Мхи старой усадьбы

           RoderickElliston,who,alittlewhilebefore,hadheldhimselfsoscornfullyabovethecommonlotofmen,nowpaidfullallegiancetothishumiliatinglaw.Thesnakeinhisbosomseemedthesymbolofamonstrousegotismtowhicheverythingwasreferred,andwhichhepampered,nightandday,withacontinualandexclusivesacrificeofdevilworship.

           Hesoonexhibitedwhatmostpeopleconsideredindubitabletokensofinsanity.Insomeofhismoods,strangetosay,hepridedandgloriedhimselfonbeingmarkedoutfromtheordinaryexperienceofmankind,bythepossessionofadoublenature,andalifewithinalife.Heappearedtoimaginethatthesnakewasadivinity,—notcelestial,itistrue,butdarklyinfernal,—andthathethencederivedaneminenceandasanctity,horrid,indeed,yetmoredesirablethanwhateverambitionaimsat.Thushedrewhismiseryaroundhimlikearegalmantle,andlookeddowntriumphantlyuponthosewhosevitalsnourishednodeadlymonster.Oftener,however,hishumannatureasserteditsempireoverhimintheshapeofayearningforfellowship.Itgrewtobehiscustomtospendthewholedayinwanderingaboutthestreets,aimlessly,unlessitmightbecalledanaimtoestablishaspeciesofbrotherhoodbetweenhimselfandtheworld.Withcankeredingenuity,hesoughtouthisowndiseaseineverybreast.Whetherinsaneornot,heshowedsokeenaperceptionoffrailty,error,andvice,thatmanypersonsgavehimcreditforbeingpossessednotmerelywithaserpent,butwithanactualfiend,whoimpartedthisevilfacultyofrecognizingwhateverwasugliestinman’sheart.