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The shutting of door disturbed me, and, looking up, that my cousin had departed chamber But disordered chamber brain, , alas ! departed, and driven away, the white and ghastly spectrum teeth Not speck on their surface - not shade on their enamel - not an indenture in their edges - but what that period of her smile had sufficed to brand in upon my memory them now even more unequivocally than I beheld them then The teeth ! - the teeth ! - they were here, and there, and everywhere, and visibly and palpably before me; long, narrow, and excessively white, pale lips writhing , as very moment first terrible development Then came the full fury monomania_, and I struggled in vain against its strange and irresistible influence multiplied objects external world I had no thoughts but teeth I longed with phrenzied desire All other matters and all different interests became absorbed in their single contemplation They - they alone were present mental eye, , in their sole individuality, became the essence mental life I held them in every light I turned them in every attitude I surveyed their characteristics I dwelt upon their peculiarities I pondered upon their conformation I mused alteration in their nature I shuddered as I assigned in imagination sensitive and sentient power, and even when unassisted lips, capability of moral expression Of Mademoiselle Salle well said, "_Que tous ses pas etaient des sentiments_," and of Berenice I more seriously believed que toutes ses dents etaient des idees Des idees ! - ah here idiotic thought that destroyed me ! Des idees ! - ah therefore it I coveted them so madly ! that their possession could alone ever restore me to peace, in giving me back to reason

evening closed in upon me thus - and then the darkness came, and tarried, and went - day again dawned - mists of second night were now gathering around - and still I sat motionless solitary room - and still I sat buried in meditation - and still the phantasma teeth maintained its terrible ascendancy, as, most vivid hideous distinctness, it floated about amid the changing lights and shadows chamber there broke in upon my dreams cry as of horror and dismay; and thereunto, after pause, succeeded the sound of troubled voices, intermingled with many low moanings of sorrow or of pain I arose from my seat, and throwing open doors library, saw standing out ante-chamber servant maiden, all in tears, who told me that Berenice was - no more ! She seized with epilepsy early morning, and now, closing in night, the grave was ready for its tenant, and all the preparations burial were completed

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myself sitting library, and again sitting there alone It seemed that I had newly awakened from confused and exciting dream now midnight, and well aware, that setting sun, Berenice interred But dreary period which intervened I had no positive, no definite comprehension Yet its memory was replete with horror - horror more horrible from being vague, and terror more terrible from ambiguity fearful page record my existence, written all over with dim, and hideous, and unintelligible recollections I strived to decypher them, but in vain; while ever and anon, like the spirit of departed sound, the shrill and piercing shriek of female voice seemed ringing in my ears I had done deed - it ? I asked myself the question aloud, whispering echoes chamber answered me, - "_what ? "

table beside me burned lamp, and near it lay little box of no remarkable character, and I had seen it frequently before, property family physician; but how came it there_, upon my table, and why did I shudder in regarding it ? These things were in no manner accounted for, and my eyes dropped open pages of book, and to sentence underscored therein The words were the singular but simple ones poet Ebn Zaiat: - "_Dicebant mihi sodales si sepulchrum amicae visitarem, curas meas aliquantulum fore levatas " Why then, as I perused them, did the hairs head erect themselves on end, blood body become congealed within my veins ?

There came light tap library door - and, pale tenant of tomb, menial entered upon tiptoe His looks were wild with terror, and he spoke in voice tremulous, husky, and very low What said he ? - some broken sentences I heard of wild cry disturbing the silence night - gathering together household - of search direction sound; and then his tones grew thrillingly distinct as he whispered me of violated grave - of disfigured body enshrouded, yet still breathing - still palpitating - still alive !

He pointed to garments; - they were muddy and clotted with gore I spoke not, and me gently hand: indented impress of human nails He directed my attention to some object against the wall I looked at it for some minutes: spade With shriek I bounded table, and grasped the box that lay upon it But force it open; and in my tremor, it slipped from my hands, and fell heavily, and burst into pieces; and , with rattling sound, there rolled out some instruments of dental surgery, intermingled with thirty-two small, white and ivory-looking substances that were scattered to and fro floor

Notes--Berenice

{*1} For as Jove, during the winter season, gives twice seven days of warmth, men have called this element and temperate time the nurse beautiful Halcyon -- Simonides_