| Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer swung by angels whose faint foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor. "Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he hath sent thee Respite- respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore; Let me quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!" Quoth the Raven "Nevermore." "Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!- prophet still, if bird or devil! Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore, Desolate, yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted- On this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore: Is there- is there balm in Gilead? - tell me- tell me I implore!" Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore." "Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!- prophet still, if bird or devil! By that heaven that bends above us- by that God we both adore- Tell this soul with sorrow laden, if, within the distant Aidenn, It shall clasp a sainted maiden, whom the angels name Lenore- Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels name Lenore? Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore." "Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting - "Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore! Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken! Leave my lonliness unbroken! -quit the bust abouve my door! Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!" Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore." |
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