The Masque of the Red Death

And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all.

And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall

whose tall figure stood erect and motionless within the shadow of the ebony clock, gasped in unutterable horror at finding the grave cerements and corpse-like mask, which they handled with so violent a rudeness, untenanted by any tangible form.

fell prostrate in death the Prince Prospero

He bore aloft a drawn dagger, and had approached, in rapid impetuosity, to within three or four feet of the retreating figure, when the latter, having attained the extremity of the velvet apartment, turned suddenly and confronted his pursuer.

They rang throughout the seven rooms loudly and clearly, for the prince was a bold and robust man

who dares insult us with this blasphemous mockery? Seize him and unmask him—that we may know whom we have to hang, at sunrise, from the battlements!

he was seen to be convulsed, in the first moment with a strong shudder either of terror or distaste; but, in the next, his brow reddened with rage.

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

The figure was tall and gaunt, and shrouded from head to foot in the habiliments of the grave. The mask which concealed the visage was made so nearly to resemble the countenance of a stiffened corpse that the closest scrutiny must have had difficulty in detecting the cheat.