Лигейя

           Overtheupperportionofthishugewindow,extendedthetrellice-workofanagedvine,whichclamberedupthemassywallsoftheturret. Theceiling,ofgloomy-lookingoak,wasexcessivelylofty,vaulted,andelaboratelyfrettedwiththewildestandmostgrotesquespecimensofasemi-Gothic,semi-Druidicaldevice. Fromoutthemostcentralrecessofthismelancholyvaulting,depended,byasinglechainofgoldwithlonglinks,ahugecenserofthesamemetal,Saracenicinpattern,andwithmanyperforationssocontrivedthattherewrithedinandoutofthem,asifenduedwithaserpentvitality,acontinualsuccessionofparti-coloredfires. 

           Somefewottomansandgoldencandelabra,ofEasternfigure,wereinvariousstationsabout—andtherewasthecouch,too—bridalcouch—ofanIndianmodel,andlow,andsculpturedofsolidebony,withapall-likecanopyabove. Ineachoftheanglesofthechamberstoodonendagiganticsarcophagusofblackgranite,fromthetombsofthekingsoveragainstLuxor,withtheiragedlidsfullofimmemorialsculpture. Butinthedrapingoftheapartmentlay,alas!thechiefphantasyofall. Theloftywalls,giganticinheight—evenunproportionablyso—werehungfromsummittofoot,invastfolds,withaheavyandmassive-lookingtapestry—tapestryofamaterialwhichwasfoundalikeasacarpetonthefloor,asacoveringfortheottomansandtheebonybed,asacanopyforthebed,andasthegorgeousvolutesofthecurtainswhichpartiallyshadedthewindow. Thematerialwastherichestclothofgold. Itwasspottedallover,atirregularintervals,witharabesquefigures,aboutafootindiameter,andwroughtupontheclothinpatternsofthemostjettyblack. Butthesefigurespartookofthetruecharacterofthearabesqueonlywhenregardedfromasinglepointofview.