MyDEARP，Youmayaswellcomenow。DandFareagreedthatIcannotholdoutbeyondto-morrowmidnight；andIthinktheyhavehitthetimeverynearly。
VALDEMAR
Ireceivedthisnotewithinhalfanhourafteritwaswritten，andinfifteenminutesmoreIwasinthedyingman’schamber。Ihadnotseenhimfortendays，andwasappalledbythefearfulalterationwhichthebriefintervalhadwroughtinhim。Hisfaceworealeadenhue；
theeyeswereutterlylustreless；andtheemaciationwassoextremethattheskinhadbeenbrokenthroughbythecheek-bones。Hisexpectorationwasexcessive。Thepulsewasbarelyperceptible。Heretained，nevertheless，inaveryremarkablemanner，bothhismentalpowerandacertaindegreeofphysicalstrength。Hespokewithdistinctnesstooksomepalliativemedicineswithoutaidand，whenIenteredtheroom，wasoccupiedinpencilingmemorandainapocket-book。Hewasproppedupinthebedbypillows。DoctorsD
andFwereinattendance。
AfterpressingValdemar’shand，Itookthesegentlemenaside，andobtainedfromthemaminuteaccountofthepatient’scondition。Theleftlunghadbeenforeighteenmonthsinasemi-osseousorcartilaginousstate，andwas，ofcourse，entirelyuselessforallpurposesofvitality。Theright，initsupperportion，wasalsopartially，ifnotthoroughly，ossified，whilethelowerregionwasmerelyamassofpurulenttubercles，runningoneintoanother。
Severalextensiveperforationsexisted；and，atonepoint，permanentadhesiontotheribshadtakenplace。Theseappearancesintherightlobewereofcomparativelyrecentdate。Theossificationhadproceededwithveryunusualrapidity；nosignofithaddiscoveredamonthbefore，andtheadhesionhadonlybeenobservedduringthethreepreviousdays。Independentlyofthephthisis，thepatientwassuspectedofaneurismoftheaorta；butonthispointtheosseoussymptomsrenderedanexactdiagnosisimpossible。ItwastheopinionofbothphysiciansthatM。ValdemarwoulddieaboutmidnightonthemorrowSunday。Itwasthenseveno’clockonSaturdayevening。
Onquittingtheinvalid’sbed-sidetoholdconversationwithmyself，DoctorsDandFhadbiddenhimafinalfarewell。Ithadnotbeentheirintentiontoreturn；but，atmyrequest，theyagreedtolookinuponthepatientabouttenthenextnight。
Whentheyhadgone，IspokefreelywithM。Valdemaronthesubjectofhisapproachingdissolution，aswellas，moreparticularly，oftheexperimentproposed。Hestillprofessedhimselfquitewillingandevenanxioustohaveitmade，andurgedmetocommenceitatonce。A
maleandafemalenursewereinattendance；butIdidnotfeelmyselfaltogetheratlibertytoengageinataskofthischaracterwithnomorereliablewitnessesthanthesepeople，incaseofsuddenaccident，mightprove。Ithereforepostponedoperationsuntilabouteightthenextnight，whenthearrivalofamedicalstudentwithwhomIhadsomeacquaintance，Mr。TheodoreLl，relievedmefromfartherembarrassment。Ithadbeenmydesign，originally，towaitforthephysicians；butIwasinducedtoproceed，first，bytheurgententreatiesofM。Valdemar，andsecondly，bymyconvictionthatIhadnotamomenttolose，ashewasevidentlysinkingfast。
Mr。Llwassokindastoaccedetomydesirethathewouldtakenotesofallthatoccurred，anditisfromhismemorandathatwhatI
nowhavetorelateis，forthemostpart，eithercondensedorcopiedverbatim。
Itwantedaboutfiveminutesofeightwhen，takingthepatient’shand，Ibeggedhimtostate，asdistinctlyashecould，toMr。L
l，whetherheM。ValdemarwasentirelywillingthatIshouldmaketheexperimentofmesmerizinghiminhisthencondition。
Herepliedfeebly，yetquiteaudibly，“Yes，Iwishtobe“Ifearyouhavemesmerized“addingimmediatelyafterwards，deferredittoolong。”
Whilehespokethus，IcommencedthepasseswhichIhadalreadyfoundmosteffectualinsubduinghim。Hewasevidentlyinfluencedwiththefirstlateralstrokeofmyhandacrosshisforehead；butalthoughI
exertedallmypowers，nofartherperceptibleeffectwasinduceduntilsomeminutesafterteno’clock，whenDoctorsDandF
called，accordingtoappointment。Iexplainedtothem，inafewwords，whatIdesigned，andastheyopposednoobjection，sayingthatthepatientwasalreadyinthedeathagony，Iproceededwithouthesitationexchanging，however，thelateralpassesfordownwardones，anddirectingmygazeentirelyintotherighteyeofthesufferer。
Bythistimehispulsewasimperceptibleandhisbreathingwasstertorous，andatintervalsofhalfaminute。
Thisconditionwasnearlyunalteredforaquarterofanhour。Attheexpirationofthisperiod，however，anaturalalthoughaverydeepsighescapedthebosomofthedyingman，andthestertorousbreathingceasedthatistosay，itsstertorousnesswasnolongerapparent；
theintervalswereundiminished。Thepatient’sextremitieswereofanicycoldness。
AtfiveminutesbeforeelevenIperceivedunequivocalsignsofthemesmericinfluence。Theglassyrolloftheeyewaschangedforthatexpressionofuneasyinwardexaminationwhichisneverseenexceptincasesofsleep-waking，andwhichitisquiteimpossibletomistake。
WithafewrapidlateralpassesImadethelidsquiver，asinincipientsleep，andwithafewmoreIclosedthemaltogether。Iwasnotsatisfied，however，withthis，butcontinuedthemanipulationsvigorously，andwiththefullestexertionofthewill，untilIhadcompletelystiffenedthelimbsoftheslumberer，afterplacingtheminaseeminglyeasyposition。Thelegswereatfulllength；thearmswerenearlyso，andreposedonthebedatamoderatedistancefromtheloin。Theheadwasveryslightlyelevated。
WhenIhadaccomplishedthis，itwasfullymidnight，andIrequestedthegentlemenpresenttoexamineM。Valdemar’scondition。Afterafewexperiments，theyadmittedhimtobeanunusuallyperfectstateofmesmerictrance。Thecuriosityofboththephysicianswasgreatlyexcited。Dr。Dresolvedatoncetoremainwiththepatientallnight，whileDr。Ftookleavewithapromisetoreturnatdaybreak。Mr。Llandthenursesremained。
WeleftM。Valdemarentirelyundisturbeduntilaboutthreeo’clockinthemorning，whenIapproachedhimandfoundhiminpreciselythesameconditionaswhenDr。Fwentawaythatistosay，helayinthesameposition；thepulsewasimperceptible；thebreathingwasgentlescarcelynoticeable，unlessthroughtheapplicationofamirrortothelips；theeyeswereclosednaturally；andthelimbswereasrigidandascoldasmarble。Still，thegeneralappearancewascertainlynotthatofdeath。
AsIapproachedM。ValdemarImadeakindofhalfefforttoinfluencehisrightarmintopursuitofmyown，asIpassedthelattergentlytoandfroabovehisperson。Insuchexperimentswiththispatienthadneverperfectlysucceededbefore，andassuredlyIhadlittlethoughtofsucceedingnow；buttomyastonishment，hisarmveryreadily，althoughfeebly，followedeverydirectionIassigneditwithmine。Ideterminedtohazardafewwordsofconversation。
“M。Valdemar。”Isaid，“areyouasleep？”Hemadenoanswer，butI
perceivedatremoraboutthelips，andwasthusinducedtorepeatthequestion，againandagain。Atitsthirdrepetition，hiswholeframewasagitatedbyaveryslightshivering；theeyelidsunclosedthemselvessofarastodisplayawhitelineoftheball；thelipsmovedsluggishly，andfrombetweenthem，inabarelyaudiblewhisper，issuedthewords：
“Yes；asleepnow。Donotwakeme！letmedieso！”
Iherefeltthelimbsandfoundthemasrigidasever。Therightarm，asbefore，obeyedthedirectionofmyhand。Iquestionedthesleep-wakeragain：
“Doyoustillfeelpaininthebreast，M。Valdemar？”
Theanswernowwasimmediate，butevenlessaudiblethanbefore：“NopainIamdying。”
Ididnotthinkitadvisabletodisturbhimfartherjustthen，andnothingmorewassaidordoneuntilthearrivalofDr。F，whocamealittlebeforesunrise，andexpressedunboundedastonishmentatfindingthepatientstillalive。Afterfeelingthepulseandapplyingamirrortothelips，herequestedmetospeaktothesleep-wakeragain。Ididso，saying：
“M。Valdemar，doyoustillsleep？”
Asbefore，someminuteselapsedereareplywasmade；andduringtheintervalthedyingmanseemedtobecollectinghisenergiestospeak。
Atmyfourthrepetitionofthequestion，hesaidveryfaintly，almostinaudibly：
“Yes；stillasleepdying。”
Itwasnowtheopinion，orratherthewish，ofthephysicians，thatM。Valdemarshouldbesufferedtoremainundisturbedinhispresentapparentlytranquilcondition，untildeathshouldsuperveneandthis，itwasgenerallyagreed，mustnowtakeplacewithinafewminutes。Iconcluded，however，tospeaktohimoncemore，andmerelyrepeatedmypreviousquestion。
WhileIspoke，therecameamarkedchangeoverthecountenanceofthesleep-waker。Theeyesrolledthemselvesslowlyopen，thepupilsdisappearingupwardly；theskingenerallyassumedacadaveroushue，resemblingnotsomuchparchmentaswhitepaper；andthecircularhecticspotswhich，hitherto，hadbeenstronglydefinedinthecentreofeachcheek，wentoutatonce。Iusethisexpression，becausethesuddennessoftheirdepartureputmeinmindofnothingsomuchastheextinguishmentofacandlebyapuffofthebreath。Theupperlip，atthesametime，writheditselfawayfromtheteeth，whichithadpreviouslycoveredcompletely；whilethelowerjawfellwithanaudiblejerk，leavingthemouthwidelyextended，anddisclosinginfullviewtheswollenandblackenedtongue。Ipresumethatnomemberofthepartythenpresenthadbeenunaccustomedtodeath-bedhorrors；
butsohideousbeyondconceptionwastheappearanceofM。Valdemaratthismoment，thattherewasageneralshrinkingbackfromtheregionofthebed。
InowfeelthatIhavereachedapointofthisnarrativeatwhicheveryreaderwillbestartledintopositivedisbelief。Itismybusiness，however，simplytoproceed。
TherewasnolongerthefaintestsignofvitalityinM。Valdemar；andconcludinghimtobedead，wewereconsigninghimtothechargeofthenurses，whenastrongvibratorymotionwasobservableinthetongue。Thiscontinuedforperhapsaminute。Attheexpirationofthisperiod，thereissuedfromthedistendedandmotionlessjawsavoicesuchasitwouldbemadnessinmetoattemptdescribing。
Thereare，indeed，twoorthreeepithetswhichmightbeconsideredasapplicabletoitinpart；Imightsay，forexample，thatthesoundwasharsh，andbrokenandhollow；butthehideouswholeisindescribable，forthesimplereasonthatnosimilarsoundshaveeverjarredupontheearofhumanity。Thereweretwoparticulars，nevertheless，whichIthoughtthen，andstillthink，mightfairlybestatedascharacteristicoftheintonationaswelladaptedtoconveysomeideaofitsunearthlypeculiarity。Inthefirstplace，thevoiceseemedtoreachourearsatleastminefromavastdistance，orfromsomedeepcavernwithintheearth。Inthesecondplace，itimpressedmeIfear，indeed，thatitwillbeimpossibletomakemyselfcomprehendedasgelatinousorglutinousmattersimpressthesenseoftouch。
Ihavespokenbothof“sound“andof“voice。”Imeantosaythatthesoundwasoneofdistinctofevenwonderfully，thrillinglydistinctsyllabification。M。ValdemarspokeobviouslyinreplytothequestionIhadpropoundedtohimafewminutesbefore。Ihadaskedhim，itwillberemembered，ifhestillslept。Henowsaid：
“Yes；no；IhavebeensleepingandnownowIamdead。
Nopersonpresentevenaffectedtodeny，orattemptedtorepress，theunutterable，shudderinghorrorwhichthesefewwords，thusuttered，weresowellcalculatedtoconvey。Mr。Llthestudentswooned。
Thenursesimmediatelyleftthechamber，andcouldnotbeinducedtoreturn。MyownimpressionsIwouldnotpretendtorenderintelligibletothereader。Fornearlyanhour，webusiedourselves，silently
withouttheutteranceofawordinendeavorstoreviveMr。Ll。
Whenhecametohimself，weaddressedourselvesagaintoaninvestigationofM。Valdemar’scondition。