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Is but a dim…remembered story；
Of the old time entombed。
VI。
And travellers now within that valley；
Through the red…litten windows； see
Vast forms that move fantastically
To a discordant melody；
While； like a rapid ghastly river；
Through the pale door；
A hideous throng rush out forever；
And laughbut smile no more。
I well remember that suggestions arising from this ballad； led us into
a train of thought wherein there became manifest an opinion of Usher's
which I mention not so much on account of its novelty （for other men*
have thought thus；） as on account of the pertinacity with which he
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The Fall of the House of Usher
maintained it。 This opinion； in its general form； was that of the sentience
of all vegetable things。 But； in his disordered fancy； the idea had assumed
a more daring character； and trespassed； under certain conditions； upon the
kingdom of inorganization。 I lack words to express the full extent； or the
earnest abandon of his persuasion。 The belief； however； was connected （as
I have previously hinted） with the gray stones of the home of his
forefathers。 The conditions of the sentience had been here； he imagined；
fulfilled in the method of collocation of these stonesin the order of their
arrangement； as well as in that of the many fungi which overspread them；
and of the decayed trees which stood around above all； in the long
undisturbed endurance of this arrangement； and in its reduplication in the
still waters of the tarn。 Its evidencethe evidence of the sentiencewas to
be seen； he said； （and I here started as he spoke；） in the gradual yet certain
condensation of an atmosphere of their own about the waters and the walls。
The result was discoverable； he added； in that silent； yet importunate and
terrible influence which for centuries had moulded the destinies of his
family； and which made him what I now saw himwhat he was。 Such
opinions need no comment； and I will make none。
Our booksthe books which； for years； had formed no small portion of
the mental existence of the invalidwere； as might be supposed； in strict
keeping with this character of phantasm。 We pored together over such
works as the Ververt et Chartreuse of Gresset； the Belphegor of
Machiavelli； the Heaven and Hell of Swedenborg； the Subterranean
Voyage of Nicholas Klimm by Holberg； the Chiromancy of Robert Flud；
of Jean D'Indagine； and of De la Chambre； the Journey into the Blue
Distance of Tieck； and the City of the Sun by Campanella。 One favourite
volume was a small octavo edition of the Directorium Inquisitorum； by the
Dominican Eymeric de Gironne； and there were passages in Pomponius
Mela； about the old African Satyrs and OEgipans； over which Usher
would sit dreaming for hours。 His chief delight； however； was found in the
perusal of an exceedingly rare and curious book in quarto Gothicthe
manual of a forgotten churchthe Vigiliae Mortuorum Secundum Chorum
Ecclesiae Maguntinae。
I could not help thinking of the wild ritual of this work； and of its
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The Fall of the House of Usher
probable influence upon the hypochondriac； when； one evening； having
informed me abruptly that the lady Madeline was no more； he stated his
intention of preserving her corpse for a fortnight； （previously to its final
interment）； in one of the numerous vaults within the main walls of the
building。 The worldly reason； however； assigned for this singular
proceeding； was one which I did not feel at liberty to dispute。 The brother
had been led to his resolution （so he told me） by consideration of the
unusual character of the malady of the deceased； of certain obtrusive and
eager inquiries on the part of her medical men； and of the remote and
exposed situation of the burial…ground of the family。 I will not deny that
when I called to mind the sinister countenance of the person whom I met
upon the staircase； on the day of my arrival at the house； I had no desire to
oppose what I regarded as at best but a harmless； and by no means an
unnatural； precaution。
At the request of Usher； I personally aided him in the arrangements for
the temporary entombment。 The body having been encoffined； we two
alone bore it to its rest。 The vault in which we placed it （and which had
been so long unopened that our torches； half smothered in its oppressive
atmosphere； gave us little opportunity for investigation） was small； damp；
and entirely without means of admission for light； lying； at great depth；
immediately beneath that portion of the building in which was my own
sleeping apartment。 It had been used； apparently； in remote feudal times；
for the worst purposes of a donjon…keep； and； in later days； as a place of
deposit for powder； or some other highly combustible substance； as a
portion of its floor； and the whole interior of a long archway through
which we reached it； were carefully sheathed with copper。 The door； of
massive iron； had been； also； similarly protected。 Its immense weight
caused an unusually sharp grating sound； as it moved upon its hinges。
Having deposited our mournful burden upon tressels within this region
of horror； we partially turned aside the yet unscrewed lid of the coffin； and
looked upon the face of the tenant。 A striking similitude between the
brother and sister now first arrested my attention； and Usher； divining；
perhaps； my thoughts； murmured out some few words from which I
learned that the deceased and himself had been twins； and that sympathies
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The Fall of the House of Usher
of a scarcely intelligible nature had always existed between them。 Our
glances； however； rested not long upon the deadfor we could not regard
her unawed。 The disease which had thus entombed the lady in the maturity
of youth； had left； as usual in all maladies of a strictly cataleptical
character； the mockery of a faint blush upon the bosom and the face； and
that suspiciously lingering smile upon the lip which is so terrible in death。
We replaced and screwed down the lid； and； having secured the door of
iron； made our way； with toil； into the scarcely less gloomy apartments of
the upper portion of the house。
And now； some days of bitter grief having elapsed； an observable
change came over the features of the mental disorder of my friend。 His
ordinary manner had vanished。 His ordinary occupations were neglected
or forgotten。 He roamed from chamber to chamber with hurried； unequal；
and objectless step。 The pallor of his countenance had assumed； if possible；
a more ghastly huebut the luminousness of his eye had utterly gone out。
The once occasional huskiness of his tone was heard no more； and a
tremulous quaver； as if of extreme terror； habitually characterized his
utterance。 There were times； indeed； when I thought his unceasingly
agitated mind was labouring with some oppressive secret； to divulge
which he struggled for the necessary courage。 At times； again； I was
obliged to resolve all into the mere inexplicable vagaries of madness； for I
beheld him gazing upon vacancy for long hours； in an attitude of the
profoundest attention； as if listening to some imaginary sound。 It was no
wonder that his condition terrifiedthat it infected me。 I felt creeping upon
me； by slow yet certain degrees； the wild influences of his own fantastic
yet imp