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。

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