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whom the angels name Lenore。〃Quoth the Raven； 〃Nevermore。〃
〃Be that our sign of parting； bird or fiend！〃 I shrieked； upstarting
〃Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore！ Leave no
black plume as a token of that lie thy soul has spoken！ Leave my
loneliness unbroken！quit the bust above my door！ Take thy beak from
out my heart； and take thy form from off my door！〃Quoth the Raven；
〃Nevermore。〃
And the Raven； never flitting； still is sitting； still is sitting On the
pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door； And his eyes have all
the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming And the lamp…light o'er him
streaming throws his shadows on the floor； And my soul from out that
shadow that lies floating on the floorShall be liftednevermore！
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THE RAVENTHE RAVEN
THE RAVENTHE RAVEN
The Masque of the Red Death
The 〃Red Death〃 had long devastated the country。 No pestilence
had ever been so fatal； or so hideous。 Blood was its Avatar and its seal
the redness and the horror of blood。 There were sharp pains； and sudden
dizziness； and then profuse bleeding at the pores； with dissolution。 The
scarlet stains upon the body and especially upon the face of the victim；
were the pest ban which shut him out from the aid and from the sympathy
of his fellow…men。 And the whole seizure； progress and termination of
the disease； were the incidents of half an hour。
But the Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious。
When his dominions were half depopulated； he summoned to his presence
a thousand hale and light…hearted friends from among the knights and
dames of his court； and with these retired to the deep seclusion of one of
his castellated abbeys。 This was an extensive and magnificent structure；
the creation of the prince's own eccentric yet august taste。 A strong and
lofty wall girdled it in。 This wall had gates of iron。 The courtiers；
having entered； brought furnaces and massy hammers and welded the
bolts。 They resolved to leave means neither of ingress nor egress to the
sudden impulses of despair or of frenzy from within。 The abbey was
amply provisioned。 With such precautions the courtiers might bid
defiance to contagion。 The external world could take care of itself。 In
the meantime it was folly to grieve； or to think。 The prince had provided
all the appliances of pleasure。 There were buffoons； there were
improvisatori； there were ballet…dancers； there were musicians； there was
Beauty； there was wine。 All these and security were within。 Without
was the 〃Red Death〃。
It was towards the close of the fifth or sixth month of his seclusion；
and while the pestilence raged most furiously abroad； that the Prince
Prospero entertained his thousand friends at a masked ball of the most
unusual magnificence。
It was a voluptuous scene； that masquerade。 But first let me tell of
the rooms in which it was held。 These were sevenan imperial suite。
In many palaces； however； such suites form a long and straight vista； while
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THE RAVENTHE RAVEN
THE RAVENTHE RAVEN
the folding doors slide back nearly to the walls on either hand； so that the
view of the whole extent is scarcely impeded。 Here the case was very
different； as might have been expected from the duke's love of the
bizarre。 The apartments were so irregularly disposed that the vision
embraced but little more than one at a time。 There was a sharp turn at
every twenty or thirty yards； and at each turn a novel effect。 To the right
and left； in the middle of each wall； a tall and narrow Gothic window
looked out upon a closed corridor which pursued the windings of the suite。
These windows were of stained glass whose colour varied in accordance
with the prevailing hue of the decorations of the chamber into which it
opened。 That at the eastern extremity was hung； for example in blue
and vividly blue were its windows。 The second chamber was purple in
its ornaments and tapestries； and here the panes were purple。 The third
was green throughout； and so were the casements。 The fourth was
furnished and lighted with orangethe fifth with whitethe sixth with
violet。 The seventh apartment was closely shrouded in black velvet
tapestries that hung all over the ceiling and down the walls； falling in
heavy folds upon a carpet of the same material and hue。 But in this
chamber only； the colour of the windows failed to correspond with the
decorations。 The panes here were scarleta deep blood colour。 Now in
no one of the seven apartments was there any lamp or candelabrum； amid
the profusion of golden ornaments that lay scattered to and fro or
depended from the roof。 There was no light of any kind emanating from
lamp or candle within the suite of chambers。 But in the corridors that
followed the suite； there stood； opposite to each window； a heavy tripod；
bearing a brazier of fire； that projected its rays through the tinted glass and
so glaringly illumined the room。 And thus were produced a multitude of
gaudy and fantastic appearances。 But in the western or black chamber
the effect of the fire…light that streamed upon the dark hangings through
the blood…tinted panes； was ghastly in the extreme； and produced so wild a
look upon the countenances of those who entered； that there were few of
the company bold enough to set foot within its precincts at all。
It was in t