Лигейя

           Iwouldinvainattempttoportraythemajesty,thequietease,ofherdemeanor,ortheincomprehensiblelightnessandelasticityofherfootfall. Shecameanddepartedasashadow. Iwasnevermadeawareofherentranceintomyclosedstudysavebythedearmusicofherlowsweetvoice,assheplacedhermarblehanduponmyshoulder. Inbeautyoffacenomaideneverequalledher. Itwastheradianceofanopium-dream—anairyandspirit-liftingvisionmorewildlydivinethanthephantasieswhichhoveredvisionabouttheslumberingsoulsofthedaughtersofDelos. Yetherfeatureswerenotofthatregularmouldwhichwehavebeenfalselytaughttoworshipintheclassicallaborsoftheheathen. "Thereisnoexquisitebeauty,"saysBacon,LordVerulam,speakingtrulyofalltheformsandgeneraofbeauty,withoutsomestrangenessintheproportion. "Yet,althoughIsawthatthefeaturesofLigeiawerenotofaclassicregularity—althoughIperceivedthatherlovelinesswasindeed"exquisite,"andfeltthattherewasmuchof"strangeness"pervadingit,yetIhavetriedinvaintodetecttheirregularityandtotracehomemyownperceptionof"thestrange. "Iexaminedthecontouroftheloftyandpaleforehead—itwasfaultless—howcoldindeedthatwordwhenappliedtoamajestysodivine! —theskinrivallingthepurestivory,thecommandingextentandrepose,thegentleprominenceoftheregionsabovethetemples; andthentheraven-black,theglossy,theluxuriantandnaturally-curlingtresses,settingforththefullforceoftheHomericepithet,"hyacinthine! "Ilookedatthedelicateoutlinesofthenose—andnowherebutinthegracefulmedallionsoftheHebrewshadIbeheldasimilarperfection. Therewerethesameluxurioussmoothnessofsurface,thesamescarcelyperceptibletendencytotheaquiline,thesameharmoniouslycurvednostrilsspeakingthefreespirit.