Падіння будинку Ашерів

           Itwasthemannerinwhichallthis,andmuchmore,wassaid—itwastheapparentheartthatwentwithhisrequest—whichallowedmenoroomforhesitation;andIaccordinglyobeyedforthwithwhatIstillconsideredaverysingularsummons. 

           Although,asboys,wehadbeenevenintimateassociates,yetIreallyknewlittleofmyfriend. Hisreservehadbeenalwaysexcessiveandhabitual. Iwasaware,however,thathisveryancientfamilyhadbeennoted,timeoutofmind,forapeculiarsensibilityoftemperament,displayingitself,throughlongages,inmanyworksofexaltedart,andmanifested,oflate,inrepeateddeedsofmunificentyetunobtrusivecharity,aswellasinapassionatedevotiontotheintricacies,perhapsevenmorethantotheorthodoxandeasilyrecognizablebeauties,ofmusicalscience. Ihadlearned,too,theveryremarkablefact,thatthestemoftheUsherrace,alltime-honoredasitwas,hadputforth,atnoperiod,anyenduringbranch;inotherwords,thattheentirefamilylayinthedirectlineofdescent,andhadalways,withverytriflingandverytemporaryvariation,solain.