Лигейя

           Aboutthecommencementofthesecondmonthofthemarriage,theLadyRowenawasattackedwithsuddenillness,fromwhichherrecoverywasslow. Thefeverwhichconsumedherrenderedhernightsuneasy; andinherperturbedstateofhalf-slumber,shespokeofsounds,andofmotions,inandaboutthechamberoftheturret,whichIconcludedhadnooriginsaveinthedistemperofherfancy,orperhapsinthephantasmagoricinfluencesofthechamberitself. Shebecameatlengthconvalescent—finallywell. Yetbutabriefperiodelapsed,ereasecondmoreviolentdisorderagainthrewheruponabedofsuffering; andfromthisattackherframe,atalltimesfeeble,neveraltogetherrecovered. Herillnesseswere,afterthisepoch,ofalarmingcharacter,andofmorealarmingrecurrence,defyingaliketheknowledgeandthegreatexertionsofherphysicians. Withtheincreaseofthechronicdiseasewhichhadthus,apparently,takentoosureholduponherconstitutiontobeeradicatedbyhumanmeans,Icouldnotfalltoobserveasimilarincreaseinthenervousirritationofhertemperament,andinherexcitabilitybytrivialcausesoffear. Shespokeagain,andnowmorefrequentlyandpertinaciously,ofthesounds—oftheslightsounds—andoftheunusualmotionsamongthetapestries,towhichshehadformerlyalluded. 

           Onenight,neartheclosinginofSeptember,shepressedthisdistressingsubjectwithmorethanusualemphasisuponmyattention. Shehadjustawakenedfromanunquietslumber,andIhadbeenwatching,withfeelingshalfofanxiety,halfofvagueterror,theworkingsofheremaciatedcountenance. Isatbythesideofherebonybed,upononeoftheottomansofIndia. Shepartlyarose,andspoke,inanearnestlowwhisper,ofsoundswhichshethenheard,butwhichIcouldnothear—ofmotionswhichshethensaw,butwhichIcouldnotperceive.