Маска Красной Смерти

           Andtherumorofthisnewpresencehavingspreaditselfwhisperinglyaround,therearoseatlengthfromthewholecompanyabuzz,ormurmur,expressiveofdisapprobationandsurprise—then,finally,ofterror,ofhorror,andofdisgust. 

           InanassemblyofphantasmssuchasIhavepainted,itmaywellbesupposedthatnoordinaryappearancecouldhaveexcitedsuchsensation. Intruththemasqueradelicenseofthenightwasnearlyunlimited;butthefigureinquestionhadout-HerodedHerod,andgonebeyondtheboundsofeventheprince’sindefinitedecorum. Therearechordsintheheartsofthemostrecklesswhichcannotbetouchedwithoutemotion. Evenwiththeutterlylost,towhomlifeanddeathareequallyjests,therearemattersofwhichnojestcanbemade. Thewholecompany,indeed,seemednowdeeplytofeelthatinthecostumeandbearingofthestrangerneitherwitnorproprietyexisted. Thefigurewastallandgaunt,andshroudedfromheadtofootinthehabilimentsofthegrave. Themaskwhichconcealedthevisagewasmadesonearlytoresemblethecountenanceofastiffenedcorpsethattheclosestscrutinymusthavehaddifficultyindetectingthecheat. Andyetallthismighthavebeenendured,ifnotapproved,bythemadrevellersaround. ButthemummerhadgonesofarastoassumethetypeoftheRedDeath. Hisvesturewasdabbledinblood—andhisbroadbrow,withallthefeaturesoftheface,wasbesprinkledwiththescarlethorror.