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excitement of my opium dreams （for I was habitually fettered in the
shackles of the drug） I would call aloud upon her name； during the
silence of the night； or among the sheltered recesses of the glens by
day； as if； through the wild eagerness； the solemn passion； the
consuming ardor of my longing for the departed； I could restore her
to the pathway she had abandoned ah； could it be forever？ upon
the earth。
About the commencement of the second month of the marriage； the Lady
Rowena was attacked with sudden illness； from which her recovery was
slow。 The fever which consumed her rendered her nights uneasy； and in
her perturbed state of half…slumber； she spoke of sounds； and of
motions； in and about the chamber of the turret； which I concluded
had no origin save in the distemper of her fancy； or perhaps in the
phantasmagoric influences of the chamber itself。 She became at length
convalescent finally well。 Yet but a brief period elapsed； ere a
second more violent disorder again threw her upon a bed of suffering；
and from this attack her frame； at all times feeble； never altogether
recovered。 Her illnesses were； after this epoch； of alarming
character； and of more alarming recurrence； defying alike the
knowledge and the great exertions of her physicians。 With the
increase of the chronic disease which had thus； apparently； taken too
sure hold upon her constitution to be eradicated by human means； I
could not fall to observe a similar increase in the nervous
irritation of her temperament； and in her excitability by trivial
causes of fear。 She spoke again； and now more frequently and
pertinaciously； of the sounds of the slight sounds and of the
unusual motions among the tapestries； to which she had formerly
alluded。
One night； near the closing in of September； she pressed this
distressing subject with more than usual emphasis upon my attention。
She had just awakened from an unquiet slumber； and I had been
watching； with feelings half of anxiety； half of vague terror； the
workings of her emaciated countenance。 I sat by the side of her ebony
bed； upon one of the ottomans of India。 She partly arose； and spoke；
in an earnest low whisper； of sounds which she then heard； but which
I could not hear of motions which she then saw； but which I could
not perceive。 The wind was rushing hurriedly behind the tapestries；
and I wished to show her （what； let me confess it； I could not all
believe） that those almost inarticulate breathings； and those very
gentle variations of the figures upon the wall； were but the natural
effects of that customary rushing of the wind。 But a deadly pallor；
overspreading her face； had proved to me that my exertions to
reassure her would be fruitless。 She appeared to be fainting； and no
attendants were within call。 I remembered where was deposited a
decanter of light wine which had been ordered by her physicians； and
hastened across the chamber to procure it。 But； as I stepped beneath
the light of the censer； two circumstances of a startling nature
attracted my attention。 I had felt that some palpable although
invisible object had passed lightly by my person； and I saw that
there lay upon the golden carpet； in the very middle of the rich
lustre thrown from the censer； a shadow a faint； indefinite shadow
of angelic aspect such as might be fancied for the shadow of a
shade。 But I was wild with the excitement of an immoderate dose of
opium； and heeded these things but little； nor spoke of them to
Rowena。 Having found the wine； I recrossed the chamber； and poured
out a gobletful； which I held to the lips of the fainting lady。 She
had now partially recovered； however； and took the vessel herself；
while I sank upon an ottoman near me； with my eyes fastened upon her
person。 It was then that I became distinctly aware of a gentle
footfall upon the carpet； and near the couch； and in a second
thereafter； as Rowena was in the act of raising the wine to her lips；
I saw； or may have dreamed that I saw； fall within the goblet； as if
from some invisible spring in the atmosphere of the room； three or
four large drops of a brilliant and ruby colored fluid。 If this I saw
not so Rowena。 She swallowed the wine unhesitatingly； and I
forbore to speak to her of a circumstance which must； after all； I
considered； have been but the suggestion of a vivid imagination；
rendered morbidly active by the terror of the lady； by the opium； and
by the hour。
Yet I cannot conceal it from my own perception that； immediately
subsequent to the fall of the ruby…drops； a rapid change for the
worse took place in the disorder of my wife； so that； on the third
subsequent night； the hands of her menials prepared her for the tomb；
and on the fourth； I sat alone； with her shrouded body； in that
fantastic chamber which had received her as my bride。 Wild
visions； opium…engendered； flitted； shadow…like； before me。 I gazed
with unquiet eye upon the sarcophagi in the angles of the room； upon
the varying figures of the drapery； and upon the writhing of the
parti…colored fires in the censer overhead。 My eyes then fell； as I
called to mind the circumstances of a former night； to the spot
beneath the glare of the censer where I had seen the faint traces of
the shadow。 It was there； however； no longer； and breathing with
greater freedom； I turned my glances to the pallid and rigid figure
upon the bed。 Then rushed upon me a thousand memories of Ligeia
and then came back upon my heart； with the turbulent violence of a
flood； the whole of that unutterable wo with which I had regarded her
thus enshrouded。 The night waned； and still； with a bosom full of
bitter thoughts of the one only and supremely beloved； I remained
gazing upon the body of Rowena。
It might have been midnight； or perhaps earlier； or later； for I had
taken no note of time； when a sob； low； gentle； but very distinct；
startled me from my revery。 I felt that it came from the bed of
ebony the bed of death。 I listened in an agony of superstitious
terror but there was no repetition of the sound。 I strained my
vision to detect any motion in the corpse but there was not the
slightest perceptible。 Yet I could not have been deceived。 I had
heard the noise； however faint； and my soul was awakened within me。 I
resolutely and perseveringly kept my attention riveted upon the body。
Many minutes elapsed before any circumstance occurred tending to
throw light upon the mystery。 At length it became evident that a
slight； a very feeble； and barely noticeable tinge of color had
flushed up within the cheeks； and along the sunken small veins of the
eyelids。 Through a species of unutterable horror and awe； for which
the language of mortality has no sufficiently energetic expression； I
felt my heart cease to beat； my limbs grow rigid where I sat。 Yet a
sense of duty finally operated to restore my self…possession。 I could
no longer doubt that we had been precipitate in our preparations
that Rowena still lived。 It was necessary that some immediate
exertion be made； yet turret was altogether apart from the portion of
the abbey tenanted by the servants there were none within call
I had no means of summoning them to my aid without leaving the room
for many minutes and this I could not venture to do。 I therefore
struggled alone in my endeavors to call back the spirit ill hovering。
In a short period it was certain； however； that a relapse had taken
place； the color disappeared from both eyelid and cheek； leaving a
wanness even more than that of marble； the lips became doubly
shrivelled and pinched up in the ghastly expression of death； a
repulsive clamminess and coldness overspread rapidly the surface of
the body； and all the usual rigorous illness immediately supervened。
I fell back with a shudder upon the couch from which I had been so
startlingly aroused； and again gave myself up to passionate waking
visions of Ligeia。
An hour thus elapsed when （could it be possible？） I was a second time
aware of some vague sound issuing from the region of the bed。 I
listened in extremity of horror。 The sound came again it was a
sigh。 Rushing to the corpse； I saw distinctly saw a tremor upon
the lips。 In a minute afterward they relaxed； disclosing a bright
line of the pearly teeth。 Amazement now struggled in my bosom with
the profound awe which had hitherto reigned there alone。 I felt that
my vision grew dim； that my reason wandered； and it was only by a
violent effort that I at length succeeded in nerving myself to the
task which duty thus once more had pointed out。 There was now a
partial glow upon the forehead and upon the cheek and throat； a
perceptible warmth pervaded the whole frame； there was even a slight
pulsation at the heart。 The lady lived； and with redoubled ardor I
betook myself to the task of restoration。 I chafed and bathed the
temples and the hands； and used every exertion which experience； and
no little。 medical reading； could suggest。 But in vain。 Suddenly； the
color fled； the pulsation ceased； the lips resumed the expression of
the dead； and； in an instant afterward； the whole body took upon
itself the icy chilliness； the livid hue； the intense rigidity； the
sunken outline； and all