Part 32 (1/2)
”'Tis so atmore”
Ah! distinctly I re eerly I wish'd the ht to borrow From my books surcease of sorrow,--sorrow for the lost Lenore; For the rare and radiant els name Lenore, Nameless here forever of each purple curtain Thrill'd me--fill'd me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So that now, to still the beating ofentrance atentrance atthen no longer, ”Sir,” said I, ”or Madaiveness I iently you ca at my chamber-door, That I scarce was sure I heard you”;--here I open'd wide the door;-- Darkness there, and nothingI stood there, wondering, fearing, Doubting, drea dreams no mortal ever dared to dreaave no token, And the only word there spoken was the whisper'd word ”Lenore?”
This I whisper'd, and an echo mur , all , so louder than before
”Surely,” said I, ”surely that is so at my -lattice; Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore,-- Let my heart be still athe shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, In there stepp'd a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore
Not the least obeisance made he, not a minute stopp'd or stay'd he, But, with mien of lord or lady, perch'd above my chamber-door; Perch'd upon a bust of Pallas just aboverave and stern decoruh thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, ”art sure no craven, Ghastly, grihtly shore;-- Tell ht's Plutonian shore”
Quoth the Raven, ”Neverainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, Though its answer littlethat no living hu bird above his chamber-door,-- Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber-door, With such na lonely on that placid bust, spoke only That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour
Nothing further then he utter'd, not a feather then he flutter'd, Till I scarcely more than mutter'd, ”Other friends have flown before: On the morrow _he_ will leave me, as my hopes have flown before”
Then the bird said, ”Nevermore”
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, ”Doubtless,” said I, ”what it utters is its only stock and store, Caught from some unhappy master, whom unmerciful Disaster Follow'd fast, and follow'd faster, till his songs one burden bore,-- Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore, Of--'Never--Never all ht I wheel'd a cushi+on'd seat in front of bird, and bust, and door; Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betookwhat this oaunt, and o ”Never, but no syllable expressing To the fohose fiery eyes now burn'd into , withthat the la, with the la o'er, _She_ shall press--ah! neverrew denser, perfu by seraphim, whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor
”Wretch,” I cried, ”thy God hath lent thee--by these angels he hath sent thee-- Respite, respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, Oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!”
Quoth the Raven, ”Never of evil!--prophet still, if bird or devil!
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest toss'd thee here ashore, Desolate, yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted, On this home by Horror haunted,--tell me truly, I implore, Is there--_is_ there balm in Gilead? tell me--tell me, I implore!”
Quoth the Raven, ”Never of evil!--prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that heaven that bends above us, by that God we both adore, Tell this soul, with sorrow laden, if, within the distant Aidenn, It shall clasp a sainted els naels name Lenore”
Quoth the Raven, ”Never, bird or fiend!” I shriek'd, upstarting,-- ”Get thee back into the teht's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath 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, ”Never, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas, just aboveof a de throws his shadow on the floor: Andon the floor Shall be lifted--NEVERMORE!