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


ing in front. made its way down the
wall in a zigzag direction until it be
came lost in the sullen waters of the
tarn.
Noticing these things, rode over
short causeway to the house A serv-
ant in waiting took my horse. and
entered the Gothic archway of the
hall. A valet OF stealthy step thence
conducted me in silence through many
dark and intricate passages in my
progress to the studio of his master.
On a staircase ] met the physi-
clan Of the family. His countenance.
I thought, wore a mingled expression
of low cunning and perplexity. He ac-
coSted me with trepidation and passed
on. The valet now threw open door
and ushered me into the presence of
his master
The room in which | found myself
was very large and lofty. The win
dows were long. narrow and pointed
and at so vast distance from the
black oaken floor as to be altogether
inaccessible from within. Feeble
CLEANS of encrimsoned light made
their way through the trellised panes
and served to render sufficiently dis
tinct the more prominent objects
around. l felt that ! breathed an at
mosphere of sorrow. An air of stern.
deep and irredeemable gloom hung over
and pervaded all.
Upon my entrance Usher arose from
a sofa on which he had been lying at
full length and greeted me with a
vivacious warmth which had much in
it. j at first thought. Of an OverdOne
cordiality-of the constrained effort Of
the ennuye man of the world. A
glance. however, at his countenance
convinced me of his perfect sincerity.
We sat down. and for some moments.
while he spoke not. l gaZed upon him
with a feeling half of pity. half of
awe. Surely man had never before
so terribly altered in so brief a period
as had Roderick Usher. 1t was with
difficulty that / could bring myself to
admit the identity of the one being
before me with the companion of my
early boyhood. Yet the character of
his face had been at all times remarka
bic. A righteousness of complexion;
an eve large. liquid and luminous be-
yond comparisons: lips somewhat thin
and very pallid. but of a surprisingly
Hebrew model but with breadth of
nostril unusual in similar formations;
q finely nodded chin. speaking in its |
want of prominence, of want of
moral energy: hair Of more than |
weblike softness and tenuity-these |
features. with an inordinate expan-
sion above the regions of the temple. |
made up altogether cOuntenance not |
easily to be forgotten. The now ghast-
ly pallor of the skin and the now
mira culous luster of the eye. above all
things. startled and even awed me-
The silken hair, too. had been suffered
to grow all unheeded. and as. in its
wild gosSa mer texture, it foated rather
than fell about the face l could not.
even with effort. connect It's Arabesque
with any idea of simple hui
manity.
In the manner of my friend | was
at once struck with an incoherence-
an Inconsistency. and | soon found this
to arise from a series of feeble and
futile struggles to overcome an habit
nal trepidancy-an excessive nervous
agitation.
His action was alternately vivaciOus
and sullen. His voice varied rapidly
from a tremulous indecision twhen the
animal spirits seemed utterly in abey-
anceI to that species of energetic con-
abrupt. weighty. unhurr1ed
and hollow sounding enunciatiOn: that
leaden. self balanced and perfectly
lnOdulated cultural utterance. which
may be observed in the lost drunka
or the irreclaimahle eater of opium.
during the periods of his most intense
excitement.
1t was thus that he spoke of the OBJ
ject of my visit. of his earnest desire
TO see me and Of the Solace he expect |
ed me to afford him. He entered at
some length into what he conceived to
be the nature of his malady- 1t dis
played itself in Il host of unnatural
He suffered much from Il
morbid acuteness of the senses: the
most insipid food was alone endura BILE:
he could wear only garments of GER
tain texture: the odorS of all flowers
were oppressive: his eyes were tortur-
ed by even II faint light. and there
were but peculiar sounds and these
from stringed Instruments which did
not inspire him with horror.
To IN anomalous species of terror |
found him II hounden slave. Il shall
perish" said he Il must perish in
this deplOrahie folly. Thus. Thus. and
not otherwise. shall be lost 1 dread