struggledtoreasonoffthenervousnesswhichhaddominionoverme。
Iendeavoredtobelievethatmuch，ifnotallofwhatIfelt，wasduetothebewilderinginfluenceofthegloomyfurnitureoftheroom-ofthedarkandtattereddraperies，which，torturedintomotionbythebreathofarisingtempest，swayedfitfullytoandfrouponthewalls，andrustleduneasilyaboutthedecorationsofthebed。Butmyeffortswerefruitless。Anirrepressibletremorgraduallypervadedmyframe；and，atlength，theresatuponmyveryheartanincubusofutterlycauselessalarm。Shakingthisoffwithagaspandastruggle，Iupliftedmyselfuponthepillows，and，peeringearnestlywithintheintensedarknessofthechamber，harkened-Iknownotwhy，exceptthataninstinctivespiritpromptedme-tocertainlowandindefinitesoundswhichcame，throughthepausesofthestorm，atlongintervals，Iknewnotwhence。Overpoweredbyanintensesentimentofhorror，unaccountableyetunendurable，IthrewonmyclotheswithhasteforIfeltthatIshouldsleepnomoreduringthenight，andendeavoredtoarousemyselffromthepitiableconditionintowhichIhadfallen，bypacingrapidlytoandfrothroughtheapartment。
Ihadtakenbutfewturnsinthismanner，whenalightsteponanadjoiningstaircasearrestedmyattention。IpresentlyrecogniseditasthatofUsher。Inaninstantafterwardherapped，withagentletouch，atmydoor，andentered，bearingalamp。Hiscountenancewas，asusual，cadaverouslywan-but，moreover，therewasaspeciesofmadhilarityinhiseyes-anevidentlyrestrained_hysteria_inhiswholedemeanor。Hisairappalledme-butanythingwaspreferabletothesolitudewhichIhadsolongendured，andIevenwelcomedhispresenceasarelief。
“Andyouhavenotseenit？”hesaidabruptly，afterhavingstaredabouthimforsomemomentsinsilence-“youhavenotthenseenit？-but，stay！youshall。”Thusspeaking，andhavingcarefullyshadedhislamp，hehurriedtooneofthecasements，andthrewitfreelyopentothestorm。
Theimpetuousfuryoftheenteringgustnearlyliftedusfromourfeet。Itwas，indeed，atempestuousyetsternlybeautifulnight，andonewildlysingularinitsterroranditsbeauty。Awhirlwindhadapparentlycollecteditsforceinourvicinity；fortherewerefrequentandviolentalterationsinthedirectionofthewind；andtheexceedingdensityofthecloudswhichhungsolowastopressupontheturretsofthehousedidnotpreventourperceivingthelife-likevelocitywithwhichtheyflewcareeringfromallpointsagainsteachother，withoutpassingawayintothedistance。Isaythateventheirexceedingdensitydidnotpreventourperceivingthis-yetwehadnoglimpseofthemoonorstars-norwasthereanyflashingforthofthelightning。Buttheundersurfacesofthehugemassesofagitatedvapor，aswellasallterrestrialobjectsimmediatelyaroundus，wereglowingintheunnaturallightofafaintlyluminousanddistinctlyvisiblegaseousexhalationwhichhungaboutandenshroudedthemansion。
“Youmustnot-youshallnotbeholdthis！”saidI，shudderingly，toUsher，asIledhim，withagentleviolence，fromthewindowtoaseat。“Theseappearances，whichbewilderyou，aremerelyelectricalphenomenanotuncommon-oritmaybethattheyhavetheirghastlyoriginintherankmiasmaofthetarn。Letusclosethiscasement；-theairischillinganddangeroustoyourframe。Hereisoneofyourfavoriteromances。Iwillread，andyoushalllisten；-andsowewillpassawaythisterriblenighttogether。”
TheantiquevolumewhichIhadtakenupwasthe“MadTrist“ofSirLauncelotCanning；butIhadcalleditafavoriteofUsher’smoreinsadjestthaninearnest；for，intruth，thereislittleinitsuncouthandunimaginativeprolixitywhichcouldhavehadinterestfortheloftyandspiritualidealityofmyfriend。Itwas，however，theonlybookimmediatelyathand；andIindulgedavaguehopethattheexcitementwhichnowagitatedthehypochondriac，mightfindreliefforthehistoryofmentaldisorderisfullofsimilaranomaliesevenintheextremenessofthefollywhichIshouldread。
CouldIhavejudged，indeed，bythewildoverstrainedairofvivacitywithwhichheharkened，orapparentlyharkened，tothewordsofthetale，Imightwellhavecongratulatedmyselfuponthesuccessofmydesign。
Ihadarrivedatthatwell-knownportionofthestorywhereEthelred，theherooftheTrist，havingsoughtinvainforpeaceableadmissionintothedwellingofthehermit，proceedstomakegoodanentrancebyforce。Here，itwillberemembered，thewordsofthenarrativerunthus：
“AndEthelred，whowasbynatureofadoughtyheart，andwhowasnowmightywithal，onaccountofthepowerfulnessofthewinewhichhehaddrunken，waitednolongertoholdparleywiththehermit，who，insooth，wasofanobstinateandmalicefulturn，but，feelingtherainuponhisshoulders，andfearingtherisingofthetempest，upliftedhismaceoutright，and，withblows，madequicklyroomintheplankingsofthedoorforhisgauntletedhand；andnowpullingtherewithsturdily，hesocracked，andripped，andtoreallasunder，thatthenoiseofthedryandhollow-soundingwoodalarummedandreverberatedthroughouttheforest。”
AttheterminationofthissentenceIstarted，andforamoment，paused；foritappearedtomealthoughIatonceconcludedthatmyexcitedfancyhaddeceivedme-itappearedtomethat，fromsomeveryremoteportionofthemansion，therecame，indistinctly，tomyears，whatmighthavebeen，initsexactsimilarityofcharacter，theechobutastifledanddullonecertainlyoftheverycrackingandrippingsoundwhichSirLauncelothadsoparticularlydescribed。Itwas，beyonddoubt，thecoincidencealonewhichhadarrestedmyattention；for，amidtherattlingofthesashesofthecasements，andtheordinarycomminglednoisesofthestillincreasingstorm，thesound，initself，hadnothing，surely，whichshouldhaveinterestedordisturbedme。Icontinuedthestory：
“ButthegoodchampionEthelred，nowenteringwithinthedoor，wassoreenragedandamazedtoperceivenosignalofthemalicefulhermit；but，inthesteadthereof，adragonofascalyandprodigiousdemeanor，andofafierytongue，whichsateinguardbeforeapalaceofgold，withafloorofsilver；anduponthewalltherehungashieldofshiningbrasswiththislegendenwritten-
Whoenterethherein，aconquerorhathbin；
Whoslayeththedragon，theshieldheshallwin；
AndEthelredupliftedhismace，andstruckupontheheadofthedragon，whichfellbeforehim，andgaveuphispestybreath，withashrieksohorridandharsh，andwithalsopiercing，thatEthelredhadfaintoclosehisearswithhishandsagainstthedreadfulnoiseofit，thelikewhereofwasneverbeforeheard。”
HereagainIpausedabruptly，andnowwithafeelingofwildamazement-fortherecouldbenodoubtwhateverthat，inthisinstance，IdidactuallyhearalthoughfromwhatdirectionitproceededIfounditimpossibletosayalowandapparentlydistant，butharsh，protracted，andmostunusualscreamingorgratingsound-
theexactcounterpartofwhatmyfancyhadalreadyconjuredupforthedragon’sunnaturalshriekasdescribedbytheromancer。
Oppressed，asIcertainlywas，upontheoccurrenceofthissecondandmostextraordinarycoincidence，byathousandconflictingsensations，inwhichwonderandextremeterrorwerepredominant，I
stillretainedsufficientpresenceofmindtoavoidexciting，byanyobservation，thesensitivenervousnessofmycompanion。Iwasbynomeanscertainthathehadnoticedthesoundsinquestion；although，assuredly，astrangealterationhad，duringthelastfewminutes，takenplaceinhisdemeanor。Fromapositionfrontingmyown，hehadgraduallybroughtroundhischair，soastositwithhisfacetothedoorofthechamber；andthusIcouldbutpartiallyperceivehisfeatures，althoughIsawthathislipstrembledasifheweremurmuringinaudibly。Hisheadhaddroppeduponhisbreast-yetI
knewthathewasnotasleep，fromthewideandrigidopeningoftheeyeasIcaughtaglanceofitinprofile。Themotionofhisbody，too，wasatvariancewiththisidea-forherockedfromsidetosidewithagentleyetconstantanduniformsway。Havingrapidlytakennoticeofallthis，IresumedthenarrativeofSirLauncelot，whichthusproceeded：
“Andnow，thechampion，havingescapedfromtheterriblefuryofthedragon，bethinkinghimselfofthebrazenshield，andofthebreakingupoftheenchantmentwhichwasuponit，removedthecarcassfromoutofthewaybeforehim，andapproachedvalorouslyoverthesilverpavementofthecastletowheretheshieldwasuponthewall；
whichinsoothtarriednotforhisfullcoming，butfelldownathisfeetuponthesilverfloor，withamightygreatandterribleringingsound。”
Nosoonerhadthesesyllablespassedmylips，than-asifashieldofbrasshadindeed，atthemoment，fallenheavilyuponafloorofsilver-Ibecameawareofadistinct，hollow，metallic，andclangorous，yetapparentlymuffledreverberation。Completelyunnerved，Ileapedtomyfeet；butthemeasuredrockingmovementofUsherwasundisturbed。Irushedtothechairinwhichhesat。Hiseyeswerebentfixedlybeforehim，andthroughouthiswholecountenancetherereignedastonyrigidity。But，asIplacedmyhanduponhisshoulder，therecameastrongshudderoverhiswholeperson；asicklysmilequiveredabouthislips；andIsawthathespokeinalow，hurried，andgibberingmurmur，asifunconsciousofmypresence。Bendingcloselyoverhim，Iatlengthdrankinthehideousimportofhiswords。
“Nothearit？-yes，Ihearit，and_have_heardit。Long-
long-long-manyminutes，manyhours，manydays，haveIheardit-
yetIdarednot-oh，pityme，miserablewretchthatIam！-I
darednot-I_dared_notspeak！_Wehaveputherlivinginthetomb！_SaidInotthatmysenseswereacute？I_now_tellyouthatIheardherfirstfeeblemovementsinthehollowcoffin。I
heardthem-many，manydaysago-yetIdarednot-_Idarednotspeak！_Andnow-to-night-Ethelred-ha！ha！-thebreakingofthehermit’sdoor，andthedeath-cryofthedragon，andtheclangoroftheshield！-say，rather，therendingofhercoffin，andthegratingoftheironhingesofherprison，andherstruggleswithinthecopperedarchwayofthevault！OhwhithershallIfly？
Willshenotbehereanon？Isshenothurryingtoupbraidmeformyhaste？HaveInotheardherfootsteponthestair？DoInotdistinguishthatheavyandhorriblebeatingofherheart？Madman！”-
herehesprangfuriouslytohisfeet，andshriekedouthissyllables，asifintheeffortheweregivinguphissoul-“_Madman！Itellyouthatshenowstandswithoutthedoor！_“
Asifinthesuperhumanenergyofhisutterancetherehadbeenfoundthepotencyofaspell-thehugeantiquepannelstowhichthespeakerpointed，threwslowlyback，upontheinstant，theirponderousandebonyjaws。Itwastheworkoftherushinggust-butthenwithoutthosedoorsthere_did_standtheloftyandenshroudedfigureoftheladyMadelineofUsher。Therewasblooduponherwhiterobes，andtheevidenceofsomebitterstruggleuponeveryportionofheremaciatedframe。Foramomentsheremainedtremblingandreelingtoandfrouponthethreshold-then，withalowmoaningcry，fellheavilyinwarduponthepersonofherbrother，andinherviolentandnowfinaldeath-agonies，borehimtotheflooracorpse，andavictimtotheterrorshehadanticipated。
Fromthatchamber，andfromthatmansion，Ifledaghast。ThestormwasstillabroadinallitswrathasIfoundmyselfcrossingtheoldcauseway。Suddenlythereshotalongthepathawildlight，andIturnedtoseewhenceagleamsounusualcouldhaveissued；
forthevasthouseanditsshadowswerealonebehindme。Theradiancewasthatofthefull，setting，andblood-redmoon，whichnowshonevividlythroughthatoncebarely-discerniblefissure，ofwhichIhavebeforespokenasextendingfromtheroofofthebuilding，inazigzagdirection，tothebase。WhileIgazed，thisfissurerapidlywidened-therecameafiercebreathofthewhirlwind-theentireorbofthesatelliteburstatonceuponmysight-mybrainreeledasIsawthemightywallsrushingasunder-therewasalongtumultuousshoutingsoundlikethevoiceofathousandwaters-andthedeepanddanktarnatmyfeetclosedsullenlyandsilentlyoverthefragmentsofthe“_HouseofUsher_。”