Падіння будинку Ашерів

           Iwasforcedtofallbackupontheunsatisfactoryconclusion,thatwhile,beyonddoubt,therearecombinationsofverysimplenaturalobjectswhichhavethepowerofthusaffectingus,stilltheanalysisofthispowerliesamongconsiderationsbeyondourdepth. Itwaspossible,Ireflected,thatameredifferentarrangementoftheparticularsofthescene,ofthedetailsofthepicture,wouldbesufficienttomodify,orperhapstoannihilateitscapacityforsorrowfulimpression;and,actinguponthisidea,Ireinedmyhorsetotheprecipitousbrinkofablackandluridtarnthatlayinunruffledlustrebythedwelling,andgazeddown —butwithashudderevenmorethrillingthanbefore—upontheremodelledandinvertedimagesofthegraysedge,andtheghastlytree-stems,andthevacantandeye-likewindows. 

           Nevertheless,inthismansionofgloomInowproposedtomyselfasojournofsomeweeks. Itsproprietor,RoderickUsher,hadbeenoneofmybooncompanionsinboyhood;butmanyyearshadelapsedsinceourlastmeeting. Aletter,however,hadlatelyreachedmeinadistantpartofthecountry—aletterfromhim—which,initswildlyimportunatenature,hadadmittedofnootherthanapersonalreply. TheMSgaveevidenceofnervousagitation. Thewriterspokeofacutebodilyillness—ofamentaldisorderwhichoppressedhim—andofanearnestdesiretoseeme,ashisbestandindeedhisonlypersonalfriend,withaviewofattempting,bythecheerfulnessofmysociety,somealleviationofhismalady.