Лигейя

           Wantingtheradiantlustreofhereyes,letters,lambentandgolden,grewdullerthanSaturnianlead. AndnowthoseeyesshonelessandlessfrequentlyuponthepagesoverwhichIpored. Ligeiagrewill. Thewildeyesblazedwithatoo—toogloriouseffulgence; thepalefingersbecameofthetransparentwaxenhueofthegrave,andtheblueveinsupontheloftyforeheadswelledandsankimpetuouslywiththetidesofthegentleemotion. Isawthatshemustdie—andIstruggleddesperatelyinspiritwiththegrimAzrael. Andthestrugglesofthepassionatewifewere,tomyastonishment,evenmoreenergeticthanmyown. Therehadbeenmuchinhersternnaturetoimpressmewiththebeliefthat,toher,deathwouldhavecomewithoutitsterrors;—butnotso. WordsareimpotenttoconveyanyjustideaofthefiercenessofresistancewithwhichshewrestledwiththeShadow. Igroanedinanguishatthepitiablespectacle. wouldhavesoothed—Iwouldhavereasoned;but,intheintensityofherwilddesireforlife—forlife—butforlife—solaceandreasonweretheuttermostfolly. Yetnotuntilthelastinstance,amidthemostconvulsivewrithingsofherfiercespirit,wasshakentheexternalplacidityofherdemeanor. Hervoicegrewmoregentle—grewmorelow—yetIwouldnotwishtodwelluponthewildmeaningofthequietlyutteredwords. MybrainreeledasIhearkenedentranced,toamelodymorethanmortal—toassumptionsandaspirationswhichmortalityhadneverbeforeknown. 

           ThatshelovedmeIshouldnothavedoubted; andImighthavebeeneasilyawarethat,inabosomsuchashers,lovewouldhavereignednoordinarypassion. Butindeathonly,wasIfullyimpressedwiththestrengthofheraffection. Forlonghours,detainingmyhand,wouldshepouroutbeforemetheoverflowingofaheartwhosemorethanpassionatedevotionamountedtoidolatry.