And the plaintive, low, uncertain rustling of each window-curtain Thrill’d me――filled my quaking heart with terrors never felt before. _Is_ there, then, a life of glory, as we’re taught in sacred story? Can this be some prophet hoary, standing at my chamber-door―― Prophet from the dead arisen, standing at my chamber-door―― Rapping thus, and meaning more? V. Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, “Truly, friend, I treat you badly, your forgiveness I implore; Surely I have not been napping, but so gently you came rapping, And so faintly you came tapping――tapping at my chamber-door, That I scarce knew what the sound meant”――here I opened wide the door: Darkness there, and nothing more. VI. Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, Awe-struck, thinking thoughts few mortals ever happ’d to think before; But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, And the only word there spoken, was the whisper’d word, “Annore!” This _I_ whisper’d, and an echo murmur’d back the word “Annore!” Merely this, and nothing more. VII. Back into my chamber hasting, anguish deeper still now tasting, Soon again I heard a rapping――something louder than before. Surely, thought I, that is something at my window-lattice; Let me see, then, what there at is, and this mystery explore;―― Oh! my heart, be still a moment, till this mystery I explore;―― Is’t the wind, and nothing more? VIII. Open here I flung the shutter, when with gentle nod and flutter, In there came a gracious white dove of the saintly days of yore. Then, as if obeisance made he, and no longer stopp’d or stay’d he, But in innocence array’d, he perch’d above my chamber-door,―― Perch’d upon a bust of Paulus, just above my chamber-door―― Perch’d and sat, and nothing more. IX. Then this snowy bird surprising my sad heart into surmising, Whether this was done at random, or some mystic meaning bore,―― “Surely,” said I, “thou art fairer than of ill to be the bearer, Of such saintly guise the wearer, thou art from some heav’nly shore; Wilt thou help me on my journey toward that bright celestial shore?” Quoth the white dove, “Evermore!” X. Startled now as one from dreaming, suddenly awak’d and seeming To have heard a voice mysterious thrilling to his heart’s deep core,―― Ev’ry thought and feeling reaching after light and further teaching. In attitude of one beseeching, gazed I at my chamber-door,―― At the bird, which had so aptly――perch’d upon my chamber-door―― Spoken out that “Evermore!” XI.