sincebothweremostdesperatelyneededwhenbothweremostentirelyforgottenordespised。{*1}
　　Pascal，aphilosopherwhomwebothlove，hassaid，howtruly！-
　　“quetoutnotreraisonnementser鑔uit？c閐erausentiment；“anditisnotimpossiblethatthesentimentofthenatural，hadtimepermittedit，wouldhaveregaineditsoldascendancyovertheharshmathematicalreasonoftheschools。Butthisthingwasnottobe。
　　Prematurelyinducedbyintemperanceofknowledgetheoldageoftheworlddrewon。Thisthemassofmankindsawnot，or，livinglustilyalthoughunhappily，affectednottosee。But，formyself，theEarth’srecordshadtaughtmetolookforwidestruinasthepriceofhighestcivilization。IhadimbibedaprescienceofourFatefromcomparisonofChinathesimpleandenduring，withAssyriathearchitect，withEgypttheastrologer，withNubia，morecraftythaneither，theturbulentmotherofallArts。Inhistory{*2}oftheseregionsImetwitharayfromtheFuture。TheindividualartificialitiesofthethreelatterwerelocaldiseasesoftheEarth，andintheirindividualoverthrowswehadseenlocalremediesapplied；butfortheinfectedworldatlargeIcouldanticipatenoregenerationsaveindeath。Thatman，asarace，shouldnotbecomeextinct，Isawthathemustbe“bornagain。”
　　Andnowitwas，fairestanddearest，thatwewrappedourspirits，daily，indreams。Nowitwasthat，intwilight，wediscoursedofthedaystocome，whentheArt-scarredsurfaceoftheEarth，havingundergonethatpurification{*3}whichalonecouldeffaceitsrectangularobscenities，shouldclotheitselfanewintheverdureandthemountain-slopesandthesmilingwatersofParadise，andberenderedatlengthafitdwelling-placeforman：-formantheDeathpurged-formantowhosenowexaltedintellectthereshouldbepoisoninknowledgenomore-fortheredeemed，regenerated，blissful，andnowimmortal，butstillforthematerial，man。
　　_Una。_WelldoIremembertheseconversations，dearMonos；buttheepochofthefieryoverthrowwasnotsonearathandaswebelieved，andasthecorruptionyouindicatedidsurelywarrantusinbelieving。Menlived；anddiedindividually。Youyourselfsickened，andpassedintothegrave；andthitheryourconstantUnaspeedilyfollowedyou。Andthoughthecenturywhichhassinceelapsed，andwhoseconclusionbringsusthustogetheroncemore，torturedourslumberingsenseswithnoimpatienceofduration，yet，myMonos，itwasacenturystill。
　　_Monos。_Say，rather，apointinthevagueinfinity。
　　Unquestionably，itwasintheEarth’sdotagethatIdied。Weariedatheartwithanxietieswhichhadtheirorigininthegeneralturmoilanddecay，Isuccumbedtothefiercefever。Aftersomefewdaysofpain，andmanyofdreamydeliriumrepletewithecstasy，themanifestationsofwhichyoumistookforpain，whileIlongedbutwasimpotenttoundeceiveyou-aftersomedaystherecameuponme，asyouhavesaid，abreathlessandmotionlesstorpor；andthiswastermedDeathbythosewhostoodaroundme。
　　Wordsarevaguethings。Myconditiondidnotdeprivemeofsentience。Itappearedtomenotgreatlydissimilartotheextremequiescenceofhim，who，havingslumberedlongandprofoundly，lyingmotionlessandfullyprostrateinamidsummernoon，beginstostealslowlybackintoconsciousness，throughthemeresufficiencyofhissleep，andwithoutbeingawakenedbyexternaldisturbances。
　　Ibreathednolonger。Thepulseswerestill。Thehearthadceasedtobeat。Volitionhadnotdeparted，butwaspowerless。Thesenseswereunusuallyactive，althougheccentricallyso-assumingofteneachother’sfunctionsatrandom。Thetasteandthesmellwereinextricablyconfounded，andbecameonesentiment，abnormalandintense。Therose-waterwithwhichyourtendernesshadmoistenedmylipstothelast，affectedmewithsweetfanciesofflowers-
　　fantasticflowers，farmorelovelythananyoftheoldEarth，butwhoseprototypeswehaveherebloomingaroundus。Theeyelids，transparentandbloodless，offerednocompleteimpedimenttovision。
　　Asvolitionwasinabeyance，theballscouldnotrollintheirsocketsbutallobjectswithintherangeofthevisualhemispherewereseenwithmoreorlessdistinctness；therayswhichfellupontheexternalretina，orintothecorneroftheeye，producingamorevivideffectthanthosewhichstruckthefrontorinteriorsurface。
　　Yet，intheformerinstance，thiseffectwassofaranomalousthatI
　　appreciateditonlyassound-soundsweetordiscordantasthematterspresentingthemselvesatmysidewerelightordarkinshade-curvedorangularinoutline。Thehearing，atthesametime，althoughexcitedindegree，wasnotirregularinaction-estimatingrealsoundswithanextravaganceofprecision，notlessthanofsensibility。Touchhadundergoneamodificationmorepeculiar。Itsimpressionsweretardilyreceived，butpertinaciouslyretained，andresultedalwaysinthehighestphysicalpleasure。Thusthepressureofyoursweetfingersuponmyeyelids，atfirstonlyrecognisedthroughvision，atlength，longaftertheirremoval，filledmywholebeingwithasensualdelightimmeasurable。Isaywithasensualdelight。Allmyperceptionswerepurelysensual。Thematerialsfurnishedthepassivebrainbythesenseswerenotintheleastdegreewroughtintoshapebythedeceasedunderstanding。Ofpaintherewassomelittle；ofpleasuretherewasmuch；butofmoralpainorpleasurenoneatall。Thusyourwildsobsfloatedintomyearwithalltheirmournfulcadences，andwereappreciatedintheireveryvariationofsadtone；buttheyweresoftmusicalsoundsandnomore；
　　theyconveyedtotheextinctreasonnointimationofthesorrowswhichgavethembirth；whilethelargeandconstanttearswhichfelluponmyface，tellingthebystandersofaheartwhichbroke，thrilledeveryfibreofmyframewithecstasyalone。AndthiswasintruththeDeathofwhichthesebystandersspokereverently，inlowwhispers-
　　you，sweetUna，gaspingly，withloudcries。
　　Theyattiredmeforthecoffin-threeorfourdarkfigureswhichflittedbusilytoandfro。Asthesecrossedthedirectlineofmyvisiontheyaffectedmeasforms；butuponpassingtomysidetheirimagesimpressedmewiththeideaofshrieks，groans，andotherdismalexpressionsofterror，ofhorror，orofwo。Youalone，habitedinawhiterobe，passedinalldirectionsmusicallyaboutme。
　　Thedaywaned；and，asitslightfadedaway，Ibecamepossessedbyavagueuneasiness-ananxietysuchasthesleeperfeelswhensadrealsoundsfallcontinuouslywithinhisear-lowdistantbell-tones，solemn，atlongbutequalintervals，andminglingwithmelancholydreams。Nightarrived；andwithitsshadowsaheavydiscomfort。Itoppressedmylimbswiththeoppressionofsomedullweight，andwaspalpable。Therewasalsoamoaningsound，notunlikethedistantreverberationofsurf，butmorecontinuous，which，beginningwiththefirsttwilight，hadgrowninstrengthwiththedarkness。Suddenlylightswerebroughtintotheroom，andthisreverberationbecameforthwithinterruptedintofrequentunequalburstsofthesamesound，butlessdrearyandlessdistinct。Theponderousoppressionwasinagreatmeasurerelieved；and，issuingfromtheflameofeachlamp，forthereweremany，thereflowedunbrokenlyintomyearsastrainofmelodiousmonotone。Andwhennow，dearUna，approachingthebeduponwhichIlayoutstretched，yousatgentlybymyside，breathingodorfromyoursweetlips，andpressingthemuponmybrow，therearosetremulouslywithinmybosom，andminglingwiththemerelyphysicalsensationswhichcircumstanceshadcalledforth，asomethingakintosentimentitself-afeelingthat，halfappreciating，halfrespondedtoyourearnestloveandsorrow；
　　butthisfeelingtooknorootinthepulselessheart，andseemedindeedratherashadowthanareality，andfadedquicklyaway，firstintoextremequiescence，andthenintoapurelysensualpleasureasbefore。
　　Andnow，fromthewreckandthechaosoftheusualsenses，thereappearedtohavearisenwithinmeasixth，allperfect。InitsexerciseIfoundawilddelight-yetadelightstillphysical，inasmuchastheunderstandinghadinitnopart。Motionintheanimalframehadfullyceased。Nomusclequivered；nonervethrilled；noarterythrobbed。Butthereseemedtohavesprungupinthebrain，thatofwhichnowordscouldconveytothemerelyhumanintelligenceevenanindistinctconception。Letmetermitamentalpendulouspulsation。Itwasthemoralembodimentofman’sabstractideaofTime。Bytheabsoluteequalizationofthismovement-orofsuchasthis-hadthecyclesofthefirmamentalorbsthemselves，beenadjusted。ByitsaidImeasuredtheirregularitiesoftheclockuponthemantel，andofthewatchesoftheattendants。Theirtickingscamesonorouslytomyears。Theslightestdeviationsfromthetrueproportion-andthesedeviationswereomni-pr鎣alent-affectedmejustasviolationsofabstracttruthwerewont，onearth，toaffectthemoralsense。Althoughnotwoofthetime-piecesinthechamberstrucktheindividualsecondsaccuratelytogether，yetIhadnodifficultyinholdingsteadilyinmindthetones，andtherespectivemomentaryerrorsofeach。Andthis-thiskeen，perfect，self-existingsentimentofduration-thissentimentexistingasmancouldnotpossiblyhaveconceivedittoexistindependentlyofanysuccessionofevents-thisidea-thissixthsense，upspringingfromtheashesoftherest，wasthefirstobviousandcertainstepoftheintemporalsouluponthethresholdofthetemporalEternity。
　　Itwasmidnight；andyoustillsatbymyside。AllothershaddepartedfromthechamberofDeath。Theyhaddepositedmeinthecoffin。Thelampsburnedflickeringly；forthisIknewbythetremulousnessofthemonotonousstrains。But，suddenlythesestrainsdiminishedindistinctnessandinvolume。Finallytheyceased。Theperfumeinmynostrilsdiedaway。Formsaffectedmyvisionnolonger。
　　TheoppressionoftheDarknessuplifteditselffrommybosom。Adullshocklikethatofelectricitypervadedmyframe，andwasfollowedbytotallossoftheideaofcontact。Allofwhatmanhastermedsensewasmergedinthesoleconsciousnessofentity，andintheoneabidingsentimentofduration。ThemortalbodyhadbeenatlengthstrickenwiththehandofthedeadlyDecay。
　　Yethadnotallofsentiencedeparted；fortheconsciousnessandthesentimentremainingsuppliedsomeofitsfunctionsbyalethargicintuition。Iappreciatedthedirefulchangenowinoperationupontheflesh，and，asthedreamerissometimesawareofthebodilypresenceofonewholeansoverhim，so，sweetUna，Istilldullyfeltthatyousatbymyside。So，too，whenthenoonoftheseconddaycame，Iwasnotunconsciousofthosemovementswhichdisplacedyoufrommyside，whichconfinedmewithinthecoffin，whichdepositedmewithinthehearse，whichboremetothegrave，whichloweredmewithinit，whichheapedheavilythemoulduponme，andwhichthusleftme，inblacknessandcorruption，tomysadandsolemnslumberswiththeworm。
　　Andhere，intheprison-housewhichhasfewsecretstodisclose，thererolledawaydaysandweeksandmonths；andthesoulwatchednarrowlyeachsecondasitflew，and，withouteffort，tookrecordofitsflight-withouteffortandwithoutobject。
　　Ayearpassed。Theconsciousnessofbeinghadgrownhourlymoreindistinct，andthatofmerelocalityhad，ingreatmeasure，usurpeditsposition。Theideaofentitywasbecomingmergedinthatofplace。Thenarrowspaceimmediatelysurroundingwhathadbeenthebody，wasnowgrowingtobethebodyitself。Atlength，asoftenhappenstothesleeperbysleepanditsworldaloneisDeathimaged-
　　atlength，assometimeshappenedonEarthtothedeepslumberer，whensomeflittinglighthalfstartledhimintoawaking，yetlefthimhalfenvelopedindreams-sotome，inthestrictembraceoftheShadowcamethatlightwhichalonemighthavehadpowertostartle-
　　thelightofenduringLove。MentoiledatthegraveinwhichIlaydarkling。Theyupthrewthedampearth。UponmymoulderingbonestheredescendedthecoffinofUna。
　　Andnowagainallwasvoid。Thatnebulouslighthadbeenextinguished。Thatfeeblethrillhadvibrateditselfintoquiescence。
　　Manylustrahadsupervened。Dusthadreturnedtodust。Thewormhadfoodnomore。Thesenseofbeinghadatlengthutterlydeparted，andtherereignedinitsstead-insteadofallthings-dominantandperpetual-theautocratsPlaceandTime。Forthatwhichwasnot-
　　forthatwhichhadnoform-forthatwhichhadnothought-forthatwhichhadnosentience-forthatwhichwassoulless，yetofwhichmatterformednoportion-forallthisnothingness，yetforallthisimmortality，thegravewasstillahome，andthecorrosivehours，co-mates。
　　Dreamsarewithusnomore；-butofthesemysteriesanon。I
　　rejoicetoseeyoulookinglife-likeandrational。Thefilmoftheshadowhasalreadypassedfromoffyoureyes。Beofheartandfearnothing。Yourallotteddaysofstuporhaveexpiredand，to-morrow，I
　　willmyselfinductyouintothefulljoysandwondersofyournovelexistence。
　　EIROS。
　　True-Ifeelnostupor-noneatall。Thewildsicknessandtheterribledarknesshaveleftme，andIhearnolongerthatmad，rushing，horriblesound，likethe“voiceofmanywaters。”Yetmysensesarebewildered，Charmion，withthekeennessoftheirperceptionofthenew。
　　CHARMION。
　　Afewdayswillremoveallthis；-butIfullyunderstandyou，andfeelforyou。ItisnowtenearthlyyearssinceIunderwentwhatyouundergo-yettheremembranceofithangsbymestill。Youhavenowsufferedallofpain，however，whichyouwillsufferinAidenn。