BereniceandIwerecousins，andwegrewuptogetherinmypaternalhalls。Yetdifferentlywegrew-I，illofhealth，andburiedingloom-she，agile，graceful，andoverflowingwithenergy；
　　hers，therambleonthehill-side-minethestudiesofthecloister；
　　I，livingwithinmyownheart，andaddicted，bodyandsoul，tothemostintenseandpainfulmeditation-she，roamingcarelesslythroughlife，withnothoughtoftheshadowsinherpath，orthesilentflightoftheraven-wingedhours。Berenice！-Icalluponhername-
　　Berenice！-andfromthegrayruinsofmemoryathousandtumultuousrecollectionsarestartledatthesound！Ah，vividlyisherimagebeforemenow，asintheearlydaysofherlight-heartednessandjoy！
　　Oh，gorgeousyetfantasticbeauty！Oh，sylphamidtheshrubberiesofArnheim！Oh，Naiadamongitsfountains！Andthen-thenallismysteryandterror，andatalewhichshouldnotbetold。Disease-afataldisease，felllikethesimoonuponherframe；and，evenwhileI
　　gazeduponher，thespiritofchangesweptoverher，pervadinghermind，herhabits，andhercharacter，and，inamannerthemostsubtleandterrible，disturbingeventheidentityofherperson！Alas！thedestroyercameandwent！-andthevictim-whereisshe？Iknewhernot-orknewhernolongerasBerenice。
　　Amongthenumeroustrainofmaladiessuperinducedbythatfatalandprimaryonewhicheffectedarevolutionofsohorribleakindinthemoralandphysicalbeingofmycousin，maybementionedasthemostdistressingandobstinateinitsnature，aspeciesofepilepsynotunfrequentlyterminatingin_trance_itself-tranceverynearlyresemblingpositivedissolution，andfromwhichhermannerofrecoverywasinmostinstances，startlinglyabrupt。Inthemeantimemyowndisease-forIhavebeentoldthatIshouldcallitbynootherappellation-myowndisease，then，grewrapidlyuponme，andassumedfinallyamonomaniaccharacterofanovelandextraordinaryform-hourlyandmomentlygainingvigor-andatlengthobtainingovermethemostincomprehensibleascendancy。Thismonomania，ifI
　　mustsotermit，consistedinamorbidirritabilityofthosepropertiesofthemindinmetaphysicalsciencetermedthe_attentive_。ItismorethanprobablethatIamnotunderstood；butI
　　fear，indeed，thatitisinnomannerpossibletoconveytothemindofthemerelygeneralreader，anadequateideaofthatnervous_intensityofinterest_withwhich，inmycase，thepowersofmeditationnottospeaktechnicallybusiedandburiedthemselves，inthecontemplationofeventhemostordinaryobjectsoftheuniverse。
　　Tomuseforlongunweariedhours，withmyattentionrivetedtosomefrivolousdeviceonthemargin，orinthetypographyofabook；
　　tobecomeabsorbed，forthebetterpartofasummer’sday，inaquaintshadowfallingaslantuponthetapestryoruponthefloor；tolosemyself，foranentirenight，inwatchingthesteadyflameofalamp，ortheembersofafire；todreamawaywholedaysovertheperfumeofaflower；torepeat，monotonously，somecommonword，untilthesound，bydintoffrequentrepetition，ceasedtoconveyanyideawhatevertothemind；toloseallsenseofmotionorphysicalexistence，bymeansofabsolutebodilyquiescencelongandobstinatelyperseveredin：suchwereafewofthemostcommonandleastperniciousvagariesinducedbyaconditionofthementalfaculties，not，indeed，altogetherunparalleled，butcertainlybiddingdefiancetoanythinglikeanalysisorexplanation。
　　Yetletmenotbemisapprehended。Theundue，earnest，andmorbidattentionthusexcitedbyobjectsintheirownnaturefrivolous，mustnotbeconfoundedincharacterwiththatruminatingpropensitycommontoallmankind，andmoreespeciallyindulgedinbypersonsofardentimagination。Itwasnoteven，asmightbeatfirstsupposed，anextremecondition，orexaggerationofsuchpropensity，butprimarilyandessentiallydistinctanddifferent。Intheoneinstance，thedreamer，orenthusiast，beinginterestedbyanobjectusually_not_
　　frivolous，imperceptiblylosessightofthisobjectinawildernessofdeductionsandsuggestionsissuingtherefrom，until，attheconclusionofadaydream_oftenrepletewithluxury_，hefindsthe_incitamentum_，orfirstcauseofhismusings，entirelyvanishedandforgotten。Inmycase，theprimaryobjectwas_invariablyfrivolous_，althoughassuming，throughthemediumofmydistemperedvision，arefractedandunrealimportance。Fewdeductions，ifany，weremade；
　　andthosefewpertinaciouslyreturninginupontheoriginalobjectasacentre。Themeditationswere_never_pleasurable；and，attheterminationofthereverie，thefirstcause，sofarfrombeingoutofsight，hadattainedthatsupernaturallyexaggeratedinterestwhichwastheprevailingfeatureofthedisease。Inaword，thepowersofmindmoreparticularlyexercisedwere，withme，asIhavesaidbefore，the_attentive_，andare，withtheday-dreamer，the_speculative_。
　　Mybooks，atthisepoch，iftheydidnotactuallyservetoirritatethedisorder，partook，itwillbeperceived，largely，intheirimaginativeandinconsequentialnature，ofthecharacteristicqualitiesofthedisorderitself。Iwellremember，amongothers，thetreatiseofthenobleItalian，CoeliusSecundusCurio，“_DeAmplitudineBeatiRegniDei；_“St。Austin’sgreatwork，the“CityofGod；“andTertullian’s“_DeCarneChristi_。”inwhichtheparadoxicalsentence“_MortuusestDeifilius；credibleestquiaineptumest：etsepultusresurrexit；certumestquiaimpossibileest，_“occupiedmyundividedtime，formanyweeksoflaboriousandfruitlessinvestigation。
　　Thusitwillappearthat，shakenfromitsbalanceonlybytrivialthings，myreasonboreresemblancetothatocean-cragspokenofbyPtolemyHephestion，whichsteadilyresistingtheattacksofhumanviolence，andthefiercerfuryofthewatersandthewinds，trembledonlytothetouchoftheflowercalledAsphodel。Andalthough，toacarelessthinker，itmightappearamatterbeyonddoubt，thatthealterationproducedbyherunhappymalady，inthe_moral_conditionofBerenice，wouldaffordmemanyobjectsfortheexerciseofthatintenseandabnormalmeditationwhosenatureIhavebeenatsometroubleinexplaining，yetsuchwasnotinanydegreethecase。Inthelucidintervalsofmyinfirmity，hercalamity，indeed，gavemepain，and，takingdeeplytoheartthattotalwreckofherfairandgentlelife，Ididnotfalltoponder，frequentlyandbitterly，uponthewonder-workingmeansbywhichsostrangearevolutionhadbeensosuddenlybroughttopass。Butthesereflectionspartooknotoftheidiosyncrasyofmydisease，andweresuchaswouldhaveoccurred，undersimilarcircumstances，totheordinarymassofmankind。Truetoitsowncharacter，mydisorderrevelledinthelessimportantbutmorestartlingchangeswroughtinthe_physical_frameofBerenice-
　　inthesingularandmostappallingdistortionofherpersonalidentity。
　　Duringthebrightestdaysofherunparalleledbeauty，mostsurelyIhadneverlovedher。Inthestrangeanomalyofmyexistence，feelingswithme，_hadneverbeen_oftheheart，andmypassions_alwayswere_ofthemind。Throughthegrayoftheearlymorning-
　　amongthetrellisedshadowsoftheforestatnoonday-andinthesilenceofmylibraryatnight-shehadflittedbymyeyes，andI
　　hadseenher-notasthelivingandbreathingBerenice，butastheBereniceofadream；notasabeingoftheearth，earthy，butastheabstractionofsuchabeing；notasathingtoadmire，buttoanalyze；notasanobjectoflove，butasthethemeofthemostabstrusealthoughdesultoryspeculation。And_now_-nowIshudderedinherpresence，andgrewpaleatherapproach；yet，bitterlylamentingherfallenanddesolatecondition，Icalledtomindthatshehadlovedmelong，and，inanevilmoment，Ispoketoherofmarriage。
　　Andatlengththeperiodofournuptialswasapproaching，when，uponanafternooninthewinteroftheyear-oneofthoseunseasonablywarm，calm，andmistydayswhicharethenurseofthebeautifulHalcyon{*1}，-Isat，andsat，asIthought，alone，intheinnerapartmentofthelibrary。But，upliftingmyeyes，IsawthatBerenicestoodbeforeme。
　　Wasitmyownexcitedimagination-orthemistyinfluenceoftheatmosphere-ortheuncertaintwilightofthechamber-orthegraydraperieswhichfellaroundherfigure-thatcausedinitsovacillatingandindistinctanoutline？Icouldnottell。Shespokenoword；andI-notforworldscouldIhaveutteredasyllable。Anicychillranthroughmyframe；asenseofinsufferableanxietyoppressedme；aconsumingcuriositypervadedmysoul；andsinkingbackuponthechair，Iremainedforsometimebreathlessandmotionless，withmyeyesriveteduponherperson。Alas！itsemaciationwasexcessive，andnotonevestigeoftheformerbeinglurkedinanysinglelineofthecontour。Myburningglancesatlengthfellupontheface。
　　Theforeheadwashigh，andverypale，andsingularlyplacid；andtheoncejettyhairfellpartiallyoverit，andovershadowedthehollowtempleswithinnumerableringlets，nowofavividyellow，andjarringdiscordantly，intheirfantasticcharacter，withthereigningmelancholyofthecountenance。Theeyeswerelifeless，andlustreless，andseeminglypupilless，andIshrankinvoluntarilyfromtheirglassystaretohecontemplationofthethinandshrunkenlips。Theyparted；andinasmileofpeculiarmeaning，_theteeth_ofthechangedBerenicedisclosedthemselvesslowlytomyview。WouldtoGodthatIhadneverbeheldthem，orthat，havingdoneso，Ihaddied！
　　Theshuttingofadoordisturbedme，and，lookingup，Ifoundthatmycousinhaddepartedfromthechamber。Butfromthedisorderedchamberofmybrain，hadnot，alas！departed，andwouldnotbedrivenaway，thewhiteandghastly_spectrum_oftheteeth。Notaspeckontheirsurface-notashadeontheirenamel-notanindentureintheiredges-butwhatthatperiodofhersmilehadsufficedtobrandinuponmymemory。Isawthem_now_evenmoreunequivocallythanI
　　beheldthem_then_。Theteeth！-theteeth！-theywerehere，andthere，andeverywhere，andvisiblyandpalpablybeforeme；long，narrow，andexcessivelywhite，withthepalelipswrithingaboutthem，asintheverymomentoftheirfirstterribledevelopment。Thencamethefullfuryofmy_monomania_，andIstruggledinvainagainstitsstrangeandirresistibleinfluence。InthemultipliedobjectsoftheexternalworldIhadnothoughtsbutfortheteeth。FortheseI
　　longedwithaphrenzieddesire。Allothermattersandalldifferentinterestsbecameabsorbedintheirsinglecontemplation。They-theyalonewerepresenttothementaleye，andthey，intheirsoleindividuality，becametheessenceofmymentallife。Iheldthemineverylight。Iturnedthemineveryattitude。Isurveyedtheircharacteristics。Idweltupontheirpeculiarities。Iponderedupontheirconformation。Imuseduponthealterationintheirnature。I
　　shudderedasIassignedtotheminimaginationasensitiveandsentientpower，andevenwhenunassistedbythelips，acapabilityofmoralexpression。OfMademoiselleSalleithasbeenwellsaid，“_Quetoussespasetaientdessentiments_。”andofBereniceImoreseriouslybelieved_quetoutessesdentsetaientdesidees_。_Desidees！_-ahherewastheidioticthoughtthatdestroyedme！_Desidees！_-ah_therefore_itwasthatIcovetedthemsomadly！Ifeltthattheirpossessioncouldaloneeverrestoremetopeace，ingivingmebacktoreason。
　　Andtheeveningclosedinuponmethus-andthenthedarknesscame，andtarried，andwent-andthedayagaindawned-andthemistsofasecondnightwerenowgatheringaround-andstillIsatmotionlessinthatsolitaryroom-andstillIsatburiedinmeditation-andstillthe_phantasma_oftheteethmaintaineditsterribleascendancy，as，withthemostvividhideousdistinctness，itfloatedaboutamidthechanginglightsandshadowsofthechamber。Atlengththerebrokeinuponmydreamsacryasofhorroranddismay；
　　andthereunto，afterapause，succeededthesoundoftroubledvoices，intermingledwithmanylowmoaningsofsorroworofpain。Iarosefrommyseat，andthrowingopenoneofthedoorsofthelibrary，sawstandingoutintheante-chamberaservantmaiden，allintears，whotoldmethatBerenicewas-nomore！Shehadbeenseizedwithepilepsyintheearlymorning，andnow，attheclosinginofthenight，thegravewasreadyforitstenant，andallthepreparationsfortheburialwerecompleted。