Лігейя

           TheexpressionoftheeyesofLigeia! HowforlonghourshaveIpondereduponit! HowhaveI,throughthewholeofamidsummernight,struggledtofathomit! Whatwasit—thatsomethingmoreprofoundthanthewellofDemocritus—whichlayfarwithinthepupilsofmybeloved? Whatwasit? Iwaspossessedwithapassiontodiscover. Thoseeyes! thoselarge,thoseshining,thosedivineorbs! theybecametometwinstarsofLeda,andItothemdevoutestofastrologers. 

           Thereisnopoint,amongthemanyincomprehensibleanomaliesofthescienceofmind,morethrillinglyexcitingthanthefact—never,Ibelieve,noticedintheschools—that,inourendeavorstorecalltomemorysomethinglongforgotten,weoftenfindourselvesupontheveryvergeofremembrance,withoutbeingable,intheend,toremember. Andthushowfrequently,inmyintensescrutinyofLigeia’seyes,haveIfeltapproachingthefullknowledgeoftheirexpression—feltitapproaching—yetnotquitebemine—andsoatlengthentirelydepart! And(strange,ohstrangestmysteryofall!) Ifound,inthecommonestobjectsoftheuniverse,acircleofanalogiestotheatexpression. Imeantosaythat,subsequentlytotheperiodwhenLigeia’sbeautypassedintomyspirit,theredwellingasinashrine,Iderived,frommanyexistencesinthematerialworld,asentimentsuchasIfeltalwaysarousedwithinmebyherlargeandluminousorbs. YetnotthemorecouldIdefinethatsentiment,oranalyze,orevensteadilyviewit. Irecognizedit,letmerepeat,sometimesinthesurveyofarapidly-growingvine—inthecontemplationofamoth,abutterfly,achrysalis,astreamofrunningwater. Ihavefeltitintheocean;inthefallingofameteor. Ihavefeltitintheglancesofunusuallyagedpeople.