remained,untilthecrisisofthediseaserestoredme,suddenly,toperfectsensation。AtothertimesIwasquicklyandimpetuouslysmitten。Igrewsick,andnumb,andchilly,anddizzy,andsofellprostrateatonce。Then,forweeks,allwasvoid,andblack,andsilent,andNothingbecametheuniverse。Totalannihilationcouldbenomore。FromtheselatterattacksIawoke,however,withagradationslowinproportiontothesuddennessoftheseizure。JustasthedaydawnstothefriendlessandhouselessbeggarwhoroamsthestreetsthroughoutthelongdesolatewinternightjustsotardilyjustsowearilyjustsocheerilycamebackthelightoftheSoultome。
Apartfromthetendencytotrance,however,mygeneralhealthappearedtobegood;norcouldIperceivethatitwasatallaffectedbytheoneprevalentmaladyunless,indeed,anidiosyncrasyinmyordinarysleepmaybelookeduponassuperinduced。Uponawakingfromslumber,Icouldnevergain,atonce,thoroughpossessionofmysenses,andalwaysremained,formanyminutes,inmuchbewildermentandperplexity;thementalfacultiesingeneral,butthememoryinespecial,beinginaconditionofabsoluteabeyance。
InallthatIenduredtherewasnophysicalsufferingbutofmoraldistressaninfinitude。Myfancygrewcharnel,Italked“ofworms,oftombs,andepitaphs。”Iwaslostinreveriesofdeath,andtheideaofprematureburialheldcontinualpossessionofmybrain。TheghastlyDangertowhichIwassubjectedhauntedmedayandnight。Intheformer,thetortureofmeditationwasexcessiveinthelatter,supreme。WhenthegrimDarknessoverspreadtheEarth,then,witheveryhorrorofthought,Ishookshookasthequiveringplumesuponthehearse。WhenNaturecouldendurewakefulnessnolonger,itwaswithastrugglethatIconsentedtosleepforIshudderedtoreflectthat,uponawaking,Imightfindmyselfthetenantofagrave。Andwhen,finally,Isankintoslumber,itwasonlytorushatonceintoaworldofphantasms,abovewhich,withvast,sable,overshadowingwing,hovered,predominant,theonesepulchralIdea。
Fromtheinnumerableimagesofgloomwhichthusoppressedmeindreams,Iselectforrecordbutasolitaryvision。MethoughtIwasimmersedinacataleptictranceofmorethanusualdurationandprofundity。Suddenlytherecameanicyhanduponmyforehead,andanimpatient,gibberingvoicewhisperedtheword“Arise!”withinmyear。
Isaterect。Thedarknesswastotal。Icouldnotseethefigureofhimwhohadarousedme。IcouldcalltomindneithertheperiodatwhichIhadfallenintothetrance,northelocalityinwhichIthenlay。WhileIremainedmotionless,andbusiedinendeavorstocollectmythought,thecoldhandgraspedmefiercelybythewrist,shakingitpetulantly,whilethegibberingvoicesaidagain:
“Arise!didInotbidtheearise?”
“Andwho。”Idemanded,“artthou?”
“IhavenonameintheregionswhichIinhabit。”repliedthevoice,mournfully;“Iwasmortal,butamfiend。Iwasmerciless,butampitiful。ThoudostfeelthatIshudder。MyteethchatterasI
speak,yetitisnotwiththechillinessofthenightofthenightwithoutend。Butthishideousnessisinsufferable。Howcanstthoutranquillysleep?Icannotrestforthecryofthesegreatagonies。
ThesesightsaremorethanIcanbear。Gettheeup!ComewithmeintotheouterNight,andletmeunfoldtotheethegraves。Isnotthisaspectacleofwoe?Behold!”
Ilooked;andtheunseenfigure,whichstillgraspedmebythewrist,hadcausedtobethrownopenthegravesofallmankind,andfromeachissuedthefaintphosphoricradianceofdecay,sothatIcouldseeintotheinnermostrecesses,andthereviewtheshroudedbodiesintheirsadandsolemnslumberswiththeworm。Butalas!therealsleeperswerefewer,bymanymillions,thanthosewhoslumberednotatall;andtherewasafeeblestruggling;andtherewasageneralsadunrest;andfromoutthedepthsofthecountlesspitstherecameamelancholyrustlingfromthegarmentsoftheburied。Andofthosewhoseemedtranquillytorepose,Isawthatavastnumberhadchanged,inagreaterorlessdegree,therigidanduneasypositioninwhichtheyhadoriginallybeenentombed。AndthevoiceagainsaidtomeasIgazed:
“Isitnotoh!isitnotapitifulsight?”but,beforeIcouldfindwordstoreply,thefigurehadceasedtograspmywrist,thephosphoriclightsexpired,andthegraveswereclosedwithasuddenviolence,whilefromoutthemaroseatumultofdespairingcries,sayingagain:“IsitnotO,God,isitnotaverypitifulsight?”
Phantasiessuchasthese,presentingthemselvesatnight,extendedtheirterrificinfluencefarintomywakinghours。Mynervesbecamethoroughlyunstrung,andIfellapreytoperpetualhorror。I
hesitatedtoride,ortowalk,ortoindulgeinanyexercisethatwouldcarrymefromhome。Infact,Inolongerdaredtrustmyselfoutoftheimmediatepresenceofthosewhowereawareofmypronenesstocatalepsy,lest,fallingintooneofmyusualfits,Ishouldbeburiedbeforemyrealconditioncouldbeascertained。Idoubtedthecare,thefidelityofmydearestfriends。Idreadedthat,insometranceofmorethancustomaryduration,theymightbeprevailedupontoregardmeasirrecoverable。Ievenwentsofarastofearthat,asIoccasionedmuchtrouble,theymightbegladtoconsideranyveryprotractedattackassufficientexcuseforgettingridofmealtogether。Itwasinvaintheyendeavoredtoreassuremebythemostsolemnpromises。Iexactedthemostsacredoaths,thatundernocircumstancestheywouldburymeuntildecompositionhadsomateriallyadvancedastorenderfartherpreservationimpossible。
And,eventhen,mymortalterrorswouldlistentonoreasonwouldacceptnoconsolation。Ienteredintoaseriesofelaborateprecautions。Amongotherthings,Ihadthefamilyvaultsoremodelledastoadmitofbeingreadilyopenedfromwithin。Theslightestpressureuponalongleverthatextendedfarintothetombwouldcausetheironportaltoflyback。Therewerearrangementsalsoforthefreeadmissionofairandlight,andconvenientreceptaclesforfoodandwater,withinimmediatereachofthecoffinintendedformyreception。Thiscoffinwaswarmlyandsoftlypadded,andwasprovidedwithalid,fashionedupontheprincipleofthevault-door,withtheadditionofspringssocontrivedthatthefeeblestmovementofthebodywouldbesufficienttosetitatliberty。Besidesallthis,therewassuspendedfromtheroofofthetomb,alargebell,theropeofwhich,itwasdesigned,shouldextendthroughaholeinthecoffin,andsobefastenedtooneofthehandsofthecorpse。But,alas?whatavailsthevigilanceagainsttheDestinyofman?Noteventhesewell-contrivedsecuritiessufficedtosavefromtheuttermostagoniesoflivinginhumation,awretchtotheseagoniesforedoomed!
TherearrivedanepochasoftenbeforetherehadarrivedinwhichIfoundmyselfemergingfromtotalunconsciousnessintothefirstfeebleandindefinitesenseofexistence。Slowlywithatortoisegradationapproachedthefaintgraydawnofthepsychalday。Atorpiduneasiness。Anapatheticenduranceofdullpain。Nocarenohopenoeffort。Then,afteralonginterval,aringingintheears;then,afteralapsestilllonger,apricklingortinglingsensationintheextremities;thenaseeminglyeternalperiodofpleasurablequiescence,duringwhichtheawakeningfeelingsarestrugglingintothought;thenabriefre-sinkingintonon-entity;
thenasuddenrecovery。Atlengththeslightquiveringofaneyelid,andimmediatelythereupon,anelectricshockofaterror,deadlyandindefinite,whichsendsthebloodintorrentsfromthetemplestotheheart。Andnowthefirstpositiveefforttothink。Andnowthefirstendeavortoremember。Andnowapartialandevanescentsuccess。Andnowthememoryhassofarregaineditsdominion,that,insomemeasure,Iamcognizantofmystate。IfeelthatIamnotawakingfromordinarysleep。IrecollectthatIhavebeensubjecttocatalepsy。Andnow,atlast,asifbytherushofanocean,myshudderingspiritisoverwhelmedbytheonegrimDangerbytheonespectralandever-prevalentidea。
Forsomeminutesafterthisfancypossessedme,Iremainedwithoutmotion。Andwhy?Icouldnotsummoncouragetomove。Idarednotmaketheeffortwhichwastosatisfymeofmyfateandyettherewassomethingatmyheartwhichwhisperedmeitwassure。Despairsuchasnootherspeciesofwretchednessevercallsintobeingdespairaloneurgedme,afterlongirresolution,touplifttheheavylidsofmyeyes。Iupliftedthem。Itwasdarkalldark。Iknewthatthefitwasover。Iknewthatthecrisisofmydisorderhadlongpassed。
IknewthatIhadnowfullyrecoveredtheuseofmyvisualfacultiesandyetitwasdarkalldarktheintenseandutterraylessnessoftheNightthatendurethforevermore。
Iendeavoredtoshriek-,andmylipsandmyparchedtonguemovedconvulsivelytogetherintheattemptbutnovoiceissuedfromthecavernouslungs,whichoppressedasifbytheweightofsomeincumbentmountain,gaspedandpalpitated,withtheheart,ateveryelaborateandstrugglinginspiration。
Themovementofthejaws,inthisefforttocryaloud,showedmethattheywereboundup,asisusualwiththedead。Ifelt,too,thatI
layuponsomehardsubstance,andbysomethingsimilarmysideswere,also,closelycompressed。Sofar,IhadnotventuredtostiranyofmylimbsbutnowIviolentlythrewupmyarms,whichhadbeenlyingatlength,withthewristscrossed。Theystruckasolidwoodensubstance,whichextendedabovemypersonatanelevationofnotmorethansixinchesfrommyface。IcouldnolongerdoubtthatIreposedwithinacoffinatlast。
Andnow,amidallmyinfinitemiseries,camesweetlythecherubHopeforIthoughtofmyprecautions。Iwrithed,andmadespasmodicexertionstoforceopenthelid:itwouldnotmove。Ifeltmywristsforthebell-rope:itwasnottobefound。AndnowtheComforterfledforever,andastillsternerDespairreignedtriumphant;forIcouldnothelpperceivingtheabsenceofthepaddingswhichIhadsocarefullypreparedandthen,too,therecamesuddenlytomynostrilsthestrongpeculiarodorofmoistearth。Theconclusionwasirresistible。Iwasnotwithinthevault。Ihadfallenintoatrancewhileabsentfromhome-whileamongstrangerswhen,orhow,Icouldnotrememberanditwastheywhohadburiedmeasadognailedupinsomecommoncoffinandthrustdeep,deep,andforever,intosomeordinaryandnamelessgrave。
Asthisawfulconvictionforceditself,thus,intotheinnermostchambersofmysoul,Ionceagainstruggledtocryaloud。AndinthissecondendeavorIsucceeded。Along,wild,andcontinuousshriek,oryellofagony,resoundedthroughtherealmsofthesubterraneanNight。
“Hillo!hillo,there!”saidagruffvoice,inreply。
“Whatthedevil’sthematternow!”saidasecond。
“Getouto’that!”saidathird。
“Whatdoyoumeanbyyowlinginthaterekindofstyle,likeacattymount?”saidafourth;andhereuponIwasseizedandshakenwithoutceremony,forseveralminutes,byajuntoofveryrough-lookingindividuals。Theydidnotarousemefrommyslumber
forIwaswideawakewhenIscreamedbuttheyrestoredmetothefullpossessionofmymemory。
ThisadventureoccurrednearRichmond,inVirginia。Accompaniedbyafriend,Ihadproceeded,uponagunningexpedition,somemilesdownthebanksoftheJamesRiver。Nightapproached,andwewereovertakenbyastorm。Thecabinofasmallslooplyingatanchorinthestream,andladenwithgardenmould,affordedustheonlyavailableshelter。
Wemadethebestofit,andpassedthenightonboard。Isleptinoneoftheonlytwoberthsinthevesselandtheberthsofasloopofsixtyortwentytonsneedscarcelybedescribed。ThatwhichI
occupiedhadnobeddingofanykind。Itsextremewidthwaseighteeninches。Thedistanceofitsbottomfromthedeckoverheadwaspreciselythesame。Ifounditamatterofexceedingdifficultytosqueezemyselfin。Nevertheless,Isleptsoundly,andthewholeofmyvisionforitwasnodream,andnonightmarearosenaturallyfromthecircumstancesofmypositionfrommyordinarybiasofthoughtandfromthedifficulty,towhichIhavealluded,ofcollectingmysenses,andespeciallyofregainingmymemory,foralongtimeafterawakingfromslumber。Themenwhoshookmewerethecrewofthesloop,andsomelaborersengagedtounloadit。Fromtheloaditselfcametheearthlysmell。ThebandageaboutthejawswasasilkhandkerchiefinwhichIhadboundupmyhead,indefaultofmycustomarynightcap。
Thetorturesendured,however,wereindubitablyquiteequalforthetime,tothoseofactualsepulture。Theywerefearfullytheywereinconceivablyhideous;butoutofEvilproceededGood;fortheirveryexcesswroughtinmyspiritaninevitablerevulsion。Mysoulacquiredtoneacquiredtemper。Iwentabroad。Itookvigorousexercise。I
breathedthefreeairofHeaven。IthoughtuponothersubjectsthanDeath。Idiscardedmymedicalbooks。“Buchan“Iburned。Ireadno“NightThoughts“nofustianaboutchurchyardsnobugabootalessuchasthis。Inshort,Ibecameanewman,andlivedaman’slife。Fromthatmemorablenight,Idismissedforevermycharnelapprehensions,andwiththemvanishedthecatalepticdisorder,ofwhich,perhaps,theyhadbeenlesstheconsequencethanthecause。
Therearemomentswhen,eventothesobereyeofReason,theworldofoursadHumanitymayassumethesemblanceofaHellbuttheimaginationofmanisnoCarathis,toexplorewithimpunityitseverycavern。Alas!thegrimlegionofsepulchralterrorscannotberegardedasaltogetherfancifulbut,liketheDemonsinwhosecompanyAfrasiabmadehisvoyagedowntheOxus,theymustsleep,ortheywilldevourustheymustbesufferedtoslumber,orweperish。