Падение дома Ашеров

           Acadaverousnessofcomplexion;aneyelarge,liquid,andluminousbeyondcomparison;lipssomewhatthinandverypallid,butofasurpassinglybeautifulcurve; anoseofadelicateHebrewmodel,butwithabreadthofnostrilunusualinsimilarformations;afinelymouldedchin,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.