Лигейя

           Iregardedthesweetmouth. Herewasindeedthetriumphofallthingsheavenly—themagnificentturnoftheshortupperlip—thesoft,voluptuousslumberoftheunder—thedimpleswhichsported,andthecolorwhichspoke—theteethglancingback,withabrilliancyalmoststartling,everyrayoftheholylightwhichfellupontheminhersereneandplacid,yetmostexultinglyradiantofallsmiles. Iscrutinizedtheformationofthechin—andhere,too,Ifoundthegentlenessofbreadth,thesoftnessandthemajesty,thefullnessandthespirituality,oftheGreek—thecontourwhichthegodApollorevealedbutinadream,toCleomenes,thesonoftheAthenian. AndthenIpeeredintothelargeevesofLigeia. 

           Foreyeswehavenomodelsintheremotelyantique. Itmighthavebeen,too,thatintheseevesofmybelovedlaythesecrettowhichLordVerulamalludes. Theywere,Imustbelieve,farlargerthantheordinaryeyesofourownrace. TheywereevenfullerthanthefullestofthegazelleeyesofthetribeofthevalleyofNourjahad. Yetitwasonlyatintervals—inmomentsofintenseexcitement—thatthispeculiaritybecamemorethanslightlynoticeableinLigeia. Andatsuchmomentswasherbeauty—inmyheatedfancythusitappearedperhaps—thebeautyofbeingseitheraboveorapartfromtheearth—thebeautyofthefabulousHourioftheTurk. Thehueoftheorbswasthemostbrilliantofblack,and,faroverthem,hungjettylashesofgreatlength. Thebrows,slightlyirregularinoutline,hadthesametint. The"strangeness,"however,whichIfoundintheeyes,wasofanaturedistinctfromtheformation,orthecolor,orthebrilliancyofthefeatures,andmust,afterall,bereferredtotheexpression. Ah,wordofnomeaning! behindwhosevastlatitudeofmeresoundweintrenchourignoranceofsomuchofthespiritual.