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Hammill Peter The Fall Of The House Of Usher Act Six CHORUS Three endless days of bitter grief passed and Montresor abandoned any attempt to cheer his friend. Then came a sudden change in Usher's demeanour, whose significance he was soon to comprehend. Now Usher stands for hour on hour with head inclined and eyes half-closed, as if beneath the deep and sullen silence a sound exists for which he listens; a sound without end. Now Usher walks for hour on hour. With ashen face and trembling step, he climbs each stair, He climbs each tower; still hears it there. CHORUS AND No. It's only the THE VOICES beating of the heart, OF THE HOUSE heart of the House of Usher, beating of the heart heart of the House of Usher. USHER MONTRESOR Roderick is that you? I could not sleep Nor I. Listen to the storm! Did you ever hear such a dreadful sound? Indeed. Indeed I have! But this sound you can hear; the tempest beats upon the House as it would beat upon a drum, that is no sound to fear. For the sound to fear It beats upon the house. walk softly when they come The thunder seems so near But it's only the But it's only the beating of the heart, beating of the heart, heart of the House of Usher. heart of the House of Usher. USHER MONTRESOR VOICES OF THE HOUSE Oh the lake is Beating of the heart, in frenzy, I heart of the House can feel the waves of Usher beat on the walls Beating of the heart The breaking of the heart! heart of the House These giant stones of Usher. are trembling Beating of the heart the savage lashing heart of the House of the storm of Usher. The breaking of the heart! Beating of the heart heart of the House of Usher Why is that other sound The House not hidden by of Usher echoes of the storm? shall stand. The House But understand we only of Usher hear the House shall stand Speaking of a storm The House This is the storm itself! of Usher shall stand. The House of Usher The House of Usher MONTRESOR We've seen enough, I'll close the window. The gale is chill and grows yet stronger. These walls are shaking! You shall play something for me; you shall play and I shall listen. So we will pass away this dreadful night. USHER Yes I shall play, yes, I shall play! (The Haunted In the greenest of our valleys Palace) by good angels tenanted once a fair and stately palace - radiant palace - reared its head. In the monarch, Thought's dominion like a jewel it stood there. Never seraph spread a pinion over fabric half so fair. Wanderers in that happy valley through two luminous windows saw spirits moving musically to a lute's well-tuned law, round about a throne where sitting, side by side with his fair queen, in state his glory well befitting, the ruler of the realm was seen. USHER MONTRESOR Wait! Did you hear it? What was it? It's nothing. What was that distant sound? I say, I heard nothing All with pearl and ruby glowing was the glorious palace door through which came flowing, flowing, flowing and sparkling evermore a troop of echoes, whose sweet duty night and day was but to sing in voices of surpassing beauty the wit and wisdom of their king. USHER MONTRESOR No! There's something, I heard it quite clear, a voice crying. It's nothing I say but the wind! You heard the wind, just heard Within the House! the wild wind crying. But evil things, in robes of sorrow assailed the monarch's high estate; let us mourn for never morrow dawn upon him, desolate; round about his home the glory that had always blushed and bloomed is but a dim-remembered story of the olden time entombed. USHER MONTRESOR There! Yes, you heard it! There is someone else - There's nothing something else I say, down there! You hear nothing! There's no-one there. It is the storm Are we that you hear. alone here? Travellers now within that valley through red-litten windows see vast forms that move fantastically to a discordant melody while like a rapid, ghastly river through the ever open door a hideous throng rush out forever and laugh - but smile no more! And laugh - but smile no more! And laugh - but smile no more! USHER No! No! No! Yes, I hear it! Yes, I have heard it long, long - many minutes, many hours, but I dared not speak: I tell you I dared not speak. No more cant from you, you thick-skinned obtuse fool, damn your compassion! For now I say you will hear the wicked truth We put her living in the tomb! But I dared not, I dared not speak! Yes, have I not heard her footsteps on the stair? Yes, do I not distinguish the heavy and horrible beating of her heart? Yes, she is coming. She has woken in the darkness, in her mindless, relentless strength. Now she has broken from the tomb. Now she has burst from the tomb. Days ago I heard her first feeble movements in the hollow coffin - said I not that my senses were acute? I heard the scraping, the scraping of her nails - but I dared not, I dared not speak! Madman! Madman! I tell you that she now comes towards the door! USHER MONTRESOR CHORUS VOICES OF THE HOUSE No, what a House Monstrous thought! We Now the punishment breath! is finished. The evil that House You said is done we are! she was dead... cannot be We You watched undone. could not her dying! It's over now It's over now What evil have let you done? It could not be prevented them go! God, what a monstrous thought! It's over now It's over now. We The evil that Why must innocence is done could be punished? Could this have not been prevented? It's over now It's over now The evil that The evil that We is done... is done could not could not be prevented let could this have could never been prevented? be prevented them go! I dare not could this have it could not I dared not speak! been prevented? be prevented! Madman! Madman! I tell you that she now stands outside the door! USHER MADELINE MONTRESOR CHORUS I'm looking Now, No, Madeline! Madeline! I have counted to a hundred with my eyes closed and I'm coming I am the last now to find you... Leave! of the Usher! Depart! my sister's death Go! shall leave me so. Where are you It's over now hiding? I am If I wasn't so the last afraid I'd Usher Roderick touch her Leave! I feel where are you? It's over now Depart! the sky I see. Go! Now he sings of death, the evil the evil some things even that is done that is one I feel madder cannot be cannot be the sky undone undone moan shuts himself away the evil the evil to join shuts himself away that is come that is come with the slime! He shut could not could not himself away! be prevented. be prevented. AS THE HOUSE FALLS THE VOICES beams buttresses plaster copings We We OF THE corbels bressumers quoins chimney- breath are HOUSE joists arches wainscot shafts We rise Usher kin-posts piers stairs parapets ridge-ribs spandrels banister pediments struts columns cusps mansard stanchions cornices gargoyle king-posts eaves End of Act Six |
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