Падение дома Ашеров
“Herdecease,”hesaid,withabitternesswhichIcanneverforget,“wouldleavehim(himthehopelessandthefrail)thelastoftheancientraceoftheUshers. ”Whilehespoke,theladyMadeline(forsowasshecalled)passedslowlythrougharemoteportionoftheapartment,and,withouthavingnoticedmypresence,disappeared. Iregardedherwithanutterastonishmentnotunmingledwithdread;andyetIfounditimpossibletoaccountforsuchfeelings. Asensationofstuporoppressedmeasmyeyesfollowedherretreatingsteps. Whenadoor,atlength,closeduponher,myglancesoughtinstinctivelyandeagerlythecountenanceofthebrother;buthehadburiedhisfaceinhishands,andIcouldonlyperceivethatafarmorethanordinarywannesshadoverspreadtheemaciatedfingersthroughwhichtrickledmanypassionatetears.
ThediseaseoftheladyMadelinehadlongbaffledtheskillofherphysicians. Asettledapathy,agradualwastingawayoftheperson,andfrequentalthoughtransientaffectionsofapartiallycatalepticalcharacterweretheunusualdiagnosis. Hithertoshehadsteadilyborneupagainstthepressureofhermalady,andhadnotbetakenherselffinallytobed;butontheclosinginoftheeveningofmyarrivalatthehouse,shesuccumbed(asherbrothertoldmeatnightwithinexpressibleagitation)totheprostratingpowerofthedestroyer; andIlearnedthattheglimpseIhadobtainedofherpersonwouldthusprobablybethelastIshouldobtain—thatthelady,atleastwhileliving,wouldbeseenbymenomore.
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