Падіння будинку Ашерів

           Forseveraldaysensuing,hernamewasunmentionedbyeitherUsherormyself;andduringthisperiodIwasbusiedinearnestendeavorstoalleviatethemelancholyofmyfriend. Wepaintedandreadtogether,orIlistened,asifinadream,tothewildimprovisationsofhisspeakingguitar. Andthus,asacloserandstillcloserintimacyadmittedmemoreunreservedlyintotherecessesofhisspirit,themorebitterlydidIperceivethefutilityofallattemptatcheeringamindfromwhichdarkness,asifaninherentpositivequality,pouredforthuponallobjectsofthemoralandphysicaluniverseinoneunceasingradiationofgloom. 

           IshalleverbearaboutmeamemoryofthemanysolemnhoursIthusspentalonewiththemasteroftheHouseofUsher. YetIshouldfailinanyattempttoconveyanideaoftheexactcharacterofthestudies,oroftheoccupations,inwhichheinvolvedme,orledmetheway. Anexcitedandhighlydistemperedidealitythrewasulphureouslustreoverall. Hislongimproviseddirgeswillringforeverinmyears. Amongotherthings,IholdpainfullyinmindacertainsingularperversionandamplificationofthewildairofthelastwaltzofVonWeber. Fromthepaintingsoverwhichhiselaboratefancybrooded,andwhichgrew,touchbytouch,intovaguenessatwhichIshudderedthemorethrillingly,becauseIshudderedknowingnotwhy—fromthesepaintings(vividastheirimagesnowarebeforeme)Iwouldinvainendeavortoeducemorethanasmallportionwhichshouldliewithinthecompassofmerelywrittenwords.