第1章

byEdgarAllenPoeSoncoeurestunluthsuspendu；

Sitotqu’onletoucheilresonne。

DEBERANGER。

Duringthewholeofadull，dark，andsoundlessdayintheautumnoftheyear，whenthecloudshungoppressivelylowintheheavens，Ihadbeenpassingalone，onhorseback，throughasingularlydrearytractofcountry；andatlengthfoundmyself，astheshadesoftheeveningdrewon，withinviewofthemelancholyHouseofUsher。Iknownothowitwas——but，withthefirstglimpseofthebuilding，asenseofinsufferablegloompervadedmyspirit。Isayinsufferable；forthefeelingwasunrelievedbyanyofthathalf—pleasureable，becausepoetic，sentiment，withwhichthemindusuallyreceiveseventhesternestnaturalimagesofthedesolateorterrible。Ilookeduponthescenebeforeme——uponthemerehouse，andthesimplelandscapefeaturesofthedomain——uponthebleakwalls——uponthevacanteye—likewindows——uponafewranksedges——anduponafewwhitetrunksofdecayedtrees——withanutterdepressionofsoulwhichI

cancomparetonoearthlysensationmoreproperlythantotheafter—dreamoftherevelleruponopium——thebitterlapseintoeverydaylife——thehideousdroppingoffoftheveil。Therewasaniciness，asinking，asickeningoftheheart——anunredeemeddrearinessofthoughtwhichnogoadingoftheimaginationcouldtortureintoaughtofthesublime。Whatwasit——Ipausedtothink——whatwasitthatsounnervedmeinthecontemplationoftheHouseofUsher？Itwasamysteryallinsoluble；norcouldI

grapplewiththeshadowyfanciesthatcrowdeduponmeasI

pondered。Iwasforcedtofallbackupontheunsatisfactoryconclusion，thatwhile，beyonddoubt，therearecombinationsofverysimplenaturalobjectswhichhavethepowerofthusaffectingus，stilltheanalysisofthispowerliesamongconsiderationsbeyondourdepth。Itwaspossible，Ireflected，thatameredifferentarrangementoftheparticularsofthescene，ofthedetailsofthepicture，wouldbesufficienttomodify，orperhapstoannihilateitscapacityforsorrowfulimpression；and，actinguponthisidea，Ireinedmyhorsetotheprecipitousbrinkofablackandluridtarnthatlayinunruffledlustrebythedwelling，andgazeddown——butwithashudderevenmorethrillingthanbefore——upontheremodelledandinvertedimagesofthegreysedge，andtheghastlytree—stems，andthevacantandeye—likewindows。

Nevertheless，inthismansionofgloomInowproposedtomyselfasojournofsomeweeks。Itsproprietor，RoderickUsher，hadbeenoneofmybooncompanionsinboyhood；butmanyyearshadelapsedsinceourlastmeeting。Aletter，however，hadlatelyreachedmeinadistantpartofthecountry——aletterfromhim——

which，initswildlyimportunatenature，hadadmittedofnootherthanapersonalreply。TheMSgaveevidenceofnervousagitation。Thewriterspokeofacutebodilyillness——ofamentaldisorderwhichoppressedhim——andofanearnestdesiretoseeme，ashisbest，andindeedhisonlypersonalfriend，withaviewofattempting，bythecheerfulnessofmysociety，somealleviationofhismalady。Itwasthemannerinwhichallthis，andmuchmore，wassaid——itwastheapparentheartthatwentwithhisrequest——whichallowedmenoroomforhesitation；andI

accordinglyobeyedforthwithwhatIstillconsideredaverysingularsummons。

Although，asboys，wehadbeenevenintimateassociates，yetIreallyknewlittleofmyfriend。Hisreservehadbeenalwaysexcessiveandhabitual。Iwasaware，however，thathisveryancientfamilyhadbeennoted，timeoutofmind，forapeculiarsensibilityoftemperament，displayingitself，throughlongages，inmanyworksofexaltedart，andmanifested，oflate，inrepeateddeedsofmunificentyetunobtrusivecharity，aswellasinapassionatedevotiontotheintricacies，perhapsevenmorethantotheorthodoxandeasilyrecognisablebeautiesofmusicalscience。Ihadlearned，too，theveryremarkablefact，thatthestemoftheUsherrace，alltime—honouredasitwas，hadputforth，atnoperiod，anyenduringbranch；inotherwords，thattheentirefamilylayinthedirectlineofdescent，andhadalways，withverytriflingandverytemporaryvariation，solain。

Itwasthisdeficiency，Iconsidered，whilerunningoverinthoughttheperfectkeepingofthecharacterofthepremiseswiththeaccreditedcharacterofthepeople，andwhilespeculatinguponthepossibleinfluencewhichtheone，inthelonglapseofcenturies，mighthaveexercisedupontheother——itwasthisdeficiency，perhaps，ofcollateralissue，andtheconsequentundeviatingtransmission，fromsiretoson，ofthepatrimonywiththename，whichhad，atlength，soidentifiedthetwoastomergetheoriginaltitleoftheestateinthequaintandequivocalappellationofthe\"HouseofUsher\"——anappellationwhichseemedtoinclude，inthemindsofthepeasantrywhousedit，boththefamilyandthefamilymansion。

Ihavesaidthatthesoleeffectofmysomewhatchildishexperiment——thatoflookingdownwithinthetarn——hadbeentodeepenthefirstsingularimpression。Therecanbenodoubtthattheconsciousnessoftherapidincreaseofmysupersition——forwhyshouldInotsotermit？——servedmainlytoacceleratetheincreaseitself。Such，Ihavelongknown，istheparadoxicallawofallsentimentshavingterrorasabasis。Anditmighthavebeenforthisreasononly，that，whenIagainupliftedmyeyestothehouseitself，fromitsimageinthepool，theregrewinmymindastrangefancy——afancysoridiculous，indeed，thatIbutmentionittoshowthevividforceofthesensationswhichoppressedme。Ihadsoworkeduponmyimaginationasreallytobelievethataboutthewholemansionanddomaintherehunganatmospherepeculiartothemselvesandtheirimmediatevicinity——

anatmospherewhichhadnoaffinitywiththeairofheaven，butwhichhadreekedupfromthedecayedtrees，andthegreywall，andthesilenttarn——apestilentandmysticvapour，dull，sluggish，faintlydiscernible，andleaden—hued。

Shakingofffrommyspiritwhatmusthavebeenadream，Iscannedmorenarrowlytherealaspectofthebuilding。Itsprincipalfeatureseemedtobethatofanexcessiveantiquity。

Thediscolorationofageshadbeengreat。Minutefungioverspreadthewholeexterior，hanginginafinetangledweb—workfromtheeaves。Yetallthiswasapartfromanyextraordinarydilapidation。Noportionofthemasonryhadfallen；andthereappearedtobeawildinconsistencybetweenitsstillperfectadaptationofparts，andthecrumblingconditionoftheindividualstones。Inthistherewasmuchthatremindedmeofthespecioustotalityofoldwood—workwhichhasrottedforlongyearsinsomeneglectedvault，withnodisturbancefromthebreathoftheexternalair。Beyondthisindicationofextensivedecay，however，thefabricgavelittletokenofinstability。Perhapstheeyeofascrutinizingobservermighthavediscoveredabarelyperceptiblefissure，which，extendingfromtheroofofthebuildinginfront，madeitswaydownthewallinazigzagdirection，untilitbecamelostinthesullenwatersofthetarn。

Noticingthesethings，Irodeoverashortcausewaytothehouse。Aservantinwaitingtookmyhorse，andIenteredtheGothicarchwayofthehall。Avalet，ofstealthystep，thenceconductedme，insilence，throughmanydarkandintricatepassagesinmyprogresstothestudioofhismaster。MuchthatIencounteredonthewaycontributed，Iknownothow，toheightenthevaguesentimentsofwhichIhavealreadyspoken。

Whiletheobjectsaroundme——whilethecarvingsoftheceilings，thesombretapestriesofthewalls，theebonblacknessofthefloors，andthephantasmagoricarmorialtrophieswhichrattledasIstrode，werebutmatterstowhich，ortosuchaswhich，Ihadbeenaccustomedfrommyinfancy——whileIhesitatednottoacknowledgehowfamiliarwasallthis——Istillwonderedtofindhowunfamiliarwerethefancieswhichordinaryimageswerestirringup。Ononeofthestaircases，Imetthephysicianofthefamily。Hiscountenance，Ithought，woreamingledexpressionoflowcunningandperplexity。Heaccostedmewithtrepidationandpassedon。Thevaletnowthrewopenadoorandusheredmeintothepresenceofhismaster。

TheroominwhichIfoundmyselfwasverylargeandlofty。

Thewindowswerelong，narrow，andpointed，andatsovastadis—

tancefromtheblackoakenfloorastobealtogetherinaccessiblefromwithin。Feeblegleamsofencrimsonedlightmadetheirwaythroughthetrellisedpanes，andservedtorendersufficientlydistinctthemoreprominentobjectsaround；theeye，however，struggledinvaintoreachtheremoteranglesofthechamber，ortherecessesofthevaultedandfrettedceiling。Darkdraperieshunguponthewalls。Thegeneralfurniturewasprofuse，comfortless，antique，andtattered。Manybooksandmusicalinstrumentslayscatteredabout，butfailedtogiveanyvitalitytothescene。IfeltthatIbreathedanatmosphereofsorrow。

Anairofstern，deep，andirredeemablegloomhungoverandpervadedall。

Uponmyentrance，Usherrosefromasofaonwhichhehadbeenlyingatfulllength，andgreetedmewithavivaciouswarmthwhichhadmuchinit，Iatfirstthought，ofanoverdonecordiality——oftheconstrainedeffortoftheennuyemanoftheworld。Aglance，however，athiscountenance，convincedmeofhisperfectsincerity。Wesatdown；andforsomemoments，whilehespokenot，Igazeduponhimwithafeelinghalfofpity，halfofawe。Surely，manhadneverbeforesoterriblyaltered，insobriefaperiod，ashadRoderickUsher！ItwaswithdifficultythatIcouldbringmyselftoadmittheidentityofthewanbeingbeforemewiththecompanionofmyearlyboyhood。Yetthecharacterofhisfacehadbeenatalltimesremarkable。A

cadaverousnessofcomplexion；aneyelarge，liquid，andluminousbeyondcomparison；lipssomewhatthinandverypallid，butofasurpassinglybeautifulcurve；anoseofadelicateHebrewmodel，butwithabreadthofnostrilunusualinsimilarformations；afinely—mouldedchin，speaking，initswantofprominence，ofawantofmoralenergy；hairofamorethanweb—likesoftnessandtenuity；thesefeatures，withaninordinateexpansionabovetheregionsofthetemple，madeupaltogetheracountenancenoteasilytobeforgotten。Andnowinthemereexaggerationoftheprevailingcharacterofthesefeatures，andoftheexpressiontheywerewonttoconvey，laysomuchofchangethatIdoubtedtowhomIspoke。Thenowghastlypalloroftheskin，andthenowmiraculouslustreoftheeye，aboveallthingsstartledandevenawedme。Thesilkenhair，too，hadbeensufferedtogrowallunheeded，andas，initswildgossamertexture，itfloatedratherthanfellabouttheface，Icouldnot，evenwitheffort，connectitsArabesqueexpressionwithanyideaofsimplehumanity。

InthemannerofmyfriendIwasatoncestruckwithanincoherence——aninconsistency；andIsoonfoundthistoarisefromaseriesoffeebleandfutilestrugglestoovercomeanhabitualtrepidancy——anexcessivenervousagitation。ForsomethingofthisnatureIhadindeedbeenprepared，nolessbyhisletter，thanbyreminiscencesofcertainboyishtraits，andbyconclusionsdeducedfromhispeculiarphysicalconformationandtemperament。Hisactionwasalternatelyvivaciousandsullen。Hisvoicevariedrapidlyfromatremulousindecision（whentheanimalspiritsseemedutterlyinabeyance）tothatspeciesofenergeticconcision——thatabrupt，weighty，unhurried，andhollow—soundingenunciation——thatleaden，self—

balancedandperfectlymodulatedgutturalutterance，whichmaybeobservedinthelostdrunkard，ortheirreclaimableeaterofopium，duringtheperiodsofhismostintenseexcitement。

Itwasthusthathespokeoftheobjectofmyvisit，ofhisearnestdesiretoseeme，andofthesolaceheexpectedmetoaffordhim。Heentered，atsomelength，intowhatheconceivedtobethenatureofhismalady。Itwas，hesaid，aconstitutionalandafamilyevil，andoneforwhichhedespairedtofindaremedy——amerenervousaffection，heimmediatelyadded，whichwouldundoubtedlysoonpassoff。Itdisplayeditselfinahostofunnaturalsensations。Someofthese，ashedetailedthem，interestedandbewilderedme；although，perhaps，theterms，andthegeneralmannerofthenarrationhadtheirweight。Hesufferedmuchfromamorbidacutenessofthesenses；themostinsipidfoodwasaloneendurable；hecouldwearonlygarmentsofcertaintexture；theodoursofallflowerswereoppressive；hiseyesweretorturedbyevenafaintlight；andtherewerebutpeculiarsounds，andthesefromstringedinstruments，whichdidnotinspirehimwithhorror。

ToananomalousspeciesofterrorIfoundhimaboundenslave。\"Ishallperish，\"saidhe，\"Imustperishinthisdeplorablefolly。Thus，thus，andnototherwise，shallIbelost。Idreadtheeventsofthefuture，notinthemselves，butintheirresults。Ishudderatthethoughtofany，eventhemosttrivial，incident，whichmayoperateuponthisintolerableagitationofsoul。Ihave，indeed，noabhorrenceofdanger，exceptinitsabsoluteeffect——interror。Inthisunnerved——inthispitiablecondition——IfeelthattheperiodwillsoonerorlaterarrivewhenImustabandonlifeandreasontogether，insomestrugglewiththegrimphantasm，FEAR。\"

Ilearned，moreover，atintervals，andthroughbrokenandequivocalhints，anothersingularfeatureofhismentalcondition。Hewasenchainedbycertainsuperstitiousimpressionsinregardtothedwellingwhichhetenanted，andwhence，formanyyears，hehadneverventuredforth——inregardtoaninfluencewhosesupposititiousforcewasconveyedintermstooshadowyheretobere—stated——aninfluencewhichsomepeculiaritiesinthemereformandsubstanceofhisfamilymansion，had，bydintoflongsufferance，hesaid，obtainedoverhisspirit——aneffectwhichthephysiqueofthegreywallsandturrets，andofthedimtarnintowhichtheyalllookeddown，had，atlength，broughtaboutuponthemoraleofhisexistence。

Headmitted，however，althoughwithhesitation，thatmuchofthepeculiargloomwhichthusafflictedhimcouldbetracedtoamorenaturalandfarmorepalpableorigin——tothesevereandlong—continuedillness——indeedtotheevidentlyapproachingdis—

solution——ofatenderlybelovedsister——hissolecompanionforlongyears——hislastandonlyrelativeonearth。\"Herdecease，\"

hesaid，withabitternesswhichIcanneverforget，\"wouldleavehim（himthehopelessandthefrail）thelastoftheancientraceoftheUshers。\"Whilehespoke，theladyMadeline（forsowasshecalled）passedslowlythrougharemoteportionoftheapartment，and，withouthavingnoticedmypresence，disappeared。

Iregardedherwithanutterastonishmentnotunmingledwithdread——andyetIfounditimpossibletoaccountforsuchfeelings。Asensationofstuporoppressedme，asmyeyesfollowedherretreatingsteps。Whenadoor，atlength，closeduponher，myglancesoughtinstinctivelyandeagerlythecountenanceofthebrother——buthehadburiedhisfaceinhishands，andIcouldonlyperceivethatafarmorethanordinarywannesshadoverspreadtheemaciatedfingersthroughwhichtrickledmanypassionatetears。

ThediseaseoftheladyMadelinehadlongbaffledtheskillofherphysicians。Asettledapathy，agradualwastingawayoftheperson，andfrequentalthoughtransientaffectionsofapartiallycatalepticalcharacter，weretheunusualdiagnosis。

Hithertoshehadsteadilyborneupagainstthepressureofhermalady，andhadnotbetakenherselffinallytobed；but，ontheclosinginoftheeveningofmyarrivalatthehouse，shesuccumbed（asherbrothertoldmeatnightwithinexpressibleagitation）totheprostratingpowerofthedestroyer；andI

learnedthattheglimpseIhadobtainedofherpersonwouldthusprobablybethelastIshouldobtain——thatthelady，atleastwhileliving，wouldbeseenbymenomore。

Forseveraldaysensuing，hernamewasunmentionedbyeitherUsherormyself：andduringthisperiodIwasbusiedinearnestendeavourstoalleviatethemelancholyofmyfriend。Wepaintedandreadtogether；orIlistened，asifinadream，tothewildimprovisationsofhisspeakingguitar。Andthus，asacloserandstillcloserintimacyadmittedmemoreunreservedlyintotherecessesofhisspirit，themorebitterlydidIperceivethefutilityofallattemptatcheeringamindfromwhichdarkness，asifaninherentpositivequality，pouredforthuponallobjectsofthemoralandphysicaluniverse，inoneunceasingradiationofgloom。

IshalleverbearaboutmeamemoryofthemanysolemnhoursIthusspentalonewiththemasteroftheHouseofUsher。YetI

shouldfailinanyattempttoconveyanideaoftheexactcharacterofthestudies，oroftheoccupations，inwhichheinvolvedme，orledmetheway。Anexcitedandhighlydistemperedidealitythrewasulphureouslustreoverall。Hislongimproviseddirgeswillringforeverinmyears。Amongotherthings，IholdpainfullyinmindacertainsingularperversionandamplificationofthewildairofthelastwaltzofVonWeber。Fromthepaintingsoverwhichhiselaboratefancybrooded，andwhichgrew，touchbytouch，intovaguenessatwhichIshudderedthemorethrillingly，becauseIshudderedknowingnotwhy；——fromthesepaintings（vividastheirimagesnowarebeforeme）Iwouldinvainendeavourtoeducemorethanasmallportionwhichshouldliewithinthecompassofmerelywrittenwords。Bytheuttersimplicity，bythenakednessofhisdesigns，hearrestedandoverawedattention。Ifevermortalpaintedanidea，thatmortalwasRoderickUsher。Formeatleast——inthecircumstancesthensurroundingme——therearoseoutofthepureabstractionswhichthehypochondriaccontrivedtothrowuponhiscanvas，anintensityofintolerableawe，noshadowofwhichfeltIeveryetinthecontemplationofthecertainlyglowingyettooconcretereveriesofFuseli。

Oneofthephantasmagoricconceptionsofmyfriend，partakingnotsorigidlyofthespiritofabstraction，maybeshadowedforth，althoughfeebly，inwords。Asmallpicturepresentedtheinteriorofanimmenselylongandrectangularvaultortunnel，withlowwalls，smooth，white，andwithoutinterruptionordevice。Certainaccessorypointsofthedesignservedwelltoconveytheideathatthisexcavationlayatanexceedingdepthbelowthesurfaceoftheearth。Nooutletwasobservedinanyportionofitsvastextent，andnotorch，orotherartificialsourceoflightwasdiscernible；yetafloodofintenseraysrolledthroughout，andbathedthewholeinaghastlyandinappropriatesplendour。

Ihavejustspokenofthatmorbidconditionoftheauditorynervewhichrenderedallmusicintolerabletothesufferer，withtheexceptionofcertaineffectsofstringedinstruments。Itwas，perhaps，thenarrowlimitstowhichhethusconfinedhimselfupontheguitar，whichgavebirth，ingreatmeasure，tothefantasticcharacteroftheperformances。Butthefervidfacilityofhisimpromptuscouldnotbesoaccountedfor。

Theymusthavebeen，andwere，inthenotes，aswellasinthewordsofhiswildfantasias（forhenotunfrequentlyaccompaniedhimselfwithrhymedverbalimprovisations），theresultofthatintensementalcollectednessandconcentrationtowhichIhavepreviouslyalludedasobservableonlyinparticularmomentsofthehighestartificialexcitement。ThewordsofoneoftheserhapsodiesIhaveeasilyremembered。Iwas，perhaps，themoreforciblyimpressedwithit，ashegaveit，because，intheunderormysticcurrentofitsmeaning，IfanciedthatIperceived，andforthefirsttime，afullconsciousnessonthepartofUsher，ofthetotteringofhisloftyreasonuponherthrone。Theverses，whichwereentitled\"TheHauntedPalace，\"ranverynearly，ifnotaccurately，thus：

I。

Inthegreenestofourvalleys，Bygoodangelstenanted，Onceafairandstatelypalace——

Radiantpalace——reareditshead。

InthemonarchThought’sdominion——

Itstoodthere！

NeverseraphspreadapinionOverfabrichalfsofair。

II。

Bannersyellow，glorious，golden，Onitsroofdidfloatandflow；

（This——allthis——wasintheoldenTimelongago）

Andeverygentleairthatdallied，Inthatsweetday，Alongtherampartsplumedandpallid，Awingedodourwentaway。

III。

WanderersinthathappyvalleyThroughtwoluminouswindowssawSpiritsmovingmusicallyToalute’swelltunedlaw，Roundaboutathrone，wheresitting（Porphyrogene！）

Instatehisglorywellbefitting，Theruleroftherealmwasseen。