Eleonora

by Edgar Allan Poe

Sub conservatione formae specificae salva anima .

Raymond Lully .

I_am come of a race noted for vigor of fancy and ardor of passion . men have called me mad; but the question is_not_yet settled, whether madness is or is_not the loftiest intelligence -- whether much that_is glorious- whether all that_is profound -- does_not spring from disease of thought -- from moods of mind exalted at_the expense of_the general intellect . they who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night . in their gray visions they obtain glimpses of eternity, and thrill, in awakening, to_find that they_have been upon_the verge of_the great secret . in snatches, they learn something of_the wisdom which_is of good, and more of_the mere knowledge which_is of evil . they penetrate, however, rudderless or compassless into_the vast ocean of_the " light ineffable," and again, like the adventures of_the Nubian geographer, "agressi sunt mare tenebrarum, quid in eo esset exploraturi ."

we_will say, then, that I_am mad .I grant, at_least, that_there_are two distinct conditions of_my mental existence -- the condition of a lucid reason, not to_be disputed, and belonging to_the memory of events forming the first epoch of_my life -- and a condition of shadow and doubt, appertaining to_the present, and to_the recollection of what constitutes the second great era of_my being . therefore, what I_shall tell of_the earlier period, believe; and to what I_may relate of_the later time, give only such credit as may seem due, or doubt it altogether, or, if doubt it ye cannot, then play unto its riddle the Oedipus .

she whom I loved in youth, and of whom I now pen calmly and distinctly these remembrances, was_the sole daughter of_the only sister of_my mother long departed .Eleonora was_the name of_my cousin . we had always dwelled together, beneath a tropical sun, in_the valley of_the many- colored grass . no unguided footstep ever came upon that vale; for_it lay away up among a range of giant hills that hung beetling around about_it, shutting out the sunlight from its sweetest recesses . no path was trodden in its vicinity; and, to reach our happy home, there_was need of putting back, with force, the foliage of many thousands of forest trees, and of crushing to death the glories of many millions of fragrant flowers . thus it was_that we lived all alone, knowing nothing of_the world without the valley -- I, and my cousin, and her mother .

from_the dim regions beyond the mountains at_the upper end of_our encircled domain, there crept out a narrow and deep river, brighter than all save the eyes of Eleonora; and, winding stealthily about in mazy courses, it passed away, at_length, through a shadowy gorge, among hills still dimmer than those whence it had issued . we called it the " river of silence"; for there seemed to_be ahushing influence in its flow . no murmur arose from its bed, and so gently it wandered along, that_the pearly pebbles upon_which we loved to gaze, far down within its bosom, stirred not at all, but lay in a motionless content, each in its own old station, shining on gloriously forever .

the margin of_the river, and of_the many dazzling rivulets that glided through devious ways into its channel, as_well as_the spaces that extended from_the margins away down into_the depths of_the streams until they reached the bed of pebbles at_the bottom, -- these spots, not less_than_the whole surface of_the valley, from_the river to_the mountains that girdled it in, were carpeted all by a soft green grass, thick, short, perfectly even, and vanilla- perfumed, but so besprinkled throughout with_the yellow buttercup, the white daisy, the purple violet, and_the ruby- red asphodel, that its exceeding beauty spoke to our hearts in loud tones, of_the love and of_the glory of god .

and, here and there, in groves about_this grass, like wildernesses of dreams, sprang up fantastic trees, whose tall slender stems stood not upright, but slanted gracefully toward the light that peered at noon- day into_the centre of_the valley . their mark was speckled with_the vivid alternate splendor of ebony and silver, and was smoother than all save the cheeks of Eleonora; so_that, but for_the brilliant green of_the huge leaves that spread from their summits in long, tremulous lines, dallying with_the Zephyrs, one might_have fancied them giant serpents of Syria doing homage to_their sovereign the sun .

hand in hand about_this valley, for fifteen years, roamed I with Eleonora before love entered within our hearts . it_was one evening at_the close of_the third lustrum of her life, and of_the fourth of_my own, that we sat, locked in each_other's embrace, beneath the serpent- like trees, and looked down within_the water of_the river of silence at our images therein . we spoke no words during the rest of_that sweet day, and_our words even upon_the morrow were tremulous and few . we had drawn the god Eros from_that wave, and now we_felt that he had enkindled within us the fiery souls of_our forefathers . the passions which had for centuries distinguished our race, came thronging with_the fancies for_which they had_been equally noted, and together breathed a delirious bliss over the valley of_the many- colored grass .a change fell upon all things . strange, brilliant flowers, star- shaped, burn out upon_the trees where no flowers had_been known before . the tints of_the green carpet deepened; and when, one by one, the white daisies shrank away, there sprang up in place of_them, ten by ten of_the ruby- red asphodel . and life arose in_our paths; for_the tall flamingo, hitherto unseen, with all gay glowing birds, flaunted his scarlet plumage before_us . the golden and silver fish haunted the river, out_of_the bosom of_which issued, little by little, a murmur that swelled, at_length, into alulling melody more divine than that of_the harp of Aeolus-sweeter than all save the voice of Eleonora . and now, too, a voluminous cloud, which we had long watched in_the regions of Hesper, floated out thence, all gorgeous in crimson and gold, and settling in peace above us, sank, day by day, lower and lower, until its edges rested upon_the tops of_the mountains, turning all their dimness into magnificence, and shutting us up, as_if forever, within a magic prison- house of grandeur and of glory .

the loveliness of Eleonora was_that of_the seraphim; but she was a maiden artless and innocent as_the brief life she had led among_the flowers . no guile disguised the fervor of love which animated her heart, and she examined with me its inmost recesses as_we walked together in_the valley of_the many- colored grass, and discoursed of_the mighty changes which had lately taken place therein .

at_length, having spoken one day, in tears, of_the last sad change which_must befall humanity, she thenceforward dwelt only upon_this one sorrowful theme, interweaving it into all our converse, as, in_the songs of_the bard of Schiraz, the same images are found occurring, again and again, in every impressive variation of phrase .

she had seen that_the finger of death was upon her bosom -- that, like the ephemeron, she had_been made perfect in loveliness only to die; but the terrors of_the grave to her lay solely in a consideration which she revealed to_me, one evening at twilight, by_the banks of_the river of silence . she grieved to_think that, having entombed her in_the valley of_the many- colored grass, i_would quit forever its happy recesses, transferring the love which now was so passionately her own to some maiden of_the outer and everyday world . and, then and there, I threw myself hurriedly at_the feet of Eleonora, and offered up a vow, to herself and to heaven, that i_would never bind myself in marriage to any daughter of earth -- that i_would in no manner prove recreant to her dear memory, or to_the memory of_the devout affection with_which she had blessed me . and I called the mighty ruler of_the universe to witness the pious solemnity of_my vow . and_the curse which I invoked of him and of her, a saint in Helusion should I prove traitorous to_that promise, involved a penalty the exceeding great horror of_which will not permit me to_make record of it here . and_the bright eyes of Eleonora grew brighter at my words; and she sighed as_if a deadly burthen had_been taken from her breast; and she trembled and very bitterly wept; but she made acceptance of_the vow, ( for what_was she but a child ? ) and it made easy to her the bed of her death . and she said to_me, not many days afterward, tranquilly dying, that, because of what I had done for_the comfort of her spirit she_would watch over me in_that spirit when departed, and, if_so it were permitted her return to_me visibly in_the watches of_the night; but, if_this thing were, indeed, beyond the power of_the souls in paradise, that she_would, at_least, give_me frequent indications of her presence, sighing upon me in_the evening winds, or filling the air which I breathed with perfume from_the censers of_the angels . and, with_these words upon her lips, she yielded up her innocent life, putting an end to_the first epoch of_my own .

thus far I_have faithfully said . but as I pass the barrier in Times path, formed by_the death of_my beloved, and proceed with_the second era of_my existence, I_feel that a shadow gathers over my brain, and I mistrust the perfect sanity of_the record . but let me on .-- Years dragged themselves along heavily, and still I dwelled within_the valley of_the many- colored grass; but a second change had come upon all things . the star- shaped flowers shrank into_the stems of_the trees, and appeared no more . the tints of_the green carpet faded; and, one by one, the ruby- red asphodels withered away; and there sprang up, in place of_them, ten by ten, dark, eye- like violets, that writhed uneasily and were ever encumbered with dew . and life departed from_our paths; for_the tall flamingo flaunted no longer his scarlet plumage before_us, but flew sadly from_the vale into_the hills, with all the gay glowing birds that had arrived in_his company . and_the golden and silver fish swam down through_the gorge at_the lower end of_our domain and bedecked the sweet river never again . and_the lulling melody that had_been softer than_the wind- harp of Aeolus, and more divine than all save the voice of Eleonora, it died little by little away, in murmurs growing lower and lower, until the stream returned, at_length, utterly, into_the solemnity of_its original silence . and then, lastly, the voluminous cloud uprose, and, abandoning the tops of_the mountains to_the dimness of old, fell back into_the regions of Hesper, and took away all its manifold golden and gorgeous glories from_the valley of_the many- colored grass .

yet the promises of Eleonora were_not forgotten; for I heard the sounds of_the swinging of_the censers of_the angels; and streams of a holy perfume floated ever and ever about_the valley; and at lone hours, when my heart beat heavily, the winds that bathed my brow came unto me laden with soft sighs; and indistinct murmurs filled often the night air, and once -- oh, but once only ! i_was awakened from a slumber, like the slumber of death, by_the pressing of spiritual lips upon my own .

but the void within my heart refused, even thus, to_be filled .I longed for_the love which had before filled it to overflowing . at_length the valley pained me through_its memories of Eleonora, and I left it for ever for_the vanities and_the turbulent triumphs of_the world .

I_found myself within a strange city, where all things might_have served to blot from recollection the sweet dreams I had dreamed so_long in_the valley of_the many- colored grass . the pomps and pageantries of a stately court, and_the mad clangor of arms, and_the radiant loveliness of women, bewildered and intoxicated my brain . but as_yet my soul had proved true to its vows, and_the indications of_the presence of Eleonora were still given me in_the silent hours of_the night . suddenly these manifestations they ceased, and_the world grew dark before mine eyes, and I stood aghast at_the burning thoughts which possessed, at_the terrible temptations which beset me; for there came from some far, far distant and unknown land, into_the gay court of_the king I served, a maiden to whose beauty my whole recreant heart yielded at once -- at whose footstool I bowed down without a struggle, in_the most ardent, in_the most abject worship of love . what, indeed, was my passion for_the young girl of_the valley in comparison with_the fervor, and_the delirium, and_the spirit-lifting ecstasy of adoration with_which I poured out my whole soul in tears at_the feet of_the ethereal Ermengarde ? -- Oh, bright was_the seraph Ermengarde ! and in_that knowledge I had room for none other .-- Oh, divine was_the angel Ermengarde ! and as I looked down into_the depths of her memorial eyes, i_thought only of_them -- and of her .

I wedded; -- nor dreaded the curse I had invoked; and its bitterness was not visited upon me . and once -- but once again in_the silence of_the night; there came through my lattice the soft sighs which had forsaken me; and_they modelled themselves into familiar and sweet voice, saying:

" sleep in peace ! -- for_the spirit of love reigneth and ruleth, and, in taking to thy passionate heart her who_is Ermengarde, thou art absolved, for reasons which shall be made known to thee in heaven, of thy vows unto Eleonora ."