remained,untilthecrisisofthediseaserestoredme,suddenly,toperfectsensation。AtothertimesIwasquicklyandimpetuouslysmitten。Igrewsick,andnumb,andchilly,anddizzy,andsofellprostrateatonce。Then,forweeks,allwasvoid,andblack,andsilent,andNothingbecametheuniverse。Totalannihilationcouldbenomore。FromtheselatterattacksIawoke,however,withagradationslowinproportiontothesuddennessoftheseizure。JustasthedaydawnstothefriendlessandhouselessbeggarwhoroamsthestreetsthroughoutthelongdesolatewinternightjustsotardilyjustsowearilyjustsocheerilycamebackthelightoftheSoultome。
Apartfromthetendencytotrance,however,mygeneralhealthappearedtobegood;norcouldIperceivethatitwasatallaffectedbytheoneprevalentmaladyunless,indeed,anidiosyncrasyinmyordinarysleepmaybelookeduponassuperinduced。Uponawakingfromslumber,Icouldnevergain,atonce,thoroughpossessionofmysenses,andalwaysremained,formanyminutes,inmuchbewildermentandperplexity;thementalfacultiesingeneral,butthememoryinespecial,beinginaconditionofabsoluteabeyance。
InallthatIenduredtherewasnophysicalsufferingbutofmoraldistressaninfinitude。Myfancygrewcharnel,Italked“ofworms,oftombs,andepitaphs。”Iwaslostinreveriesofdeath,andtheideaofprematureburialheldcontinualpossessionofmybrain。TheghastlyDangertowhichIwassubjectedhauntedmedayandnight。Intheformer,thetortureofmeditationwasexcessiveinthelatter,supreme。WhenthegrimDarknessoverspreadtheEarth,then,witheveryhorrorofthought,Ishookshookasthequiveringplumesuponthehearse。WhenNaturecouldendurewakefulnessnolonger,itwaswithastrugglethatIconsentedtosleepforIshudderedtoreflectthat,uponawaking,Imightfindmyselfthetenantofagrave。Andwhen,finally,Isankintoslumber,itwasonlytorushatonceintoaworldofphantasms,abovewhich,withvast,sable,overshadowingwing,hovered,predominant,theonesepulchralIdea。
Fromtheinnumerableimagesofgloomwhichthusoppressedmeindreams,Iselectforrecordbutasolitaryvision。MethoughtIwasimmersedinacataleptictranceofmorethanusualdurationandprofundity。Suddenlytherecameanicyhanduponmyforehead,andanimpatient,gibberingvoicewhisperedtheword“Arise!”withinmyear。
Isaterect。Thedarknesswastotal。Icouldnotseethefigureofhimwhohadarousedme。IcouldcalltomindneithertheperiodatwhichIhadfallenintothetrance,northelocalityinwhichIthenlay。WhileIremainedmotionless,andbusiedinendeavorstocollectmythought,thecoldhandgraspedmefiercelybythewrist,shakingitpetulantly,whilethegibberingvoicesaidagain:
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