Падіння будинку Ашерів

           “AndEthelred,whowasbynatureofadoughtyheart,andwhowasnowmightywithal,onaccountofthepowerfulnessofthewinewhichhehaddrunken,waitednolongertoholdparleywiththehermit,who,insooth,wasofanobstinateandmalicefulturn, but,feelingtherainuponhisshoulders,andfearingtherisingofthetempest,upliftedhismaceoutright,and,withblows,madequicklyroomintheplankingsofthedoorforhisgauntletedhand;andnowpullingtherewithsturdily,hesocracked,andripped,andtoreallasunder,thatthenoiseofthedryandhollow-soundingwoodalarumedandreverberatedthroughouttheforest.” 

           AttheterminationofthissentenceIstartedand,foramoment,paused;foritappearedtome(althoughIatonceconcludedthatmyexcitedfancyhaddeceivedme) —itappearedtomethat,fromsomeveryremoteportionofthemansion,therecame,indistinctlytomyears,whatmighthavebeen,initsexactsimilarityofcharacter,theecho(butastifledanddullonecertainly)oftheverycrackingandrippingsoundwhichSirLauncelothadsoparticularlydescribed. Itwas,beyonddoubt,thecoincidencealonewhichhadarrestedmyattention;for,amidtherattlingofthesashesofthecasements,andtheordinarycomminglednoisesofthestillincreasingstorm,thesound,initself,hadnothing,surely,whichshouldhaveinterestedordisturbedme. Icontinuedthestory: