Падіння будинку Ашерів

           “Herdecease,”hesaid,withabitternesswhichIcanneverforget,“wouldleavehim(himthehopelessandthefrail)thelastoftheancientraceoftheUshers. ”Whilehespoke,theladyMadeline(forsowasshecalled)passedslowlythrougharemoteportionoftheapartment,and,withouthavingnoticedmypresence,disappeared. Iregardedherwithanutterastonishmentnotunmingledwithdread;andyetIfounditimpossibletoaccountforsuchfeelings. Asensationofstuporoppressedmeasmyeyesfollowedherretreatingsteps. Whenadoor,atlength,closeduponher,myglancesoughtinstinctivelyandeagerlythecountenanceofthebrother;buthehadburiedhisfaceinhishands,andIcouldonlyperceivethatafarmorethanordinarywannesshadoverspreadtheemaciatedfingersthroughwhichtrickledmanypassionatetears. 

           ThediseaseoftheladyMadelinehadlongbaffledtheskillofherphysicians. Asettledapathy,agradualwastingawayoftheperson,andfrequentalthoughtransientaffectionsofapartiallycatalepticalcharacterweretheunusualdiagnosis. Hithertoshehadsteadilyborneupagainstthepressureofhermalady,andhadnotbetakenherselffinallytobed;butontheclosinginoftheeveningofmyarrivalatthehouse,shesuccumbed(asherbrothertoldmeatnightwithinexpressibleagitation)totheprostratingpowerofthedestroyer; andIlearnedthattheglimpseIhadobtainedofherpersonwouldthusprobablybethelastIshouldobtain—thatthelady,atleastwhileliving,wouldbeseenbymenomore.