Падіння будинку Ашерів

           Darkdraperieshunguponthewalls. Thegeneralfurniturewasprofuse,comfortless,antique,andtattered. Manybooksandmusicalinstrumentslayscatteredabout,butfailedtogiveanyvitalitytothescene. IfeltthatIbreathedanatmosphereofsorrow. Anairofstern,deep,andirredeemablegloomhungoverandpervadedall. 

           Uponmyentrance,Usherrosefromasofaonwhichhehadbeenlyingatfulllength,andgreetedmewithavivaciouswarmthwhichhadmuchinit,Iatfirstthought,ofanoverdonecordiality—oftheconstrainedeffortoftheennuyémanoftheworld. Aglance,however,athiscountenanceconvincedmeofhisperfectsincerity. Wesatdown;andforsomemoments,whilehespokenot,Igazeduponhimwithafeelinghalfofpity,halfofawe. Surely,manhadneverbeforesoterriblyaltered,insobriefaperiod,ashadRoderickUsher! ItwaswithdifficultythatIcouldbringmyselftoadmittheidentityofthemanbeingbeforemewiththecompanionofmyearlyboyhood. Yetthecharacterofhisfacehadbeenatalltimesremarkable.