Падение дома Ашеров

           Thebodyhavingbeenencoffined,wetwoaloneboreittoitsrest. Thevaultinwhichweplacedit(andwhichhadbeensolongunopenedthatourtorches,halfsmotheredinitsoppressiveatmosphere,gaveuslittleopportunityforinvestigation)wassmall,damp,andentirelywithoutmeansofadmissionforlight;lying,atgreatdepth,immediatelybeneaththatportionofthebuildinginwhichwasmyownsleepingapartment. Ithadbeenused,apparently,inremotefeudaltimes,fortheworstpurposesofadonjon-keep,and,inlaterdays,asaplaceofdepositforpowder,orsomeotherhighlycombustiblesubstance,asaportionofitsfloor,andthewholeinteriorofalongarchwaythroughwhichwereachedit,werecarefullysheathedwithcopper. Thedoor,ofmassiveiron,hadbeen,also,similarlyprotected. Itsimmenseweightcausedanunusuallysharp,gratingsound,asitmoveduponitshinges. 

           Havingdepositedourmournfulburdenupontresselswithinthisregionofhorror,wepartiallyturnedasidetheyetunscrewedlidofthecoffin,andlookeduponthefaceofthetenant. Astrikingsimilitudebetweenthebrotherandsisternowfirstarrestedmyattention;andUsher,divining,perhaps,mythoughts,murmuredoutsomefewwordsfromwhichIlearnedthatthedeceasedandhimselfhadbeentwins,andthatsympathiesofascarcelyintelligiblenaturehadalwaysexistedbetweenthem.