Падение дома Ашеров

           Ishudderatthethoughtofany,eventhemosttrivial,incident,whichmayoperateuponthisintolerableagitationofsoul. Ihave,indeed,noabhorrenceofdanger,exceptinitsabsoluteeffect—interror. Inthisunnerved,inthispitiable,conditionIfeelthattheperiodwillsoonerorlaterarrivewhenImustabandonlifeandreasontogether,insomestrugglewiththegrimphantasm,FEAR.” 

           Ilearned,moreover,atintervals,andthroughbrokenandequivocalhints,anothersingularfeatureofhismentalcondition. Hewasenchainedbycertainsuperstitiousimpressionsinregardtothedwellingwhichhetenanted,andwhence,formanyyears,hehadneverventuredforth—inregardtoaninfluencewhosesupposititiousforcewasconveyedintermstooshadowyheretobere-stated—aninfluencewhichsomepeculiaritiesinthemereformandsubstanceofhisfamilymansionhad,bydintoflongsufferance,hesaid,obtainedoverhisspirit —aneffectwhichthephysiqueofthegraywallsandturrets,andofthedimtarnintowhichtheyalllookeddown,had,atlength,broughtaboutuponthemoraleofhisexistence. 

           Headmitted,however,althoughwithhesitation,thatmuchofthepeculiargloomwhichthusafflictedhimcouldbetracedtoamorenaturalandfarmorepalpableorigin —tothesevereandlong-continuedillness—indeedtotheevidentlyapproachingdissolution—ofatenderlybelovedsister,hissolecompanionforlongyears,hislastandonlyrelativeonearth.