第1章

THERAVEN

Onceuponamidnightdreary，whileIpondered，weakandweary，Overmanyaquaintandcuriousvolumeofforgottenlore——

WhileInodded，nearlynapping，suddenlytherecameatapping，Asofsomeonegentlyrapping，rappingatmychamberdoor。

"’Tissomevisiter，"Imuttered，"tappingatmychamberdoor——

Onlythisandnothingmore。"

Ah，distinctlyIrememberitwasinthebleakDecember，Andeachseparatedyingemberwroughtitsghostuponthefloor。

EagerlyIwishedthemorrow;——vainlyIhadsoughttoborrowFrommybookssurceaseofsorrow——sorrowforthelostLenore——

FortherareandradiantmaidenwhomtheangelsnameLenore——

Namelesshereforevermore。

AndthesilkensaduncertainrustlingofeachpurplecurtainThrilledme——filledmewithfantasticterrorsneverfeltbefore;

Sothatnow，tostillthebeatingofmyheart，Istoodrepeating"’Tissomevisiterentreatingentranceatmychamberdoor——

Somelatevisiterentreatingentranceatmychamberdoor;

Thisitisandnothingmore。"

Presentlymysoulgrewstronger;hesitatingthennolonger，"Sir，"saidI，"orMadam，trulyyourforgivenessIimplore;

ButthefactisIwasnapping，andsogentlyyoucamerapping，Andsofaintlyyoucametapping，tappingatmychamberdoor，ThatIscarcewassureIheardyou"——hereIopenedwidethedoor——

Darknessthereandnothingmore。

Deepintothatdarknesspeering，longIstoodtherewondering，fearing，Doubting，dreamingdreamsnomortalseverdaredtodreambefore;

Butthesilencewasunbroken，andthestillnessgavenotoken，Andtheonlywordtherespokenwasthewhisperedword，"Lenore？"

ThisIwhispered，andanechomurmuredbacktheword，"Lenore！"——

Merelythisandnothingmore。

Backintothechamberturning，allmysourwithinmeburning，SoonagainIheardatappingsomethinglouderthanbefore。

"Surely，"saidI，"surelythatissomethingatmywindowlattice;

Letmesee，then，whatthereatisandthismysteryexplore——

Letmyheartbestillamomentandthismysteryexplore;——

’Tisthewindandnothingmore。

OpenhereIflungtheshutter，when，withmanyaflirtandflutter，IntheresteppedastatelyRavenofthesaintlydaysofyore。

Nottheleastobeisancemadehe;notaminutestoppedorstayedhe，But，withmienoflordorlady，perchedabovemychamberdoor——

PercheduponabustofPallasjustabovemychamberdoor——

Perched，andsat，andnothingmore。

Thentheebonybirdbeguilingmysadfancyintosmiling，Bythegraveandsterndecorumofthecountenanceitwore，"Thoughthycrestbeshornandshaven，thou，"Isaid，"artsurenocraven，GhastlygrimandancientRavenwanderingfromtheNightlyshore——

TellmewhatthylordlynameisontheNight’sPlutonianshore！"

QuoththeRaven，"Nevermore。"

MuchImarvelledthisungainlyfowltoheardiscoursesoplainly，Thoughitsanswerlittlemeaning——littlerelevancybore;

ForwecannothelpagreeingthatnolivinghumanbeingEveryetwasblessedwithseeingbirdabovehischamberdoor——

Birdorbeastuponthesculpturedbustabovehischamberdoor，Withsuchnameas"Nevermore。"

ButtheRaven，sittinglonelyonthatplacidbust，spokeonlyThatoneword，asifitssoulinthatonewordhedidoutpourNothingfartherthenheuttered;notafeatherthenhefluttered——

TillIscarcelymorethanmuttered:"Otherfriendshaveflownbefore——

Onthemorrowhewillleaveme，asmyHopeshaveflownbefore。"

Thenthebirdsaid"Nevermore。"

Startledatthestillnessbrokenbyreplysoaptlyspoken，"Doubtless，"saidI，"whatituttersisitsonlystockandstore，CaughtfromsomeunhappymasterwhomunmercifulDisasterFollowedfastandfollowedfastertillhissongsoneburdenbore——

TillthedirgesofhisHopethatmelancholyburdenboreOf’Never——nevermore。’"

ButtheRavenstillbeguilingallmysadsoulintosmiling，StraightIwheeledacushionedseatinfrontofbirdandbustanddoor;

Then，uponthevelvetsinking，IbetookmyselftolinkingFancyuntofancy，thinkingwhatthisominousbirdofyore——

Whatthisgrim，ungainly，ghastly，gaunt，andominousbirdofyoreMeantincroaking"Nevermore。"

ThisIsatengagedinguessing，butnosyllableexpressingTothefowlwhosefieryeyesnowburnedintomybosom’score;

ThisandmoreIsatdivining，withmyheadateaserecliningOnthecushion’svelvetliningthatthelamp—lightgloatedo’er，Butwhosevelvetvioletliningwiththelamp—lightgloatingo’erSheshallpress，ah，nevermore！

Then，methought，theairgrewdenser，perfumedfromanunseencenserSwungbySeraphimwhosefoot—fallstinkledonthetuftedfloor。

"Wretch，"Icried，"thyGodhathlentthee——bytheseangelshehathsenttheeRespite——respiteandnepenthefromthymemoriesofLenore！

Quaff，ohquaffthiskindnepentheandforgetthislostLenore！"

QuoththeRaven，"Nevermore。"

"Prophet！"saidI，"thingofevil！——prophetstill，ifbirdordevil！——

WhetherTemptersent，orwhethertempesttossedtheehereashore，Desolate，yetallundaunted，onthisdesertlandenchanted——

OnthishomebyHorrorhaunted——tellmetruly，Iimplore——

Isthere——istherebalminGilead？——tellme——tellme，Iimplore！"

QuoththeRaven，"Nevermore。"

"Prophet！"saidI，"thingofevil！——prophetstill，ifbirdordevil！

BythatHeaventhatbendsaboveus——bythatGodwebothadore——

Tellthissoulwithsorrowladenif，withinthedistantAidenn，ItshallclaspasaintedmaidenwhomtheangelsnameLenore——

ClasparareandradiantmaidenwhomtheangelsnameLenore。"

QuoththeRaven，"Nevermore。"

"Bethatoursignofparting，birdorfiend！"Ishrieked，upstarting——

"GettheebackintothetempestandtheNight’sPlutonianshore！

Leavenoblackplumeasatokenofthatliethysoulhasspoken！

Leavemylonelinessunbroken！——quitthebustabovemydoor！

Takethybeakfromoutmyheart，andtakethyformfromoffmydoor！"

QuoththeRaven，"Nevermore。"

AndtheRaven，neverflitting，stillissitting，stillissittingOnthepallidbustofPallasjustabovemychamberdoor;

Andhiseyeshavealltheseemingofademon’sthatisdreamingAndthelamp—lighto’erhimstreamingthrowshisshadowsonthefloor;

AndmysoulfromoutthatshadowthatliesfloatingonthefloorShallbelifted——nevermore！

TheMasqueoftheRedDeathbyEdgarAllanPoeOctober，1997[Etext#1064]*

TheMasqueoftheRedDeathThe"RedDeath"hadlongdevastatedthecountry。Nopestilencehadeverbeensofatal，orsohideous。BloodwasitsAvataranditsseal——therednessandthehorrorofblood。Thereweresharppains，andsuddendizziness，andthenprofusebleedingatthepores，withdissolution。Thescarletstainsuponthebodyandespeciallyuponthefaceofthevictim，werethepestbanwhichshuthimoutfromtheaidandfromthesympathyofhisfellow—men。

Andthewholeseizure，progressandterminationofthedisease，weretheincidentsofhalfanhour。

ButthePrinceProsperowashappyanddauntlessandsagacious。

Whenhisdominionswerehalfdepopulated，hesummonedtohispresenceathousandhaleandlight—heartedfriendsfromamongtheknightsanddamesofhiscourt，andwiththeseretiredtothedeepseclusionofoneofhiscastellatedabbeys。Thiswasanextensiveandmagnificentstructure，thecreationoftheprince’sowneccentricyetaugusttaste。Astrongandloftywallgirdleditin。

Thiswallhadgatesofiron。Thecourtiers，havingentered，broughtfurnacesandmassyhammersandweldedthebolts。Theyresolvedtoleavemeansneitherofingressnoregresstothesuddenimpulsesofdespairoroffrenzyfromwithin。Theabbeywasamplyprovisioned。Withsuchprecautionsthecourtiersmightbiddefiancetocontagion。Theexternalworldcouldtakecareofitself。Inthemeantimeitwasfollytogrieve，ortothink。Theprincehadprovidedalltheappliancesofpleasure。Therewerebuffoons，therewereimprovisatori，therewereballet—dancers，thereweremusicians，therewasBeauty，therewaswine。Alltheseandsecuritywerewithin。Withoutwasthe"RedDeath"。

Itwastowardsthecloseofthefifthorsixthmonthofhisseclusion，andwhilethepestilenceragedmostfuriouslyabroad，thatthePrinceProsperoentertainedhisthousandfriendsatamaskedballofthemostunusualmagnificence。

Itwasavoluptuousscene，thatmasquerade。Butfirstletmetelloftheroomsinwhichitwasheld。Thesewereseven——animperialsuite。Inmanypalaces，however，suchsuitesformalongandstraightvista，whilethefoldingdoorsslidebacknearlytothewallsoneitherhand，sothattheviewofthewholeextentisscarcelyimpeded。Herethecasewasverydifferent，asmighthavebeenexpectedfromtheduke’sloveofthebizarre。Theapartmentsweresoirregularlydisposedthatthevisionembracedbutlittlemorethanoneatatime。Therewasasharpturnateverytwentyorthirtyyards，andateachturnanoveleffect。Totherightandleft，inthemiddleofeachwall，atallandnarrowGothicwindowlookedoutuponaclosedcorridorwhichpursuedthewindingsofthesuite。Thesewindowswereofstainedglasswhosecolourvariedinaccordancewiththeprevailinghueofthedecorationsofthechamberintowhichitopened。Thatattheeasternextremitywashung，forexampleinblue——andvividlybluewereitswindows。Thesecondchamberwaspurpleinitsornamentsandtapestries，andherethepaneswerepurple。Thethirdwasgreenthroughout，andsowerethecasements。Thefourthwasfurnishedandlightedwithorange——thefifthwithwhite——thesixthwithviolet。Theseventhapartmentwascloselyshroudedinblackvelvettapestriesthathungallovertheceilinganddownthewalls，fallinginheavyfoldsuponacarpetofthesamematerialandhue。Butinthischamberonly，thecolourofthewindowsfailedtocorrespondwiththedecorations。Thepanesherewerescarlet——adeepbloodcolour。Nowinnooneofthesevenapartmentswasthereanylamporcandelabrum，amidtheprofusionofgoldenornamentsthatlayscatteredtoandfroordependedfromtheroof。Therewasnolightofanykindemanatingfromlamporcandlewithinthesuiteofchambers。Butinthecorridorsthatfollowedthesuite，therestood，oppositetoeachwindow，aheavytripod，bearingabrazieroffire，thatprojecteditsraysthroughthetintedglassandsoglaringlyilluminedtheroom。Andthuswereproducedamultitudeofgaudyandfantasticappearances。Butinthewesternorblackchambertheeffectofthefire—lightthatstreameduponthedarkhangingsthroughtheblood—tintedpanes，wasghastlyintheextreme，andproducedsowildalookuponthecountenancesofthosewhoentered，thattherewerefewofthecompanyboldenoughtosetfootwithinitsprecinctsatall。

Itwasinthisapartment，also，thattherestoodagainstthewesternwall，agiganticclockofebony。Itspendulumswungtoandfrowithadull，heavy，monotonousclang;andwhentheminute—handmadethecircuitoftheface，andthehourwastobestricken，therecamefromthebrazenlungsoftheclockasoundwhichwasclearandloudanddeepandexceedinglymusical，butofsopeculiaranoteandemphasisthat，ateachlapseofanhour，themusiciansoftheorchestrawereconstrainedtopause，momentarily，intheirperformance，toharkentothesound;andthusthewaltzersperforceceasedtheirevolutions;andtherewasabriefdisconcertofthewholegaycompany;and，whilethechimesoftheclockyetrang，itwasobservedthatthegiddiestgrewpale，andthemoreagedandsedatepassedtheirhandsovertheirbrowsasifinconfusedreveryormeditation。Butwhentheechoeshadfullyceased，alightlaughteratoncepervadedtheassembly;themusicianslookedateachotherandsmiledasifattheirownnervousnessandfolly，andmadewhisperingvows，eachtotheother，thatthenextchimingoftheclockshouldproduceinthemnosimilaremotion;andthen，afterthelapseofsixtyminutes，（whichembracethreethousandandsixhundredsecondsoftheTimethatflies，）therecameyetanotherchimingoftheclock，andthenwerethesamedisconcertandtremulousnessandmeditationasbefore。

But，inspiteofthesethings，itwasagayandmagnificentrevel。Thetastesofthedukewerepeculiar。Hehadafineeyeforcoloursandeffects。Hedisregardedthedecoraofmerefashion。Hisplanswereboldandfiery，andhisconceptionsglowedwithbarbariclustre。Therearesomewhowouldhavethoughthimmad。Hisfollowersfeltthathewasnot。Itwasnecessarytohearandseeandtouchhimtobesurethathewasnot。

Hehaddirected，ingreatpart，themovableembellishmentsofthesevenchambers，uponoccasionofthisgreatfete;anditwashisownguidingtastewhichhadgivencharactertothemasqueraders。Besuretheyweregrotesque。Thereweremuchglareandglitterandpiquancyandphantasm——muchofwhathasbeensinceseenin"Hernani"。Therewerearabesquefigureswithunsuitedlimbsandappointments。Thereweredeliriousfanciessuchasthemadmanfashions。Thereweremuchofthebeautiful，muchofthewanton，muchofthebizarre，somethingoftheterrible，andnotalittleofthatwhichmighthaveexciteddisgust。Toandfrointhesevenchamberstherestalked，infact，amultitudeofdreams。Andthese——thedreams——writhedinandabouttakinghuefromtherooms，andcausingthewildmusicoftheorchestratoseemastheechooftheirsteps。And，anon，therestrikestheebonyclockwhichstandsinthehallofthevelvet。Andthen，foramoment，allisstill，andallissilentsavethevoiceoftheclock。Thedreamsarestiff—frozenastheystand。Buttheechoesofthechimedieaway——theyhaveenduredbutaninstant——andalight，half—subduedlaughterfloatsafterthemastheydepart。Andnowagainthemusicswells，andthedreamslive，andwrithetoandfromoremerrilythanever，takinghuefromthemanytintedwindowsthroughwhichstreamtheraysfromthetripods。Buttothechamberwhichliesmostwestwardlyoftheseven，therearenownoneofthemaskerswhoventure;forthenightiswaningaway;andthereflowsaruddierlightthroughtheblood—colouredpanes;andtheblacknessofthesabledraperyappals;andtohimwhosefootfallsuponthesablecarpet，therecomesfromthenearclockofebonyamuffledpealmoresolemnlyemphaticthananywhichreachestheirearswhoindulgedinthemoreremotegaietiesoftheotherapartments。

Buttheseotherapartmentsweredenselycrowded，andinthembeatfeverishlytheheartoflife。Andtherevelwentwhirlinglyon，untilatlengththerecommencedthesoundingofmidnightupontheclock。Andthenthemusicceased，asIhavetold;andtheevolutionsofthewaltzerswerequieted;andtherewasanuneasycessationofallthingsasbefore。Butnowthereweretwelvestrokestobesoundedbythebelloftheclock;andthusithappened，perhaps，thatmoreofthoughtcrept，withmoreoftime，intothemeditationsofthethoughtfulamongthosewhorevelled。

Andthustoo，ithappened，perhaps，thatbeforethelastechoesofthelastchimehadutterlysunkintosilence，thereweremanyindividualsinthecrowdwhohadfoundleisuretobecomeawareofthepresenceofamaskedfigurewhichhadarrestedtheattentionofnosingleindividualbefore。Andtherumourofthisnewpresencehavingspreaditselfwhisperinglyaround，therearoseatlengthfromthewholecompanyabuzz，ormurmur，expressiveofdisapprobationandsurprise——then，finally，ofterror，ofhorror，andofdisgust。

InanassemblyofphantasmssuchasIhavepainted，itmaywellbesupposedthatnoordinaryappearancecouldhaveexcitedsuchsensation。Intruththemasqueradelicenceofthenightwasnearlyunlimited;butthefigureinquestionhadout—HerodedHerod，andgonebeyondtheboundsofeventheprince’sindefinitedecorum。

Therearechordsintheheartsofthemostrecklesswhichcannotbetouchedwithoutemotion。Evenwiththeutterlylost，towhomlifeanddeathareequallyjests，therearemattersofwhichnojestcanbemade。Thewholecompany，indeed，seemednowdeeplytofeelthatinthecostumeandbearingofthestrangerneitherwitnorproprietyexisted。Thefigurewastallandgaunt，andshroudedfromheadtofootinthehabilimentsofthegrave。Themaskwhichconcealedthevisagewasmadesonearlytoresemblethecountenanceofastiffenedcorpsethattheclosestscrutinymusthavehaddifficultyindetectingthecheat。Andyetallthismighthavebeenendured，ifnotapproved，bythemadrevellersaround。ButthemummerhadgonesofarastoassumethetypeoftheRedDeath。

Hisvesturewasdabbledinblood——andhisbroadbrow，withallthefeaturesoftheface，wasbesprinkledwiththescarlethorror。

WhentheeyesofthePrinceProsperofelluponthisspectralimage（which，withaslowandsolemnmovement，asifmorefullytosustainitsrole，stalkedtoandfroamongthewaltzers）hewasseentobeconvulsed，inthefirstmomentwithastrongshuddereitherofterrorordistaste;but，inthenext，hisbrowreddenedwithrage。

"Whodares，"——hedemandedhoarselyofthecourtierswhostoodnearhim——"whodaresinsultuswiththisblasphemousmockery？

Seizehimandunmaskhim——thatwemayknowwhomwehavetohang，atsunrise，fromthebattlements！"

ItwasintheeasternorbluechamberinwhichstoodthePrinceProsperoasheutteredthesewords。Theyrangthroughoutthesevenroomsloudlyandclearly，fortheprincewasaboldandrobustman，andthemusichadbecomehushedatthewavingofhishand。

Itwasintheblueroomwherestoodtheprince，withagroupofpalecourtiersbyhisside。Atfirst，ashespoke，therewasaslightrushingmovementofthisgroupinthedirectionoftheintruder，whoatthemomentwasalsonearathand，andnow，withdeliberateandstatelystep，madecloserapproachtothespeaker。Butfromacertainnamelessawewithwhichthemadassumptionsofthemummerhadinspiredthewholeparty，therewerefoundnonewhoputforthhandtoseizehim;sothat，unimpeded，hepassedwithinayardoftheprince’sperson;and，whilethevastassembly，asifwithoneimpulse，shrankfromthecentresoftheroomstothewalls，hemadehiswayuninterruptedly，butwiththesamesolemnandmeasuredstepwhichhaddistinguishedhimfromthefirst，throughthebluechambertothepurple——throughthepurpletothegreen——throughthegreentotheorange——throughthisagaintothewhite——andeventhencetotheviolet，ereadecidedmovementhadbeenmadetoarresthim。Itwasthen，however，thatthePrinceProspero，maddeningwithrageandtheshameofhisownmomentarycowardice，rushedhurriedlythroughthesixchambers，whilenonefollowedhimonaccountofadeadlyterrorthathadseizeduponall。Heborealoftadrawndagger，andhadapproached，inrapidimpetuosity，towithinthreeorfourfeetoftheretreatingfigure，whenthelatter，havingattainedtheextremityofthevelvetapartment，turnedsuddenlyandconfrontedhispursuer。Therewasasharpcry——andthedaggerdroppedgleaminguponthesablecarpet，uponwhich，instantlyafterwards，fellprostrateindeaththePrinceProspero。Then，summoningthewildcourageofdespair，athrongoftherevellersatoncethrewthemselvesintotheblackapartment，and，seizingthemummer，whosetallfigurestooderectandmotionlesswithintheshadowoftheebonyclock，gaspedinunutterablehorroratfindingthegravecerementsandcorpse—likemask，whichtheyhandledwithsoviolentarudeness，untenantedbyanytangibleform。

AndnowwasacknowledgedthepresenceoftheRedDeath。Hehadcomelikeathiefinthenight。Andonebyonedroppedtherevellersintheblood—bedewedhallsoftheirrevel，anddiedeachinthedespairingpostureofhisfall。Andthelifeoftheebonyclockwentoutwiththatofthelastofthegay。Andtheflamesofthetripodsexpired。AndDarknessandDecayandtheRedDeathheldillimitabledominionoverall。