Thepiazzasofthemainbuildingandwesternwinghadnofloors，asisusual；butatthedoorsandateachwindow，large，flatirregularslabsofgranitelayimbeddedinthedeliciousturf，affordingcomfortablefootinginallweather。Excellentpathsofthesamematerialnotnicelyadapted，butwiththevelvetysodfillingfrequentintervalsbetweenthestones，ledhitherandthitherfromthehouse，toacrystalspringaboutfivepacesoff，totheroad，ortooneortwoouthousesthatlaytothenorth，beyondthebrook，andwerethoroughlyconcealedbyafewlocustsandcatalpas。
　　Notmorethansixstepsfromthemaindoorofthecottagestoodthedeadtrunkofafantasticpear-tree，soclothedfromheadtofootinthegorgeousbignoniablossomsthatonerequirednolittlescrutinytodeterminewhatmannerofsweetthingitcouldbe。Fromvariousarmsofthistreehungcagesofdifferentkinds。Inone，alargewickercylinderwitharingattop，revelledamockingbird；inanotheranoriole；inathirdtheimpudentbobolinkwhilethreeorfourmoredelicateprisonswereloudlyvocalwithcanaries。
　　Thepillarsofthepiazzawereenwreathedinjasmineandsweethoneysuckle；whilefromtheangleformedbythemainstructureanditswestwing，infront，sprangagrape-vineofunexampledluxuriance。Scorningallrestraint，ithadclamberedfirsttothelowerroofthentothehigher；andalongtheridgeofthislatteritcontinuedtowritheon，throwingouttendrilstotherightandleft，untilatlengthitfairlyattainedtheeastgable，andfelltrailingoverthestairs。
　　Thewholehouse，withitswings，wasconstructedoftheold-fashionedDutchshinglesbroad，andwithunroundedcorners。ItisapeculiarityofthismaterialtogivehousesbuiltofittheappearanceofbeingwideratbottomthanattopafterthemannerofEgyptianarchitecture；andinthepresentinstance，thisexceedinglypicturesqueeffectwasaidedbynumerouspotsofgorgeousflowersthatalmostencompassedthebaseofthebuildings。
　　Theshingleswerepaintedadullgray；andthehappinesswithwhichthisneutraltintmeltedintothevividgreenofthetuliptreeleavesthatpartiallyovershadowedthecottage，canreadilybeconceivedbyanartist。
　　Fromthepositionnearthestonewall，asdescribed，thebuildingswereseenatgreatadvantageforthesoutheasternanglewasthrownforwardsothattheeyetookinatoncethewholeofthetwofronts，withthepicturesqueeasterngable，andatthesametimeobtainedjustasufficientglimpseofthenorthernwing，withpartsofaprettyrooftothespring-house，andnearlyhalfofalightbridgethatspannedthebrookinthenearvicinityofthemainbuildings。
　　Ididnotremainverylongonthebrowofthehill，althoughlongenoughtomakeathoroughsurveyofthesceneatmyfeet。ItwasclearthatIhadwanderedfromtheroadtothevillage，andIhadthusgoodtraveller’sexcusetoopenthegatebeforeme，andinquiremyway，atallevents；so，withoutmoreado，Iproceeded。
　　Theroad，afterpassingthegate，seemedtolieuponanaturalledge，slopinggraduallydownalongthefaceofthenorth-easterncliffs。Itledmeontothefootofthenorthernprecipice，andthenceoverthebridge，roundbytheeasterngabletothefrontdoor。Inthisprogress，Itooknoticethatnosightoftheout-housescouldbeobtained。
　　AsIturnedthecornerofthegable，themastiffboundedtowardsmeinsternsilence，butwiththeeyeandthewholeairofatiger。I
　　heldhimoutmyhand，however，intokenofamityandIneveryetknewthedogwhowasproofagainstsuchanappealtohiscourtesy。Henotonlyshuthismouthandwaggedhistail，butabsolutelyofferedmehispaw-afterwardextendinghiscivilitiestoPonto。
　　Asnobellwasdiscernible，Irappedwithmystickagainstthedoor，whichstoodhalfopen。Instantlyafigureadvancedtothethresholdthatofayoungwomanabouttwenty-eightyearsofageslender，orratherslight，andsomewhatabovethemediumheight。Assheapproached，withacertainmodestdecisionofstepaltogetherindescribable。Isaidtomyself，“SurelyhereIhavefoundtheperfectionofnatural，incontradistinctionfromartificialgrace。”
　　Thesecondimpressionwhichshemadeonme，butbyfarthemorevividofthetwo，wasthatofenthusiasm。Sointenseanexpressionofromance，perhapsIshouldcallit，orofunworldliness，asthatwhichgleamedfromherdeep-seteyes，hadneversosunkintomyheartofheartsbefore。Iknownothowitis，butthispeculiarexpressionoftheeye，wreathingitselfoccasionallyintothelips，isthemostpowerful，ifnotabsolutelythesolespell，whichrivetsmyinterestinwoman。“Romance，providedmyreadersfullycomprehendedwhatI
　　wouldhereimplybytheword“romance“and“womanliness“seemtomeconvertibleterms：and，afterall，whatmantrulylovesinwoman，issimplyherwomanhood。TheeyesofAnnieIheardsomeonefromtheinteriorcallher“Annie，darling！”were“spiritualgrey；“herhair，alightchestnut：thisisallIhadtimetoobserveofher。
　　Athermostcourteousofinvitations，Ienteredpassingfirstintoatolerablywidevestibule。Havingcomemainlytoobserve，ItooknoticethattomyrightasIsteppedin，wasawindow，suchasthoseinfrontofthehouse；totheleft，adoorleadingintotheprincipalroom；while，oppositeme，anopendoorenabledmetoseeasmallapartment，justthesizeofthevestibule，arrangedasastudy，andhavingalargebowwindowlookingouttothenorth。
　　Passingintotheparlor，IfoundmyselfwithMr。Landorforthis，Iafterwardsfound，washisname。Hewascivil，evencordialinhismanner，butjustthen，Iwasmoreintentonobservingthearrangementsofthedwellingwhichhadsomuchinterestedme，thanthepersonalappearanceofthetenant。
　　Thenorthwing，Inowsaw，wasabed-chamber，itsdooropenedintotheparlor。Westofthisdoorwasasinglewindow，lookingtowardthebrook。Atthewestendoftheparlor，wereafireplace，andadoorleadingintothewestwingprobablyakitchen。
　　Nothingcouldbemorerigorouslysimplethanthefurnitureoftheparlor。Onthefloorwasaningraincarpet，ofexcellenttextureawhiteground，spottedwithsmallcirculargreenfigures。Atthewindowswerecurtainsofsnowywhitejaconetmuslin：theyweretolerablyfull，andhungdecisively，perhapsratherformallyinsharp，parallelplaitstothefloorjusttothefloor。ThewallswerepreparedwithaFrenchpaperofgreatdelicacy，asilverground，withafaintgreencordrunningzig-zagthroughout。ItsexpansewasrelievedmerelybythreeofJulien’sexquisitelithographsatroiscrayons，fastenedtothewallwithoutframes。OneofthesedrawingswasasceneofOrientalluxury，orrathervoluptuousness；anotherwasa“carnivalpiece。”spiritedbeyondcompare；thethirdwasaGreekfemaleheadafacesodivinelybeautiful，andyetofanexpressionsoprovokinglyindeterminate，neverbeforearrestedmyattention。
　　Themoresubstantialfurnitureconsistedofaroundtable，afewchairsincludingalargerocking-chair，andasofa，orrather“settee；“itsmaterialwasplainmaplepaintedacreamywhite，slightlyinterstripedwithgreen；theseatofcane。Thechairsandtablewere“tomatch。”buttheformsofallhadevidentlybeendesignedbythesamebrainwhichplanned“thegrounds；“itisimpossibletoconceiveanythingmoregraceful。
　　Onthetablewereafewbooks，alarge，square，crystalbottleofsomenovelperfume，aplaingroundglassastralnotsolarlampwithanItalianshade，andalargevaseofresplendently-bloomingflowers。Flowers，indeed，ofgorgeouscoloursanddelicateodourformedthesolemeredecorationoftheapartment。Thefire-placewasnearlyfilledwithavaseofbrilliantgeranium。Onatriangularshelfineachangleoftheroomstoodalsoasimilarvase，variedonlyastoitslovelycontents。Oneortwosmallerbouquetsadornedthemantel，andlatevioletsclusteredabouttheopenwindows。
　　Itisnotthepurposeofthisworktodomorethangiveindetail，apictureofMr。Landor’sresidenceasIfoundit。HowhemadeitwhatitwasandwhywithsomeparticularsofMr。Landorhimselfmay，possiblyformthesubjectofanotherarticle。
　　Whatsayofit？whatsayofCONSCIENCEgrim，Thatspectreinmypath？
　　_Chamberlayne’sPharronida。_
　　LETmecallmyself，forthepresent，WilliamWilson。Thefairpagenowlyingbeforemeneednotbesulliedwithmyrealappellation。Thishasbeenalreadytoomuchanobjectforthescornforthehorrorforthedetestationofmyrace。Totheuttermostregionsoftheglobehavenottheindignantwindsbruiteditsunparalleledinfamy？Oh，outcastofalloutcastsmostabandoned！
　　totheearthartthounotforeverdead？toitshonors，toitsflowers，toitsgoldenaspirations？andacloud，dense，dismal，andlimitless，doesitnothangeternallybetweenthyhopesandheaven？
　　Iwouldnot，ifIcould，hereorto-day，embodyarecordofmylateryearsofunspeakablemisery，andunpardonablecrime。Thisepoch
　　theselateryearstookuntothemselvesasuddenelevationinturpitude，whoseoriginaloneitismypresentpurposetoassign。Menusuallygrowbasebydegrees。Fromme，inaninstant，allvirtuedroppedbodilyasamantle。FromcomparativelytrivialwickednessI
　　passed，withthestrideofagiant，intomorethantheenormitiesofanElah-Gabalus。Whatchancewhatoneeventbroughtthisevilthingtopass，bearwithmewhileIrelate。Deathapproaches；andtheshadowwhichforerunshimhasthrownasofteninginfluenceovermyspirit。Ilong，inpassingthroughthedimvalley，forthesympathyIhadnearlysaidforthepityofmyfellowmen。IwouldfainhavethembelievethatIhavebeen，insomemeasure，theslaveofcircumstancesbeyondhumancontrol。Iwouldwishthemtoseekoutforme，inthedetailsIamabouttogive，somelittleoasisoffatalityamidawildernessoferror。Iwouldhavethemallowwhattheycannotrefrainfromallowingthat，althoughtemptationmayhaveerewhileexistedasgreat，manwasneverthus，atleast，temptedbeforecertainly，neverthusfell。Andisitthereforethathehasneverthussuffered？HaveInotindeedbeenlivinginadream？AndamInotnowdyingavictimtothehorrorandthemysteryofthewildestofallsublunaryvisions？
　　Iamthedescendantofaracewhoseimaginativeandeasilyexcitabletemperamenthasatalltimesrenderedthemremarkable；and，inmyearliestinfancy，Igaveevidenceofhavingfullyinheritedthefamilycharacter。AsIadvancedinyearsitwasmorestronglydeveloped；becoming，formanyreasons，acauseofseriousdisquietudetomyfriends，andofpositiveinjurytomyself。Igrewself-willed，addictedtothewildestcaprices，andapreytothemostungovernablepassions。Weak-minded，andbesetwithconstitutionalinfirmitiesakintomyown，myparentscoulddobutlittletochecktheevilpropensitieswhichdistinguishedme。Somefeebleandill-directedeffortsresultedincompletefailureontheirpart，and，ofcourse，intotaltriumphonmine。Thenceforwardmyvoicewasahouseholdlaw；
　　andatanagewhenfewchildrenhaveabandonedtheirleading-strings，Iwaslefttotheguidanceofmyownwill，andbecame，inallbutname，themasterofmyownactions。
　　Myearliestrecollectionsofaschool-life，areconnectedwithalarge，rambling，Elizabethanhouse，inamisty-lookingvillageofEngland，wherewereavastnumberofgiganticandgnarledtrees，andwhereallthehouseswereexcessivelyancient。Intruth，itwasadream-likeandspirit-soothingplace，thatvenerableoldtown。Atthismoment，infancy，Ifeeltherefreshingchillinessofitsdeeply-shadowedavenues，inhalethefragranceofitsthousandshrubberies，andthrillanewwithundefinabledelight，atthedeephollownoteofthechurch-bell，breaking，eachhour，withsullenandsuddenroar，uponthestillnessoftheduskyatmosphereinwhichthefrettedGothicsteeplelayimbeddedandasleep。
　　Itgivesme，perhaps，asmuchofpleasureasIcannowinanymannerexperience，todwelluponminuterecollectionsoftheschoolanditsconcerns。SteepedinmiseryasIammisery，alas！onlytooreal
　　Ishallbepardonedforseekingrelief，howeverslightandtemporary，intheweaknessofafewramblingdetails。These，moreover，utterlytrivial，andevenridiculousinthemselves，assume，tomyfancy，adventitiousimportance，asconnectedwithaperiodandalocalitywhenandwhereIrecognisethefirstambiguousmonitionsofthedestinywhichafterwardssofullyovershadowedme。Letmethenremember。
　　Thehouse，Ihavesaid，wasoldandirregular。Thegroundswereextensive，andahighandsolidbrickwall，toppedwithabedofmortarandbrokenglass，encompassedthewhole。Thisprison-likerampartformedthelimitofourdomain；beyonditwesawbutthriceaweekonceeverySaturdayafternoon，when，attendedbytwoushers，wewerepermittedtotakebriefwalksinabodythroughsomeoftheneighbouringfieldsandtwiceduringSunday，whenwewereparadedinthesameformalmannertothemorningandeveningserviceintheonechurchofthevillage。Ofthischurchtheprincipalofourschoolwaspastor。WithhowdeepaspiritofwonderandperplexitywasI