MyDEARP，Youmayaswellcomenow。DandFareagreedthatIcannotholdoutbeyondto-morrowmidnight；andIthinktheyhavehitthetimeverynearly。
　　VALDEMAR
　　Ireceivedthisnotewithinhalfanhourafteritwaswritten，andinfifteenminutesmoreIwasinthedyingman’schamber。Ihadnotseenhimfortendays，andwasappalledbythefearfulalterationwhichthebriefintervalhadwroughtinhim。Hisfaceworealeadenhue；
　　theeyeswereutterlylustreless；andtheemaciationwassoextremethattheskinhadbeenbrokenthroughbythecheek-bones。Hisexpectorationwasexcessive。Thepulsewasbarelyperceptible。Heretained，nevertheless，inaveryremarkablemanner，bothhismentalpowerandacertaindegreeofphysicalstrength。Hespokewithdistinctnesstooksomepalliativemedicineswithoutaidand，whenIenteredtheroom，wasoccupiedinpencilingmemorandainapocket-book。Hewasproppedupinthebedbypillows。DoctorsD
　　andFwereinattendance。
　　AfterpressingValdemar’shand，Itookthesegentlemenaside，andobtainedfromthemaminuteaccountofthepatient’scondition。Theleftlunghadbeenforeighteenmonthsinasemi-osseousorcartilaginousstate，andwas，ofcourse，entirelyuselessforallpurposesofvitality。Theright，initsupperportion，wasalsopartially，ifnotthoroughly，ossified，whilethelowerregionwasmerelyamassofpurulenttubercles，runningoneintoanother。
　　Severalextensiveperforationsexisted；and，atonepoint，permanentadhesiontotheribshadtakenplace。Theseappearancesintherightlobewereofcomparativelyrecentdate。Theossificationhadproceededwithveryunusualrapidity；nosignofithaddiscoveredamonthbefore，andtheadhesionhadonlybeenobservedduringthethreepreviousdays。Independentlyofthephthisis，thepatientwassuspectedofaneurismoftheaorta；butonthispointtheosseoussymptomsrenderedanexactdiagnosisimpossible。ItwastheopinionofbothphysiciansthatM。ValdemarwoulddieaboutmidnightonthemorrowSunday。Itwasthenseveno’clockonSaturdayevening。
　　Onquittingtheinvalid’sbed-sidetoholdconversationwithmyself，DoctorsDandFhadbiddenhimafinalfarewell。Ithadnotbeentheirintentiontoreturn；but，atmyrequest，theyagreedtolookinuponthepatientabouttenthenextnight。
　　Whentheyhadgone，IspokefreelywithM。Valdemaronthesubjectofhisapproachingdissolution，aswellas，moreparticularly，oftheexperimentproposed。Hestillprofessedhimselfquitewillingandevenanxioustohaveitmade，andurgedmetocommenceitatonce。A
　　maleandafemalenursewereinattendance；butIdidnotfeelmyselfaltogetheratlibertytoengageinataskofthischaracterwithnomorereliablewitnessesthanthesepeople，incaseofsuddenaccident，mightprove。Ithereforepostponedoperationsuntilabouteightthenextnight，whenthearrivalofamedicalstudentwithwhomIhadsomeacquaintance，Mr。TheodoreLl，relievedmefromfartherembarrassment。Ithadbeenmydesign，originally，towaitforthephysicians；butIwasinducedtoproceed，first，bytheurgententreatiesofM。Valdemar，andsecondly，bymyconvictionthatIhadnotamomenttolose，ashewasevidentlysinkingfast。
　　Mr。Llwassokindastoaccedetomydesirethathewouldtakenotesofallthatoccurred，anditisfromhismemorandathatwhatI
　　nowhavetorelateis，forthemostpart，eithercondensedorcopiedverbatim。
　　Itwantedaboutfiveminutesofeightwhen，takingthepatient’shand，Ibeggedhimtostate，asdistinctlyashecould，toMr。L
　　l，whetherheM。ValdemarwasentirelywillingthatIshouldmaketheexperimentofmesmerizinghiminhisthencondition。
　　Herepliedfeebly，yetquiteaudibly，“Yes，Iwishtobe“Ifearyouhavemesmerized“addingimmediatelyafterwards，deferredittoolong。”
　　Whilehespokethus，IcommencedthepasseswhichIhadalreadyfoundmosteffectualinsubduinghim。Hewasevidentlyinfluencedwiththefirstlateralstrokeofmyhandacrosshisforehead；butalthoughI
　　exertedallmypowers，nofartherperceptibleeffectwasinduceduntilsomeminutesafterteno’clock，whenDoctorsDandF
　　called，accordingtoappointment。Iexplainedtothem，inafewwords，whatIdesigned，andastheyopposednoobjection，sayingthatthepatientwasalreadyinthedeathagony，Iproceededwithouthesitationexchanging，however，thelateralpassesfordownwardones，anddirectingmygazeentirelyintotherighteyeofthesufferer。
　　Bythistimehispulsewasimperceptibleandhisbreathingwasstertorous，andatintervalsofhalfaminute。
　　Thisconditionwasnearlyunalteredforaquarterofanhour。Attheexpirationofthisperiod，however，anaturalalthoughaverydeepsighescapedthebosomofthedyingman，andthestertorousbreathingceasedthatistosay，itsstertorousnesswasnolongerapparent；
　　theintervalswereundiminished。Thepatient’sextremitieswereofanicycoldness。
　　AtfiveminutesbeforeelevenIperceivedunequivocalsignsofthemesmericinfluence。Theglassyrolloftheeyewaschangedforthatexpressionofuneasyinwardexaminationwhichisneverseenexceptincasesofsleep-waking，andwhichitisquiteimpossibletomistake。
　　WithafewrapidlateralpassesImadethelidsquiver，asinincipientsleep，andwithafewmoreIclosedthemaltogether。Iwasnotsatisfied，however，withthis，butcontinuedthemanipulationsvigorously，andwiththefullestexertionofthewill，untilIhadcompletelystiffenedthelimbsoftheslumberer，afterplacingtheminaseeminglyeasyposition。Thelegswereatfulllength；thearmswerenearlyso，andreposedonthebedatamoderatedistancefromtheloin。Theheadwasveryslightlyelevated。
　　WhenIhadaccomplishedthis，itwasfullymidnight，andIrequestedthegentlemenpresenttoexamineM。Valdemar’scondition。Afterafewexperiments，theyadmittedhimtobeanunusuallyperfectstateofmesmerictrance。Thecuriosityofboththephysicianswasgreatlyexcited。Dr。Dresolvedatoncetoremainwiththepatientallnight，whileDr。Ftookleavewithapromisetoreturnatdaybreak。Mr。Llandthenursesremained。
　　WeleftM。Valdemarentirelyundisturbeduntilaboutthreeo’clockinthemorning，whenIapproachedhimandfoundhiminpreciselythesameconditionaswhenDr。Fwentawaythatistosay，helayinthesameposition；thepulsewasimperceptible；thebreathingwasgentlescarcelynoticeable，unlessthroughtheapplicationofamirrortothelips；theeyeswereclosednaturally；andthelimbswereasrigidandascoldasmarble。Still，thegeneralappearancewascertainlynotthatofdeath。
　　AsIapproachedM。ValdemarImadeakindofhalfefforttoinfluencehisrightarmintopursuitofmyown，asIpassedthelattergentlytoandfroabovehisperson。Insuchexperimentswiththispatienthadneverperfectlysucceededbefore，andassuredlyIhadlittlethoughtofsucceedingnow；buttomyastonishment，hisarmveryreadily，althoughfeebly，followedeverydirectionIassigneditwithmine。Ideterminedtohazardafewwordsofconversation。
　　“M。Valdemar。”Isaid，“areyouasleep？”Hemadenoanswer，butI
　　perceivedatremoraboutthelips，andwasthusinducedtorepeatthequestion，againandagain。Atitsthirdrepetition，hiswholeframewasagitatedbyaveryslightshivering；theeyelidsunclosedthemselvessofarastodisplayawhitelineoftheball；thelipsmovedsluggishly，andfrombetweenthem，inabarelyaudiblewhisper，issuedthewords：
　　“Yes；asleepnow。Donotwakeme！letmedieso！”
　　Iherefeltthelimbsandfoundthemasrigidasever。Therightarm，asbefore，obeyedthedirectionofmyhand。Iquestionedthesleep-wakeragain：
　　“Doyoustillfeelpaininthebreast，M。Valdemar？”
　　Theanswernowwasimmediate，butevenlessaudiblethanbefore：“NopainIamdying。”
　　Ididnotthinkitadvisabletodisturbhimfartherjustthen，andnothingmorewassaidordoneuntilthearrivalofDr。F，whocamealittlebeforesunrise，andexpressedunboundedastonishmentatfindingthepatientstillalive。Afterfeelingthepulseandapplyingamirrortothelips，herequestedmetospeaktothesleep-wakeragain。Ididso，saying：
　　“M。Valdemar，doyoustillsleep？”
　　Asbefore，someminuteselapsedereareplywasmade；andduringtheintervalthedyingmanseemedtobecollectinghisenergiestospeak。
　　Atmyfourthrepetitionofthequestion，hesaidveryfaintly，almostinaudibly：
　　“Yes；stillasleepdying。”
　　Itwasnowtheopinion，orratherthewish，ofthephysicians，thatM。Valdemarshouldbesufferedtoremainundisturbedinhispresentapparentlytranquilcondition，untildeathshouldsuperveneandthis，itwasgenerallyagreed，mustnowtakeplacewithinafewminutes。Iconcluded，however，tospeaktohimoncemore，andmerelyrepeatedmypreviousquestion。
　　WhileIspoke，therecameamarkedchangeoverthecountenanceofthesleep-waker。Theeyesrolledthemselvesslowlyopen，thepupilsdisappearingupwardly；theskingenerallyassumedacadaveroushue，resemblingnotsomuchparchmentaswhitepaper；andthecircularhecticspotswhich，hitherto，hadbeenstronglydefinedinthecentreofeachcheek，wentoutatonce。Iusethisexpression，becausethesuddennessoftheirdepartureputmeinmindofnothingsomuchastheextinguishmentofacandlebyapuffofthebreath。Theupperlip，atthesametime，writheditselfawayfromtheteeth，whichithadpreviouslycoveredcompletely；whilethelowerjawfellwithanaudiblejerk，leavingthemouthwidelyextended，anddisclosinginfullviewtheswollenandblackenedtongue。Ipresumethatnomemberofthepartythenpresenthadbeenunaccustomedtodeath-bedhorrors；
　　butsohideousbeyondconceptionwastheappearanceofM。Valdemaratthismoment，thattherewasageneralshrinkingbackfromtheregionofthebed。
　　InowfeelthatIhavereachedapointofthisnarrativeatwhicheveryreaderwillbestartledintopositivedisbelief。Itismybusiness，however，simplytoproceed。
　　TherewasnolongerthefaintestsignofvitalityinM。Valdemar；andconcludinghimtobedead，wewereconsigninghimtothechargeofthenurses，whenastrongvibratorymotionwasobservableinthetongue。Thiscontinuedforperhapsaminute。Attheexpirationofthisperiod，thereissuedfromthedistendedandmotionlessjawsavoicesuchasitwouldbemadnessinmetoattemptdescribing。
　　Thereare，indeed，twoorthreeepithetswhichmightbeconsideredasapplicabletoitinpart；Imightsay，forexample，thatthesoundwasharsh，andbrokenandhollow；butthehideouswholeisindescribable，forthesimplereasonthatnosimilarsoundshaveeverjarredupontheearofhumanity。Thereweretwoparticulars，nevertheless，whichIthoughtthen，andstillthink，mightfairlybestatedascharacteristicoftheintonationaswelladaptedtoconveysomeideaofitsunearthlypeculiarity。Inthefirstplace，thevoiceseemedtoreachourearsatleastminefromavastdistance，orfromsomedeepcavernwithintheearth。Inthesecondplace，itimpressedmeIfear，indeed，thatitwillbeimpossibletomakemyselfcomprehendedasgelatinousorglutinousmattersimpressthesenseoftouch。
　　Ihavespokenbothof“sound“andof“voice。”Imeantosaythatthesoundwasoneofdistinctofevenwonderfully，thrillinglydistinctsyllabification。M。ValdemarspokeobviouslyinreplytothequestionIhadpropoundedtohimafewminutesbefore。Ihadaskedhim，itwillberemembered，ifhestillslept。Henowsaid：
　　“Yes；no；IhavebeensleepingandnownowIamdead。
　　Nopersonpresentevenaffectedtodeny，orattemptedtorepress，theunutterable，shudderinghorrorwhichthesefewwords，thusuttered，weresowellcalculatedtoconvey。Mr。Llthestudentswooned。
　　Thenursesimmediatelyleftthechamber，andcouldnotbeinducedtoreturn。MyownimpressionsIwouldnotpretendtorenderintelligibletothereader。Fornearlyanhour，webusiedourselves，silently
　　withouttheutteranceofawordinendeavorstoreviveMr。Ll。
　　Whenhecametohimself，weaddressedourselvesagaintoaninvestigationofM。Valdemar’scondition。