The	O
"	O
Red	O
Death	O
"	O
had	O
long	O
devastated	O
the	O
country	O
.	O

No	O
pestilence	O
had	O
ever	O
been	O
so	O
fatal	O
,	O
or	O
so	O
hideous	O
.	O

Blood	O
was	O
its	O
Avatar	O
and	O
its	O
seal	O
--	O
the	O
redness	O
and	O
the	O
horror	O
of	O
blood	O
.	O

There	O
were	O
sharp	O
pains	O
,	O
and	O
sudden	O
dizziness	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
profuse	O
bleeding	O
at	O
the	O
pores	O
,	O
with	O
dissolution	O
.	O

The	O
scarlet	O
stains	O
upon	O
the	O
body	O
and	O
especially	O
upon	O
the	O
face	O
of	O
the	O
victim	O
,	O
were	O
the	O
pest	O
ban	O
which	O
shut	O
him	O
out	O
from	O
the	O
aid	O
and	O
from	O
the	O
sympathy	O
of	O
his	O
fellow-men	O
.	O

And	O
the	O
whole	O
seizure	O
,	O
progress	O
and	O
termination	O
of	O
the	O
disease	O
,	O
were	O
the	O
incidents	O
of	O
half	O
an	O
hour	O
.	O

But	O
the	O
Prince	O
Prospero	O
was	O
happy	O
and	O
dauntless	O
and	O
sagacious	O
.	O

When	O
his	O
dominions	O
were	O
half	O
depopulated	O
,	O
he	O
summoned	EVENT
to	O
his	O
presence	O
a	O
thousand	O
hale	O
and	O
light-hearted	O
friends	O
from	O
among	O
the	O
knights	O
and	O
dames	O
of	O
his	O
court	O
,	O
and	O
with	O
these	O
retired	EVENT
to	O
the	O
deep	O
seclusion	O
of	O
one	O
of	O
his	O
castellated	O
abbeys	O
.	O

This	O
was	O
an	O
extensive	O
and	O
magnificent	O
structure	O
,	O
the	O
creation	O
of	O
the	O
prince	O
's	O
own	O
eccentric	O
yet	O
august	O
taste	O
.	O

A	O
strong	O
and	O
lofty	O
wall	O
girdled	O
it	O
in	O
.	O

This	O
wall	O
had	O
gates	O
of	O
iron	O
.	O

The	O
courtiers	O
,	O
having	O
entered	EVENT
,	O
brought	EVENT
furnaces	O
and	O
massy	O
hammers	O
and	O
welded	EVENT
the	O
bolts	O
.	O

They	O
resolved	EVENT
to	O
leave	O
means	O
neither	O
of	O
ingress	O
nor	O
egress	O
to	O
the	O
sudden	O
impulses	O
of	O
despair	O
or	O
of	O
frenzy	O
from	O
within	O
.	O

The	O
abbey	O
was	O
amply	O
provisioned	EVENT
.	O

With	O
such	O
precautions	EVENT
the	O
courtiers	O
might	O
bid	O
defiance	O
to	O
contagion	O
.	O

The	O
external	O
world	O
could	O
take	O
care	O
of	O
itself	O
.	O

In	O
the	O
meantime	O
it	O
was	O
folly	O
to	O
grieve	O
,	O
or	O
to	O
think	O
.	O

The	O
prince	O
had	O
provided	EVENT
all	O
the	O
appliances	O
of	O
pleasure	O
.	O

There	O
were	O
buffoons	O
,	O
there	O
were	O
improvisatori	O
,	O
there	O
were	O
ballet-dancers	O
,	O
there	O
were	O
musicians	O
,	O
there	O
was	O
Beauty	O
,	O
there	O
was	O
wine	O
.	O

All	O
these	O
and	O
security	O
were	O
within	O
.	O

Without	O
was	O
the	O
"	O
Red	O
Death	O
"	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
towards	O
the	O
close	O
of	O
the	O
fifth	O
or	O
sixth	O
month	O
of	O
his	O
seclusion	O
,	O
and	O
while	O
the	O
pestilence	EVENT
raged	O
most	O
furiously	O
abroad	O
,	O
that	O
the	O
Prince	O
Prospero	O
entertained	EVENT
his	O
thousand	O
friends	O
at	O
a	O
masked	O
ball	EVENT
of	O
the	O
most	O
unusual	O
magnificence	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
a	O
voluptuous	O
scene	O
,	O
that	O
masquerade	EVENT
.	O

But	O
first	O
let	O
me	O
tell	O
of	O
the	O
rooms	O
in	O
which	O
it	O
was	O
held	EVENT
.	O

These	O
were	O
seven	O
--	O
an	O
imperial	O
suite	O
.	O

In	O
many	O
palaces	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
such	O
suites	O
form	O
a	O
long	O
and	O
straight	O
vista	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
folding	O
doors	O
slide	O
back	O
nearly	O
to	O
the	O
walls	O
on	O
either	O
hand	O
,	O
so	O
that	O
the	O
view	O
of	O
the	O
whole	O
extent	O
is	O
scarcely	O
impeded	O
.	O

Here	O
the	O
case	O
was	O
very	O
different	O
,	O
as	O
might	O
have	O
been	O
expected	O
from	O
the	O
duke	O
's	O
love	O
of	O
the	O
_	O
bizarre	O
_	O
.	O

The	O
apartments	O
were	O
so	O
irregularly	O
disposed	O
that	O
the	O
vision	O
embraced	O
but	O
little	O
more	O
than	O
one	O
at	O
a	O
time	O
.	O

There	O
was	O
a	O
sharp	O
turn	O
at	O
every	O
twenty	O
or	O
thirty	O
yards	O
,	O
and	O
at	O
each	O
turn	O
a	O
novel	O
effect	O
.	O

To	O
the	O
right	O
and	O
left	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
middle	O
of	O
each	O
wall	O
,	O
a	O
tall	O
and	O
narrow	O
Gothic	O
window	O
looked	O
out	O
upon	O
a	O
closed	O
corridor	O
which	O
pursued	O
the	O
windings	O
of	O
the	O
suite	O
.	O

These	O
windows	O
were	O
of	O
stained	O
glass	O
whose	O
colour	O
varied	O
in	O
accordance	O
with	O
the	O
prevailing	O
hue	O
of	O
the	O
decorations	O
of	O
the	O
chamber	O
into	O
which	O
it	O
opened	O
.	O

That	O
at	O
the	O
eastern	O
extremity	O
was	O
hung	O
,	O
for	O
example	O
in	O
blue	O
--	O
and	O
vividly	O
blue	O
were	O
its	O
windows	O
.	O

The	O
second	O
chamber	O
was	O
purple	O
in	O
its	O
ornaments	O
and	O
tapestries	O
,	O
and	O
here	O
the	O
panes	O
were	O
purple	O
.	O

The	O
third	O
was	O
green	O
throughout	O
,	O
and	O
so	O
were	O
the	O
casements	O
.	O

The	O
fourth	O
was	O
furnished	O
and	O
lighted	O
with	O
orange	O
--	O
the	O
fifth	O
with	O
white	O
--	O
the	O
sixth	O
with	O
violet	O
.	O

The	O
seventh	O
apartment	O
was	O
closely	O
shrouded	O
in	O
black	O
velvet	O
tapestries	O
that	O
hung	O
all	O
over	O
the	O
ceiling	O
and	O
down	O
the	O
walls	O
,	O
falling	O
in	O
heavy	O
folds	O
upon	O
a	O
carpet	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
material	O
and	O
hue	O
.	O

But	O
in	O
this	O
chamber	O
only	O
,	O
the	O
colour	O
of	O
the	O
windows	O
failed	O
to	O
correspond	O
with	O
the	O
decorations	O
.	O

The	O
panes	O
here	O
were	O
scarlet	O
--	O
a	O
deep	O
blood	O
colour	O
.	O

Now	O
in	O
no	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
seven	O
apartments	O
was	O
there	O
any	O
lamp	O
or	O
candelabrum	O
,	O
amid	O
the	O
profusion	O
of	O
golden	O
ornaments	O
that	O
lay	O
scattered	O
to	O
and	O
fro	O
or	O
depended	O
from	O
the	O
roof	O
.	O

There	O
was	O
no	O
light	O
of	O
any	O
kind	O
emanating	O
from	O
lamp	O
or	O
candle	O
within	O
the	O
suite	O
of	O
chambers	O
.	O

But	O
in	O
the	O
corridors	O
that	O
followed	O
the	O
suite	O
,	O
there	O
stood	O
,	O
opposite	O
to	O
each	O
window	O
,	O
a	O
heavy	O
tripod	O
,	O
bearing	O
a	O
brazier	O
of	O
fire	EVENT
,	O
that	O
projected	EVENT
its	O
rays	O
through	O
the	O
tinted	O
glass	O
and	O
so	O
glaringly	O
illumined	EVENT
the	O
room	O
.	O

And	O
thus	O
were	O
produced	O
a	O
multitude	O
of	O
gaudy	O
and	O
fantastic	O
appearances	EVENT
.	O

But	O
in	O
the	O
western	O
or	O
black	O
chamber	O
the	O
effect	O
of	O
the	O
fire-light	O
that	O
streamed	EVENT
upon	O
the	O
dark	O
hangings	O
through	O
the	O
blood-tinted	O
panes	O
,	O
was	O
ghastly	O
in	O
the	O
extreme	O
,	O
and	O
produced	O
so	O
wild	O
a	O
look	EVENT
upon	O
the	O
countenances	O
of	O
those	O
who	O
entered	EVENT
,	O
that	O
there	O
were	O
few	O
of	O
the	O
company	O
bold	O
enough	O
to	O
set	O
foot	O
within	O
its	O
precincts	O
at	O
all	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
in	O
this	O
apartment	O
,	O
also	O
,	O
that	O
there	O
stood	O
against	O
the	O
western	O
wall	O
,	O
a	O
gigantic	O
clock	O
of	O
ebony	O
.	O

Its	O
pendulum	O
swung	EVENT
to	O
and	O
fro	O
with	O
a	O
dull	O
,	O
heavy	O
,	O
monotonous	O
clang	EVENT
;	O
and	O
when	O
the	O
minute-hand	O
made	EVENT
the	O
circuit	O
of	O
the	O
face	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
hour	O
was	O
to	O
be	O
stricken	O
,	O
there	O
came	O
from	O
the	O
brazen	O
lungs	O
of	O
the	O
clock	O
a	O
sound	EVENT
which	O
was	O
clear	O
and	O
loud	O
and	O
deep	O
and	O
exceedingly	O
musical	O
,	O
but	O
of	O
so	O
peculiar	O
a	O
note	O
and	O
emphasis	O
that	O
,	O
at	O
each	O
lapse	O
of	O
an	O
hour	O
,	O
the	O
musicians	O
of	O
the	O
orchestra	O
were	O
constrained	EVENT
to	O
pause	EVENT
,	O
momentarily	O
,	O
in	O
their	O
performance	EVENT
,	O
to	O
harken	EVENT
to	O
the	O
sound	EVENT
;	O
and	O
thus	O
the	O
waltzers	O
perforce	O
ceased	EVENT
their	O
evolutions	EVENT
;	O
and	O
there	O
was	O
a	O
brief	O
disconcert	EVENT
of	O
the	O
whole	O
gay	O
company	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
chimes	O
of	O
the	O
clock	O
yet	O
rang	EVENT
,	O
it	O
was	O
observed	EVENT
that	O
the	O
giddiest	O
grew	O
pale	EVENT
,	O
and	O
the	O
more	O
aged	O
and	O
sedate	O
passed	EVENT
their	O
hands	O
over	O
their	O
brows	O
as	O
if	O
in	O
confused	O
revery	O
or	O
meditation	O
.	O

But	O
when	O
the	O
echoes	EVENT
had	O
fully	O
ceased	EVENT
,	O
a	O
light	O
laughter	EVENT
at	O
once	O
pervaded	O
the	O
assembly	O
;	O
the	O
musicians	O
looked	EVENT
at	O
each	O
other	O
and	O
smiled	EVENT
as	O
if	O
at	O
their	O
own	O
nervousness	O
and	O
folly	O
,	O
and	O
made	O
whispering	O
vows	EVENT
,	O
each	O
to	O
the	O
other	O
,	O
that	O
the	O
next	O
chiming	O
of	O
the	O
clock	O
should	O
produce	O
in	O
them	O
no	O
similar	O
emotion	O
;	O
and	O
then	O
,	O
after	O
the	O
lapse	O
of	O
sixty	O
minutes	O
,	O
(	O
which	O
embrace	O
three	O
thousand	O
and	O
six	O
hundred	O
seconds	O
of	O
the	O
Time	O
that	O
flies	O
,	O
)	O
there	O
came	O
yet	O
another	O
chiming	EVENT
of	O
the	O
clock	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
were	O
the	O
same	O
disconcert	EVENT
and	O
tremulousness	EVENT
and	O
meditation	EVENT
as	O
before	O
.	O

But	O
,	O
in	O
spite	O
of	O
these	O
things	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
a	O
gay	O
and	O
magnificent	O
revel	EVENT
.	O

The	O
tastes	O
of	O
the	O
duke	O
were	O
peculiar	O
.	O

He	O
had	O
a	O
fine	O
eye	O
for	O
colours	O
and	O
effects	O
.	O

He	O
disregarded	O
the	O
_	O
decora	O
_	O
of	O
mere	O
fashion	O
.	O

His	O
plans	O
were	O
bold	O
and	O
fiery	O
,	O
and	O
his	O
conceptions	O
glowed	O
with	O
barbaric	O
lustre	O
.	O

There	O
are	O
some	O
who	O
would	O
have	O
thought	O
him	O
mad	O
.	O

His	O
followers	O
felt	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
not	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
necessary	O
to	O
hear	O
and	O
see	O
and	O
touch	O
him	O
to	O
be	O
_	O
sure	O
_	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
not	O
.	O

He	O
had	O
directed	O
,	O
in	O
great	O
part	O
,	O
the	O
movable	O
embellishments	O
of	O
the	O
seven	O
chambers	O
,	O
upon	O
occasion	O
of	O
this	O
great	O
_	O
fête	EVENT
_	O
;	O
and	O
it	O
was	O
his	O
own	O
guiding	O
taste	O
which	O
had	O
given	O
character	O
to	O
the	O
masqueraders	O
.	O

Be	O
sure	O
they	O
were	O
grotesque	O
.	O

There	O
were	O
much	O
glare	EVENT
and	O
glitter	EVENT
and	O
piquancy	EVENT
and	O
phantasm	EVENT
--	O
much	O
of	O
what	O
has	O
been	O
since	O
seen	O
in	O
"	O
Hernani	O
"	O
.	O

There	O
were	O
arabesque	O
figures	O
with	O
unsuited	EVENT
limbs	O
and	O
appointments	O
.	O

There	O
were	O
delirious	O
fancies	EVENT
such	O
as	O
the	O
madman	O
fashions	O
.	O

There	O
were	O
much	O
of	O
the	O
beautiful	O
,	O
much	O
of	O
the	O
wanton	O
,	O
much	O
of	O
the	O
_	O
bizarre	O
_	O
,	O
something	O
of	O
the	O
terrible	O
,	O
and	O
not	O
a	O
little	O
of	O
that	O
which	O
might	O
have	O
excited	O
disgust	O
.	O

To	O
and	O
fro	O
in	O
the	O
seven	O
chambers	O
there	O
stalked	EVENT
,	O
in	O
fact	O
,	O
a	O
multitude	O
of	O
dreams	EVENT
.	O

And	O
these	O
--	O
the	O
dreams	EVENT
--	O
writhed	EVENT
in	O
and	O
about	O
taking	EVENT
hue	O
from	O
the	O
rooms	O
,	O
and	O
causing	EVENT
the	O
wild	O
music	O
of	O
the	O
orchestra	O
to	O
seem	O
as	O
the	O
echo	O
of	O
their	O
steps	O
.	O

And	O
,	O
anon	O
,	O
there	O
strikes	EVENT
the	O
ebony	O
clock	O
which	O
stands	O
in	O
the	O
hall	O
of	O
the	O
velvet	O
.	O

And	O
then	O
,	O
for	O
a	O
moment	O
,	O
all	O
is	O
still	O
,	O
and	O
all	O
is	O
silent	O
save	O
the	O
voice	EVENT
of	O
the	O
clock	O
.	O

The	O
dreams	EVENT
are	O
stiff-frozen	EVENT
as	O
they	O
stand	O
.	O

But	O
the	O
echoes	EVENT
of	O
the	O
chime	EVENT
die	EVENT
away	O
--	O
they	O
have	O
endured	EVENT
but	O
an	O
instant	O
--	O
and	O
a	O
light	O
,	O
half-subdued	O
laughter	EVENT
floats	EVENT
after	O
them	O
as	O
they	O
depart	EVENT
.	O

And	O
now	O
again	O
the	O
music	O
swells	EVENT
,	O
and	O
the	O
dreams	EVENT
live	O
,	O
and	O
writhe	EVENT
to	O
and	O
fro	O
more	O
merrily	O
than	O
ever	O
,	O
taking	EVENT
hue	O
from	O
the	O
many	O
tinted	O
windows	O
through	O
which	O
stream	EVENT
the	O
rays	O
from	O
the	O
tripods	O
.	O

But	O
to	O
the	O
chamber	O
which	O
lies	O
most	O
westwardly	O
of	O
the	O
seven	O
,	O
there	O
are	O
now	O
none	O
of	O
the	O
maskers	O
who	O
venture	O
;	O
for	O
the	O
night	O
is	O
waning	EVENT
away	O
;	O
and	O
there	O
flows	EVENT
a	O
ruddier	O
light	O
through	O
the	O
blood-coloured	O
panes	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
blackness	O
of	O
the	O
sable	O
drapery	O
appals	EVENT
;	O
and	O
to	O
him	O
whose	O
foot	O
falls	O
upon	O
the	O
sable	O
carpet	O
,	O
there	O
comes	O
from	O
the	O
near	O
clock	O
of	O
ebony	O
a	O
muffled	O
peal	EVENT
more	O
solemnly	O
emphatic	O
than	O
any	O
which	O
reaches	EVENT
_	O
their	O
_	O
ears	O
who	O
indulged	EVENT
in	O
the	O
more	O
remote	O
gaieties	EVENT
of	O
the	O
other	O
apartments	O
.	O

But	O
these	O
other	O
apartments	O
were	O
densely	O
crowded	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
them	O
beat	EVENT
feverishly	O
the	O
heart	O
of	O
life	O
.	O

And	O
the	O
revel	EVENT
went	O
whirlingly	O
on	O
,	O
until	O
at	O
length	O
there	O
commenced	O
the	O
sounding	EVENT
of	O
midnight	O
upon	O
the	O
clock	O
.	O

And	O
then	O
the	O
music	EVENT
ceased	EVENT
,	O
as	O
I	O
have	O
told	EVENT
;	O
and	O
the	O
evolutions	EVENT
of	O
the	O
waltzers	O
were	O
quieted	EVENT
;	O
and	O
there	O
was	O
an	O
uneasy	O
cessation	EVENT
of	O
all	O
things	O
as	O
before	O
.	O

But	O
now	O
there	O
were	O
twelve	O
strokes	EVENT
to	O
be	O
sounded	O
by	O
the	O
bell	O
of	O
the	O
clock	O
;	O
and	O
thus	O
it	O
happened	O
,	O
perhaps	O
,	O
that	O
more	O
of	O
thought	O
crept	O
,	O
with	O
more	O
of	O
time	O
,	O
into	O
the	O
meditations	O
of	O
the	O
thoughtful	O
among	O
those	O
who	O
revelled	EVENT
.	O

And	O
thus	O
too	O
,	O
it	O
happened	O
,	O
perhaps	O
,	O
that	O
before	O
the	O
last	O
echoes	O
of	O
the	O
last	O
chime	O
had	O
utterly	O
sunk	O
into	O
silence	O
,	O
there	O
were	O
many	O
individuals	O
in	O
the	O
crowd	O
who	O
had	O
found	O
leisure	O
to	O
become	O
aware	EVENT
of	O
the	O
presence	EVENT
of	O
a	O
masked	O
figure	O
which	O
had	O
arrested	O
the	O
attention	O
of	O
no	O
single	O
individual	O
before	O
.	O

And	O
the	O
rumour	EVENT
of	O
this	O
new	O
presence	EVENT
having	O
spread	O
itself	O
whisperingly	O
around	O
,	O
there	O
arose	O
at	O
length	O
from	O
the	O
whole	O
company	O
a	O
buzz	EVENT
,	O
or	O
murmur	EVENT
,	O
expressive	O
of	O
disapprobation	EVENT
and	O
surprise	EVENT
--	O
then	O
,	O
finally	O
,	O
of	O
terror	EVENT
,	O
of	O
horror	EVENT
,	O
and	O
of	O
disgust	EVENT
.	O

In	O
an	O
assembly	O
of	O
phantasms	O
such	O
as	O
I	O
have	O
painted	EVENT
,	O
it	O
may	O
well	O
be	O
supposed	O
that	O
no	O
ordinary	O
appearance	O
could	O
have	O
excited	O
such	O
sensation	O
.	O

In	O
truth	O
the	O
masquerade	O
licence	O
of	O
the	O
night	O
was	O
nearly	O
unlimited	O
;	O
but	O
the	O
figure	O
in	O
question	O
had	O
out-Heroded	O
Herod	O
,	O
and	O
gone	O
beyond	O
the	O
bounds	O
of	O
even	O
the	O
prince	O
's	O
indefinite	O
decorum	O
.	O

There	O
are	O
chords	O
in	O
the	O
hearts	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
reckless	O
which	O
can	O
not	O
be	O
touched	O
without	O
emotion	O
.	O

Even	O
with	O
the	O
utterly	O
lost	O
,	O
to	O
whom	O
life	O
and	O
death	O
are	O
equally	O
jests	O
,	O
there	O
are	O
matters	O
of	O
which	O
no	O
jest	O
can	O
be	O
made	O
.	O

The	O
whole	O
company	O
,	O
indeed	O
,	O
seemed	O
now	O
deeply	O
to	O
feel	O
that	O
in	O
the	O
costume	O
and	O
bearing	O
of	O
the	O
stranger	O
neither	O
wit	O
nor	O
propriety	O
existed	O
.	O

The	O
figure	O
was	O
tall	O
and	O
gaunt	O
,	O
and	O
shrouded	O
from	O
head	O
to	O
foot	O
in	O
the	O
habiliments	O
of	O
the	O
grave	O
.	O

The	O
mask	O
which	O
concealed	O
the	O
visage	O
was	O
made	EVENT
so	O
nearly	O
to	O
resemble	O
the	O
countenance	O
of	O
a	O
stiffened	O
corpse	O
that	O
the	O
closest	O
scrutiny	O
must	O
have	O
had	O
difficulty	O
in	O
detecting	O
the	O
cheat	O
.	O

And	O
yet	O
all	O
this	O
might	O
have	O
been	O
endured	O
,	O
if	O
not	O
approved	O
,	O
by	O
the	O
mad	O
revellers	O
around	O
.	O

But	O
the	O
mummer	O
had	O
gone	O
so	O
far	O
as	O
to	O
assume	EVENT
the	O
type	O
of	O
the	O
Red	O
Death	O
.	O

His	O
vesture	O
was	O
dabbled	O
in	O
_	O
blood	O
_	O
--	O
and	O
his	O
broad	O
brow	O
,	O
with	O
all	O
the	O
features	O
of	O
the	O
face	O
,	O
was	O
besprinkled	O
with	O
the	O
scarlet	O
horror	O
.	O