" not -- oh ! not pitiful sight ? " -- but, before find words to reply, the figure had ceased to grasp my wrist, the phosphoric lights expired, graves were closed with sudden violence, while from out them arose tumult of despairing cries, saying again: " not -- O, God, not very pitiful sight ? "

Phantasies such , presenting themselves at night, extended their terrific influence far into my waking hours My nerves became thoroughly unstrung, and I fell prey to perpetual horror I hesitated to ride, or to walk, or to indulge in any exercise carry me from home , I no longer dared trust myself immediate presence who were aware proneness to catalepsy, lest, falling into one usual fits, buried before my real condition ascertained I doubted the care, the fidelity dearest friends I dreaded that, in some trance of more than customary duration, prevailed upon to regard me as irrecoverable I even went fear that, as I occasioned much trouble, glad to consider any very protracted attack as sufficient excuse for getting rid of me altogether in vain they endeavored to reassure me most solemn promises I exacted the most sacred oaths, that under no circumstances bury me until decomposition had so materially advanced render farther preservation impossible And, even then, my mortal terrors would listen to no reason -- would accept no consolation I entered into series of elaborate precautions Among other things, I had the family vault so remodelled admit of being readily opened from within The slightest pressure upon long lever that extended far tomb would cause the iron portal to fly back There were arrangements also free admission of air and light, and convenient receptacles for food and water, within immediate reach coffin intended reception This coffin was warmly and softly padded, and was provided with lid, fashioned principle vault-door, addition of springs so contrived feeblest movement body sufficient to set it at liberty Besides all this, suspended roof tomb, large bell, the rope , designed, should extend through hole coffin, and so be fastened to hands corpse But, alas ? what avails the vigilance against the Destiny of man ? Not even these well-contrived securities sufficed to save uttermost agonies of living inhumation, wretch agonies foredoomed !

There arrived an epoch -- as often before there had arrived -- myself emerging from total unconsciousness first feeble and indefinite sense of existence Slowly -- with tortoise gradation -- approached the faint gray dawn psychal day torpid uneasiness An apathetic endurance of dull pain No care -- no hope -- no effort Then, after long interval, ringing ears; then, after lapse still longer, prickling or tingling sensation extremities; then seemingly eternal period of pleasurable quiescence, during which the awakening feelings are struggling into thought; then brief re-sinking into non-entity; then sudden recovery the slight quivering of an eyelid, and immediately thereupon, an electric shock of terror, deadly and indefinite, which sends the blood in torrents temples heart And now the first positive effort And now the first endeavor to remember And now partial and evanescent success And now the memory has regained its dominion, that, in some measure, cognizant state that not awaking from ordinary sleep I recollect that subject to catalepsy And now, at last, rush of an ocean, my shuddering spirit is overwhelmed one grim Danger -- one spectral and ever-prevalent idea

For some minutes fancy possessed me, I remained without motion And why ? summon courage to move I dared not effort to satisfy me fate -- and yet something at my heart which whispered me sure Despair -- such as no other species of wretchedness ever calls into being -- despair alone urged me, after long irresolution, to uplift the heavy lids eyes I uplifted them dark -- all dark fit was over crisis disorder had long passed that I had now fully recovered the use visual faculties -- and yet dark -- all dark -- the intense and utter raylessness Night that endureth for evermore

I endeavored to shriek-, and my lips and my parched tongue moved convulsively together attempt -- but no voice issued cavernous lungs, which oppressed weight of some incumbent mountain, gasped and palpitated, heart, at every elaborate and struggling inspiration

The movement jaws, effort to cry aloud, showed me were bound up, as is usual dead , too, that I lay upon some hard substance, and by something similar my sides were, also, closely compressed , I ventured to stir any limbs -- but now I violently threw up my arms, which lying , wrists crossed They struck solid wooden substance, which extended above my person at an elevation of not more than six inches from my face no longer doubt that I reposed within coffin at last

And now, amid all my infinite miseries, came sweetly the cherub Hope -- for precautions I writhed, and made spasmodic exertions to force open the lid: it move my wrists bell-rope: not found And now the Comforter fled for ever, and still sterner Despair reigned triumphant; for help perceiving the absence paddings which I had so carefully prepared -- and then, too, there came suddenly to my nostrils the strong peculiar odor of moist earth The conclusion was irresistible not vault I had fallen into trance while absent from home-while among strangers -- when, or how, remember -- and they who had buried me as dog -- nailed up in some common coffin -- and thrust deep, deep, and for ever, into some ordinary and nameless grave

awful conviction forced itself, thus, innermost chambers soul, I once again struggled to cry aloud And second endeavor I succeeded long, wild, and continuous shriek, or yell of agony, resounded realms subterranean Night

"Hillo ! hillo, there ! " said gruff voice, in reply

"What the devil's the matter now ! " said second

"Get out o' that ! " said third

"What by yowling ere kind of style, like cattymount ? " said fourth; and hereupon seized and shaken without ceremony, for several minutes, by junto of very rough-looking individuals arouse me from my slumber -- for wide awake when I screamed -- but they restored me full possession memory

This adventure occurred near Richmond, in Virginia Accompanied by friend, I had proceeded, upon gunning expedition, some miles down the banks James River Night approached, and we were overtaken by storm The cabin of small sloop lying at anchor stream, and laden with garden mould, afforded us the only available shelter the best of it, and passed the night on board I slept in only two berths vessel -- berths of sloop of sixty or twenty tons need scarcely be described That which I occupied had no bedding of any kind Its extreme width was eighteen inches The distance bottom deck overhead was precisely the same it matter of exceeding difficulty to squeeze myself in Nevertheless, I slept soundly, whole vision -- for no dream, and no nightmare -- arose naturally circumstances position -- from my ordinary bias of thought -- and difficulty, alluded, of collecting my senses, and especially of regaining my memory, after awaking from slumber The men who shook me were the crew sloop, and some laborers engaged to unload it load itself came the earthly smell The bandage jaws was silk handkerchief I had bound up my head, in default customary nightcap

The tortures endured, however, were indubitably quite equal , of actual sepulture They were fearfully -- they were inconceivably hideous; but out of Evil proceeded Good; for their very excess wrought in my spirit an inevitable revulsion My soul acquired tone -- acquired temper I went abroad vigorous exercise I breathed the free air of Heaven upon other subjects than Death I discarded my medical books "Buchan" I burned no "Night Thoughts" -- no fustian about churchyards -- no bugaboo tales -- such In short, I became new man, and lived man's life memorable night, I dismissed forever my charnel apprehensions, and vanished the cataleptic disorder, , perhaps, they less the consequence cause