ and one ildly singular in its terror and its beauty" A

hirlind had apparently collected its *orce in our .icinity; *or there ere *requent and .iolentalterations in the direction o* the ind; and the e7ceeding density o* the clouds (hich hung so

lo as to press upon the turrets o* the house) did not pre.ent our percei.ing the li*e0li,e .elocity

ith hich they *le careering *ro- all points against each other+ ithout passing aay into the

distance" & say that e.en their e7ceeding density did not pre.ent our percei.ing this 00 yet e had

no gli-pse o* the -oon or stars 00 nor as there any *lashing *orth o* the lightning" :ut the under

sur*aces o* the huge -asses o* agitated .apour+ as ell as all terrestrial ob4ects i--ediately

around us+ ere gloing in the unnatural light o* a *aintly lu-inous and distinctly .isible

gaseous e7halation hich hung about and enshrouded the -ansion"

ou -ust not 00 you shall not behold this= said &+ shudderingly+ to $sher+ as & led hi-+ ith a

gentle .iolence+ *ro- the indo to a seat" hese appearances+ hich beilder you+ are -erelyelectrical pheno-ena not unco--on 00 or it -ay be that they ha.e their ghastly origin in the

ran, -ias-a o* the tarn" Det us close this case-ent; 00 the air is chilling and dangerous to your

*ra-e" /ere is one o* your *a.ourite ro-ances" & ill read+ and you shall listen; 00 and so e ill

pass aay this terrible night together"

he antique .olu-e hich & had ta,en up as the 6ad rist o* Sir Dauncelot @anning; but &

had called it a *a.ourite o* $shers -ore in sad 4est than in earnest; *or+ in truth+ there is little in

its uncouth and uni-aginati.e proli7ity hich could ha.e had interest *or the lo*ty and spiritual

ideality o* -y *riend" &t as+ hoe.er+ the only boo, i--ediately at hand; and & indulged a

.ague hope that the e7cite-ent hich no agitated the hypochondriac+ -ight *ind relie* (*or the

history o* -ental disorder is *ull o* si-ilar ano-alies) e.en in the e7tre-eness o* the *olly hich

& should read" @ould & ha.e 4udged+ indeed+ by the ild o.er0strained air o* .i.acity ith hich

he hear,ened+ or apparently hear,ened+ to the ords o* the tale+ & -ight ell ha.e congratulated

-ysel* upon the success o* -y design"

& had arri.ed at that ell0,non portion o* the story here Ethelred+ the hero o* the rist+ ha.ing

sought in .ain *or peaceable ad-ission into the delling o* the her-it+ proceeds to -a,e good an

entrance by *orce" /ere+ it ill be re-e-bered+ the ords o* the narrati.e run thus>

And Ethelred+ ho as by nature o* a doughty heart+ and ho as no -ighty ithal+ on

account o* the poer*ulness o* the ine hich he had drun,en+ aited no longer to hold parleyith the her-it+ ho+ in sooth+ as o* an obstinate and -alice*ul turn+ but+ *eeling the rain upon

his shoulders+ and *earing the rising o* the te-pest+ upli*ted his -ace outright+ and+ ith blos+

-ade quic,ly roo- in the plan,ings o* the door *or his gauntleted hand; and no pulling

thereith sturdily+ he so crac,ed+ and ripped+ and tore all asunder+ that the noise o* the dry and

hollo0sounding ood alaru--ed and re.erberated throughout the *orest"

At the ter-ination o* this sentence & started+ and *or a -o-ent+ paused; *or it appeared to -e

(although & at once concluded that -y e7cited *ancy had decei.ed -e) 00 it appeared to -e that+

*ro- so-e .ery re-ote portion o* the -ansion+ there ca-e+ indistinctly+ to -y ears+ hat -ight

ha.e been+ in its e7act si-ilarity o* character+ the echo (but a sti*led and dull one certainly) o* the

.ery crac,ing and ripping sound hich Sir Dauncelot had so particularly described" &t as+beyond doubt+ the coincidence alone hich had arrested -y attention; *or+ a-id the rattling o*

the sashes o* the case-ents+ and the ordinary co--ingled noises o* the still increasing stor-+ the


10/11

sound+ in itsel*+ had nothing+ surely+ hich should ha.e interested or disturbed -e" & continued

the story>

:ut the good cha-pion Ethelred+ no entering ithin the door+ as sore enraged and a-a5ed to

percei.e no signal o* the -alice*ul her-it; but+ in the stead thereo*+ a dragon o* a scaly and

prodigious de-eanour+ and o* a *iery tongue+ hich sate in guard be*ore a palace o* gold+ ith a

*loor o* sil.er; and upon the all there hung a shield o* shining brass ith this legend enritten00

2ho entereth herein+ a conqueror hath bin;

2ho slayeth the dragon+ the shield he shall in;

And Ethelred upli*ted his -ace+ and struc, upon the head o* the dragon+ hich *ell be*ore hi-+

and ga.e up his pesty breath+ ith a shrie, so horrid and harsh+ and ithal so piercing+ that

Ethelred had *ain to close his ears ith his hands against the dread*ul noise o* it+ the li,e hereo*

as ne.er be*ore heard"

/ere again & paused abruptly+ and no ith a *eeling o* ild a-a5e-ent 00 *or there could be nodoubt hate.er that+ in this instance+ & did actually hear (although *ro- hat direction it

proceeded & *ound it i-possible to say) a lo and apparently distant+ but harsh+ protracted+ and

-ost unusual screa-ing or grating sound 00 the e7act counterpart o* hat -y *ancy had already

con4ured up *or the dragons unnatural shrie, as described by the ro-ancer"

ppressed+ as & certainly as+ upon the occurrence o* the second and -ost e7traordinary

coincidence+ by a thousand con*licting sensations+ in hich onder and e7tre-e terror ere

predo-inant+ & still retained su**icient presence o* -ind to a.oid e7citing+ by any obser.ation+

the sensiti.e ner.ousness o* -y co-panion" & as by no -eans certain that he had noticed the

sounds in question; although+ assuredly+ a strange alteration had+ during the last *e -inutes+

ta,en place in his de-eanour"


11/11

hurried+ and gibbering -ur-ur+ as i* unconscious o* -y presence" :ending closely o.er hi-+ & at

length dran, in the hideous i-port o* his ords"

'ot hear it 00 yes+ & hear it+ and ha.e heard it" Dong 00 long 00 long 00 -any -inutes+ -any

hours+ -any days+ ha.e & heard it 00 yet & dared not 00 oh+ pity -e+ -iserable retch that & a-= 00 &

dared not 00 & darednot spea,= We hae put her liing in the tomb!Said & not that -y senses

ere acute & no"tell you that & heard her *irst *eeble -o.e-ents in the hollo co**in" & heardthe- 00 -any+ -any days ago 00 yet & dared not 00I dared not spea#!And no 00 to0night 00

Ethelred 00 ha= ha= 00 the brea,ing o* the her-its door+ and the death0cry o* the dragon+ and the

clangour o* the shield= 00 say+ rather+ the rending o* her co**in+ and the grating o* the iron hinges

o* her prison+ and her struggles ithin the coppered archay o* the .ault= h hither shall & *ly

2ill she not be here anon &s she not hurrying to upbraid -e *or -y haste /a.e & not heard her

*ootstep on the stair #o & not distinguish that hea.y and horrible beating o* her heart

6ad-an= 00 here he sprang *uriously to his *eet+ and shrie,ed out his syllables+ as i* in the e**ort

he ere gi.ing up his soul 00 $Madman! I tell you that she no" stands "ithout the door!$

As i* in the superhu-an energy o* his utterance there had been *ound the potency o* a spell 00 the

huge antique pannels to hich the spea,er pointed+ thre sloly bac,+ upon the instant+ theirponderous and ebony 4as" &t as the or, o* the rushing gust 00 but then ithout those doors

there didstand the lo*ty and enshrouded *igure o* the lady 6adeline o* $sher" here as blood

upon her hite robes+ and the e.idence o* so-e bitter struggle upon e.ery portion o* her

e-aciated *ra-e"

Download - Dark Tales - House of Usher - Story

Top Related