HewasnolongerEdgarByrne。Hewasatorturedsoulsufferingmoreanguishthananysinner\'sbodyhadeversufferedfromrackorboot。ThedepthofhistormentmaybemeasuredwhenIsaythatthisyoungman，asbraveatleastastheaverageofhiskind，contemplatedseizingapistolandfiringintohisownhead。Butadeadly，chilly，langourwasspreadingoverhislimbs。Itwasasifhisfleshhadbeenwetplasterstiffeningslowlyabouthisribs。
Presently，hethought，thetwowitcheswillbecomingin，withcrutchandstick-horrible，grotesque，monstrous-affiliatedtothedevil-toputamarkonhisforehead，thetinylittlebruiseofdeath。Andhewouldn\'tbeabletodoanything。Tomhadstruckoutatsomething，buthewasnotlikeTom。Hislimbsweredeadalready。Hesatstill，dyingthedeathoverandoveragain；andtheonlypartofhimwhichmovedwerehiseyes，turningroundandroundintheirsockets，runningoverthewalls，thefloor，theceiling，againandagaintillsuddenlytheybecamemotionlessandstony-startingoutofhisheadfixedinthedirectionofthebed。
Hehadseentheheavycurtainsstirandshakeasifthedeadbodytheyconcealedhadturnedoverandsatup。Byrne，whothoughttheworldcouldholdnomoreterrorsinstore，felthishairstirattheroots。Hegrippedthearmsofthechair，hisjawfell，andthesweatbrokeoutonhisbrowwhilehisdrytongueclovesuddenlytotheroofofhismouth。Againthecurtainsstirred，butdidnotopen。\"Don\'t，Tom!\"Byrnemadeefforttoshout，butallheheardwasaslightmoansuchasanuneasysleepermaymake。Hefeltthathisbrainwasgoing，for，now，itseemedtohimthattheceilingoverthebedhadmoved，hadslanted，andcamelevelagain-andoncemoretheclosedcurtainsswayedgentlyasifabouttopart。
Byrneclosedhiseyesnottoseetheawfulapparitionoftheseaman\'scorpsecomingoutanimatedbyanevilspirit。Intheprofoundsilenceoftheroomheenduredamomentoffrightfulagony，thenopenedhiseyesagain。Andhesawatoncethatthecurtainsremainedclosedstill，butthattheceilingoverthebedhadrisenquiteafoot。Withthelastgleamofreasonlefttohimheunderstoodthatitwastheenormousbaldaquinoverthebedwhichwascomingdown，whilethecurtainsattachedtoitswayedsoftly，sinkinggraduallytothefloor。Hisdroopingjawsnappedto-andhalfrisinginhischairhewatchedmutelythenoiselessdescentofthemonstrouscanopy。Itcamedowninshortsmoothrushestillloweredhalfwayormore，whenittookarunandsettledswiftlyitsturtle-backshapewiththedeepborderpiecefittingexactlytheedgeofthebedstead。Aslightcrackortwoofwoodwereheard，andtheoverpoweringstillnessoftheroomresumeditssway。
Byrnestoodup，gaspedforbreath，andletoutacryofrageanddismay，thefirstsoundwhichheisperfectlycertaindidmakeitswaypasthislipsonthisnightofterrors。Thisthenwasthedeathhehadescaped!ThiswasthedevilishartificeofmurderpoorTom\'ssoulhadperhapstriedfrombeyondthebordertowarnhimof。Forthiswashowhehaddied。Byrnewascertainhehadheardthevoiceoftheseaman，faintlydistinctinhisfamiliarphrase，\"Mr。Byrne!Lookout，sir!\"andagainutteringwordshecouldnotmakeout。Butthenthedistanceseparatingthelivingfromthedeadissogreat!PoorTomhadtried。Byrnerantothebedandattemptedtoliftup，topushoffthehorriblelidsmotheringthebody。Itresistedhisefforts，heavyaslead，immovablelikeatombstone。Therageofvengeancemadehimdesist；