The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-04-03

Here again / paused abruptly, and
now with feeling of wild amazement.
for there could be no doubt whatever
that in this instance 1 did actually
hear, although from what direction it
proceeded I found it impossible to say.
low and apparently distant. but
harsh, protracted and most unusual
Streaming or grating sound-the exact
counterpart of what my fancy had al
ready conjured up for the dragons I'M
natural shrek.
Oppressed, as 1 certainly was. upon
the occurrence of this second and most
extraordinary coincidence by a thou
sand conflicting sensations, in which
wonder and extreme terror were pre-
dominant. ] still retained sufficient
presence of mind to avoid exciting by
any observation the sensitive nervous
ness of my companion. L was by no
means certain that he had noticed the
sounds in question, although assuredly
a strange alteration had during the
last few minutes taken place in his
demeanor. From a position fronting
my own he had gradually brought
around his chair so as to sit with his
face to the door Of the chamber. and
thus 1 could but partially perceive his
features. although l saw that his lips
trembled. as If he were murmuring in
audibly. His head had dropped upon
his breast. yet knew that he was not
asleep from the wide and rigid open
ing of the eye as 1 caught a glance OF
It in profile The motion of his body,
too, was at variance with this idea,
for he rocked from side to side with a
gentle vet constant and uniform sway.
/ resumed the narrative:
"And now the champion. having es-
capped from the terrible fury OF the
dragon, bethinking himself of the
brazen shield and OF the breaking up
Of the enchantment which was upon
1t. removed the carcass from out of
the way before him and approached
vigorously over the silver pavement of
the castle to where the shield was
upon the wall. which in sooth tarried
not for his full coming. but fell down
at his feet upon the silver floor with a
mighty great and terrible ringing
sound"
No sooner had these syllables passed
my lips than. as If a shield of brass
had indeed at the moment fallen heav-
lily upon a floor of silver. l became
aware of n distinct. hollow. metallic
and dangerous yet apparently muf1ed
reverberation. Completely unnerved,
leaped to my feet. but the measured
rocking movement of Usher was IN
disturbed. / rushed to tine chair in
which he sat. His eyes were bent fix
eddy before him and throughout his
whole countennnce there reigned q
stony rigidity. But as l placed my
hand upon his shoulder there came Il
strong shudder over his whole person.
sickly smile quivered about his lips.
and 1 saw that he spoke a low. hurried
and gibbering murmur, as il uncon-
scious Of my presence. Bending close
ly over him. ] at length drank in the
hideouS import of his words.
Not hear it? Yes. 1 hear it and
have heard 1t. Long, long. long, many
minutes. many hours. many days have
heard it. vet I dared notch, pity me.
miserable wretch that l ami dared
not-dared not speak We have put
her living in the tomb. Said L not
that my senses were acute? i now
tell you that l heard her first feeble
movement in the hollow coffin. 1 heard
them-many. many days ago-yet |
dared not-I dared not speak. And
now. tonight. Ethelred-ha, ha!-the
breaking Of the hermit's door and the
death cry of the dragon and the clan
gor of the shield-say. rather, the rend-
ing of her cofin-and the grating of
the iron hinges of her prison and her
struggles within the coppered archway
OF the vault. Oh. whittier shall fly?
Will she not he here anon? Is she not
hurrying to upbraid me for my haste?
Have | not heard her footstep on the
stair? Do l not distinguish that heavy
and horrible beating of her heart?
Mailman. there he sprang furiously
to his feet and shrieked out his sylla-
bles as If in the effort he were giving
up his soul-"Madman, | tell you that
she now stands without the door,
AS if in the superhuman energy of
his utterance there had been found the
potency of a spell. the huge antique
panels to which the speaker pointed
threw slowly back upon the instant
their ponderous and ebony jaws. 1t
was the work of the rushing gust |
But. then. without those doors there
did stand the lofty and enshrouded |
figure OF the Lady Madeline of Usher |
There was blood upon her white robes |
and the evidence of some bitter strug-
gle upon every portion OF her emaciat- |
ed frame. For moment she remain |
ed trembling and reeling to and fro !
upon the threshold: then. with low.
cry. fell heavily inward upon |
the person of her brother and. in her
violent and now final death agonies.
bore him to the door a corpse and a |
victim to the terrors ne had antici-
pated.