then he fluttered— Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have flown before— On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before." Then the bird said "Nevermore."
XI.
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, 61 "Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore— Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore Of 'Never—nevermore.'"
XII.
But the Raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling, 67 Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door; Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore Meant in croaking "Nevermore".
XIII.
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing 73 To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core; This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er, But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er, She shall press, ah, nevermore.
XIV.
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer 79 Swung by seraphim whose 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 nepenthé from thy memories of Lenore! Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthé and forget this lost Lenore!" Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
XV.
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!— 85 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."
XVI.
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil—prophet still, if bird or devil!91 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."
XVII.
"Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting—97 "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 loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door! Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!" Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
XVIII.
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming, And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Shall be lifted—nevermore!
Variations in 1845.
Line 9. Tried for sought. Line 27. Darkness for stillness. Line 31. Then for back. Line 32. Soon I heard again, &c. Line 39. Instant for minute. Line 51. Sublunary for living human. Line 55. The for that. Line 60. Quoth the raven, "Nevermore." Line 61. Wondering for startled. Lines 64-66. Followed fast and followed faster:—so, when Hope he would adjure,
Stern Despair returned, instead of the sweet Hope he dared adjure,
That sad answer, Nevermore.
Line 80. Swung by angels whose faint foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
Line 84. Let me quaff, &c.
Line 105. Demons for demon's.
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