Лигейя

           IfellbackwithashudderuponthecouchfromwhichIhadbeensostartlinglyaroused,andagaingavemyselfuptopassionatewakingvisionsofLigeia. 

           Anhourthuselapsedwhen(coulditbepossible?) Iwasasecondtimeawareofsomevaguesoundissuingfromtheregionofthebed. Ilistened—inextremityofhorror. Thesoundcameagain—itwasasigh. Rushingtothecorpse,Isaw—distinctlysaw—atremoruponthelips. Inaminuteafterwardtheyrelaxed,disclosingabrightlineofthepearlyteeth. Amazementnowstruggledinmybosomwiththeprofoundawewhichhadhithertoreignedtherealone. Ifeltthatmyvisiongrewdim,thatmyreasonwandered;anditwasonlybyaviolenteffortthatIatlengthsucceededinnervingmyselftothetaskwhichdutythusoncemorehadpointedout. Therewasnowapartialglowupontheforeheadanduponthecheekandthroat;aperceptiblewarmthpervadedthewholeframe; therewasevenaslightpulsationattheheart. Theladylived; andwithredoubledardorIbetookmyselftothetaskofrestoration. Ichafedandbathedthetemplesandthehands,andusedeveryexertionwhichexperience,andnolittlemedicalreading,couldsuggest. Butinvain. Suddenly,thecolorfled,thepulsationceased,thelipsresumedtheexpressionofthedead,and,inaninstantafterward,thewholebodytookuponitselftheicychilliness,thelividhue,theintenserigidity,thesunkenoutline,andalltheloathsomepeculiaritiesofthatwhichhasbeen,formanydays,atenantofthetomb. 

           AndagainIsunkintovisionsofLigeia—andagain,(whatmarvelthatIshudderwhileIwrite,) againtherereachedmyearsalowsobfromtheregionoftheebonybed.