Гипноз

           and,worstofall,thedeep,steady,sinisterbreathingofmyfriendonthecouch—arhythmicalbreathingwhichseemedtomeasuremomentsofsupernalfearandagonyforhisspiritasitwanderedinspheresforbidden,unimagined,andhideouslyremote. 

           Thetensionofmyvigilbecameoppressive,andawildtrainoftrivialimpressionsandassociationsthrongedthroughmyalmostunhingedmind. Iheardaclockstrikesomewhere—notours,forthatwasnotastrikingclock—andmymorbidfancyfoundinthisanewstarting-pointforidlewanderings. Clocks—time—space—infinity—andthenmyfancyrevertedtothelocaleasIreflectedthatevennow,beyondtheroofandthefogandtherainandtheatmosphere,CoronaBorealiswasrisinginthenortheast. CoronaBorealis,whichmyfriendhadappearedtodread,andwhosescintillantsemicircleofstarsmustevennowbeglowingunseenthroughthemeasurelessabyssesofaether. Allatoncemyfeverishlysensitiveearsseemedtodetectanewandwhollydistinctcomponentinthesoftmedleyofdrug-magnifiedsounds—alowanddamnablyinsistentwhinefromveryfaraway; droning,clamoring,mocking,calling,fromthenortheast. 

           Butitwasnotthatdistantwhinewhichrobbedmeofmyfacultiesandsetuponmysoulsuchasealoffrightasmayneverinlifeberemoved; notthatwhichdrewtheshrieksandexcitedtheconvulsionswhichcausedlodgersandpolicetobreakdownthedoor. ItwasnotwhatIheard,butwhatIsaw; forinthatdark,locked,shuttered,andcurtainedroomthereappearedfromtheblacknortheastcornerashaftofhorriblered-goldlight —ashaftwhichborewithitnoglowtodispersethedarkness,butwhichstreamedonlyupontherecumbentheadofthetroubledsleeper, bringingoutinhideousduplicationtheluminousandstrangelyyouthfulmemory-faceasIhadknownitindreamsofabysmalspaceandunshackledtime,whenmyfriendhadpushedbehindthebarriertothosesecret,innermostandforbiddencavernsofnightmare.