Падіння будинку Ашерів

           Ourglances,however,restednotlonguponthedead—forwecouldnotregardherunawed. Thediseasewhichhadthusentombedtheladyinthematurityofyouth,hadleft,asusualinallmaladiesofastrictlycatalepticalcharacter,themockeryofafaintblushuponthebosomandtheface,andthatsuspiciouslylingeringsmileuponthelipwhichissoterribleindeath. Wereplacedandscreweddownthelid,and,havingsecuredthedoorofiron,madeourway,withtoil,intothescarcelylessgloomyapartmentsoftheupperportionofthehouse. 

           Andnow,somedaysofbittergriefhavingelapsed,anobservablechangecameoverthefeaturesofthementaldisorderofmyfriend. Hisordinarymannerhadvanished. Hisordinaryoccupationswereneglectedorforgotten. Heroamedfromchambertochamberwithhurried,unequal,andobjectlessstep. Thepallorofhiscountenancehadassumed,ifpossible,amoreghastlyhue—buttheluminousnessofhiseyehadutterlygoneout. Theonceoccasionalhuskinessofhistonewasheardnomore;andatremulousquaver,asifofextremeterror,habituallycharacterizedhisutterance. Thereweretimes,indeed,whenIthoughthisunceasinglyagitatedmindwaslaboringwithsomeoppressivesecret,todivulgewhichhestruggledforthenecessarycourage. Attimes,again,Iwasobligedtoresolveallintothemereinexplicablevagariesofmadness,forIbeheldhimgazinguponvacancyforlonghours,inanattitudeoftheprofoundestattention,asiflisteningtosomeimaginarysound. Itwasnowonderthathisconditionterrified—thatitinfectedme.