.
N Naturally I will not claim to believe is an extraordinary fact that the amazing case of M. Valdemar has caused much discussion: it would be a miracle if it had not, particularly because of the circumstances. Following the desire of all parties concerned to keep the affair hidden to the public, for the moment at least, or until they had had opportunities for a more thorough search, following precisely in our efforts to achieve this, it spread among the people made a version of the arbitrary and exaggerated, which has become a source of many unpleasant and incorrect assumptions and logically of great disbelief.
is now necessary for me to give the facts as I know them. Here they are in brief.
My focus in these last three years, respectively, was attracted to mesmerism (or animal magnetism, named after the German physician Franz Mesmer (1734-1815), creator of the theory. En), and about nine months ago I occurred so suddenly that in the series of experiences to me until then compiute vi era stata un’omissione gravissima e assolutamente ingiustificabile, che cioè nessuno era ancora mai stato mesmerizzato in ARTICULO MORTIS. Era da vedere per prima cosa se in tale condizione esistesse nel paziente una suscettibilità qualsiasi all’influenza magnetica; secondariamente, nel caso che tale suscettibilità esistesse, se questa fosse diminuita o accresciuta dalla condizione predetta. In terzo luogo sino a qual punto, e per quanto tempo, potessero essere fermate mediante questo processo le pretese inesorabili della Morte. Vi erano ancora altri punti che avrebbero dovuto essere accertati, ma i suaccennati eccitavano particolarmente la mia curiosità, l’ultimo soprattutto, per la portata vastissima delle sue eventuali consequences.
In looking around for a subject with which I could test my hypothesis these, I was led to think of my friend Ernest Valdemar, the well-known compiler of the "Bibliotheca forensic and author (under the pseudonym of Issachar Marx) of versions Polish "Wallenstein" and "Gargantua." Mr. Valdemar, who had lived mostly in Harlem, in New York, since 1839 is (or was) mainly characterized by extreme thinness of the person (his legs very much recalled those of John Randolph ) and, well, dall'immacolato whiteness of his mustache strangely in contrast with the blackness of the hair, which, consequently, were usually mistaken for a wig. His temperament was markedly nervous, which made him a good subject for mesmeric experience. I managed a couple of times to put him to sleep with almost no difficulty, but I was disappointed in other results which his peculiar constitution had naturally led me to expect. His will was never found positive or totally under my control, and as the clairvoyance, I was never able to accomplish with him nothing concrete. I had always attributed my failure at these points to his altered condition. Already a few months before I had a chance to make his knowledge the doctors had declared irrevocably tubercular. The rest was his custom to speak calmly of his impending end, as something that could be neither prevented nor regretted. When I began to reflect on what I mentioned before, was of course very natural that I thought Mr. Valdemar. I knew too well the firm philosophical mind of man to fear from him qualms of any kind, nor has he had relatives in America that might intrude. I told him frankly of my project, and to my surprise I saw that you have greatly aroused his interest. I say surprisingly because, although he had always given me freely of himself to serve me for my experience, had never before had shown a special sympathy for what I did. The evil that was undermined by those that allow an exact calculation lethal around the time of the conclusion, and we agreed finally twenty-four hours before the time that his doctors have decreed to be one of transition.
It is now more than seven months since I received from Mr. Valdemar himself the following note:
"Dear P. ..
" It may well come now. D. .. and F. .. are unanimous in declaring that I will not last past midnight tomorrow, and I think they took almost exactly on target.
Valdemar. "
I received this note about a half hour after it had been written, and head for another fifteen minutes I was in the room of the dying. Not seen him for ten days, and I was appalled by the terrible change took place in him during that brief interval. His face was suffused with a leaden hue, his eyes had lost all light, and its emaciatezza was such that his skin was broken cheekbones. He suffered from
un'espettorazione abundant: the pulse was barely perceptible. But he had kept in a surprising way not only his full mental faculties, but also a certain amount of physical energy. He spoke audibly, without help take some palliative medicines, and when I went in his room, he was intent on scoring some notes in pencil in a notebook. He was sitting on the bed resting a mountain of pillows. I watched the doctors
D. .. and F. ..
After shaking the hand of Valdemar taken apart by these guys and got them a draft report about the patient's condition.
The left lung was eighteen months in a state semiosseo or cartilaginous, and was now of course totally useless for the purpose of life. The right lung, the upper area was partially if not completely ossified, while the lower region was not more than a mass of purulent tubercles confondentisi in each other. There were several very large holes, and at one point had been standing adherence to the ribs. These symptoms were revealed by the right lobe of the relatively recently. The process of ossification was prograde with very unusual rapidity; not even a month before it was noticed the slightest symptom, and adherence was discovered only three days before.
Regardless of the consumer, the patient was suspected aortic aneurysm, but the bones in this region made it impossible for a proper diagnosis. Both doctors were of opinion that M. Valdemar would die about midnight dell'indomani (Sunday). Were then the seven on Saturday evening.
in the removal from the bedside nurse to talk to me, the learned D. .. and F. .. had made a final farewell. It was not their intention to return, ma su mia richiesta promisero che sarebbero venuti a dare un’occhiata al paziente, verso le dieci della sera successiva.
Quando se ne furono andati discussi apertamente col signor Valdemar intorno all’argomento della sua fine imminente, nonché, e con maggiori particolari, intorno all’esperienza che mi proponevo di tentare. Egli si dichiarò tuttora dispostissimo e anzi impaziente di parteciparvi, e
insistette perché iniziassi subito. Ero assistito da un infermiere e da una infermiera, ma non mi sentivo d’imbarcarmi in un compito di quella fatta con testimoni cosí poco sicuri, nel caso avvenisse una catastrofe improvvisa. Rimandai perciò il tentativo alle otto circa della sera
seguente, allorché the coming of a medical student I knew quite well (Mr. Theodore L. .... l) delivered me from all further care and uncertainty. It was originally my desire to await the return of doctors but was induced to proceed, first of all by
pressing entreaties of M. Valdemar, and secondly an intimate conviction that I had a minute to predict, because I saw him decline quickly and visibly.
L. .... l was good enough to accede to my desire that he write down everything that is reaching up what was happening, and it is from his notes I've gathered summarizing or copying word for word what I am now to narrate.
were missing about five minutes to eight when, taking the patient's hand, I begged him to declare, as clearly as he could, Mr L. ... l, if he (Valdemar) was actually consenting I began the experiment mesmerist of his person in its present condition .
is now necessary for me to give the facts as I know them. Here they are in brief.
My focus in these last three years, respectively, was attracted to mesmerism (or animal magnetism, named after the German physician Franz Mesmer (1734-1815), creator of the theory. En), and about nine months ago I occurred so suddenly that in the series of experiences to me until then compiute vi era stata un’omissione gravissima e assolutamente ingiustificabile, che cioè nessuno era ancora mai stato mesmerizzato in ARTICULO MORTIS. Era da vedere per prima cosa se in tale condizione esistesse nel paziente una suscettibilità qualsiasi all’influenza magnetica; secondariamente, nel caso che tale suscettibilità esistesse, se questa fosse diminuita o accresciuta dalla condizione predetta. In terzo luogo sino a qual punto, e per quanto tempo, potessero essere fermate mediante questo processo le pretese inesorabili della Morte. Vi erano ancora altri punti che avrebbero dovuto essere accertati, ma i suaccennati eccitavano particolarmente la mia curiosità, l’ultimo soprattutto, per la portata vastissima delle sue eventuali consequences.
In looking around for a subject with which I could test my hypothesis these, I was led to think of my friend Ernest Valdemar, the well-known compiler of the "Bibliotheca forensic and author (under the pseudonym of Issachar Marx) of versions Polish "Wallenstein" and "Gargantua." Mr. Valdemar, who had lived mostly in Harlem, in New York, since 1839 is (or was) mainly characterized by extreme thinness of the person (his legs very much recalled those of John Randolph ) and, well, dall'immacolato whiteness of his mustache strangely in contrast with the blackness of the hair, which, consequently, were usually mistaken for a wig. His temperament was markedly nervous, which made him a good subject for mesmeric experience. I managed a couple of times to put him to sleep with almost no difficulty, but I was disappointed in other results which his peculiar constitution had naturally led me to expect. His will was never found positive or totally under my control, and as the clairvoyance, I was never able to accomplish with him nothing concrete. I had always attributed my failure at these points to his altered condition. Already a few months before I had a chance to make his knowledge the doctors had declared irrevocably tubercular. The rest was his custom to speak calmly of his impending end, as something that could be neither prevented nor regretted. When I began to reflect on what I mentioned before, was of course very natural that I thought Mr. Valdemar. I knew too well the firm philosophical mind of man to fear from him qualms of any kind, nor has he had relatives in America that might intrude. I told him frankly of my project, and to my surprise I saw that you have greatly aroused his interest. I say surprisingly because, although he had always given me freely of himself to serve me for my experience, had never before had shown a special sympathy for what I did. The evil that was undermined by those that allow an exact calculation lethal around the time of the conclusion, and we agreed finally twenty-four hours before the time that his doctors have decreed to be one of transition.
It is now more than seven months since I received from Mr. Valdemar himself the following note:
"Dear P. ..
" It may well come now. D. .. and F. .. are unanimous in declaring that I will not last past midnight tomorrow, and I think they took almost exactly on target.
Valdemar. "
I received this note about a half hour after it had been written, and head for another fifteen minutes I was in the room of the dying. Not seen him for ten days, and I was appalled by the terrible change took place in him during that brief interval. His face was suffused with a leaden hue, his eyes had lost all light, and its emaciatezza was such that his skin was broken cheekbones. He suffered from
un'espettorazione abundant: the pulse was barely perceptible. But he had kept in a surprising way not only his full mental faculties, but also a certain amount of physical energy. He spoke audibly, without help take some palliative medicines, and when I went in his room, he was intent on scoring some notes in pencil in a notebook. He was sitting on the bed resting a mountain of pillows. I watched the doctors
D. .. and F. ..
After shaking the hand of Valdemar taken apart by these guys and got them a draft report about the patient's condition.
The left lung was eighteen months in a state semiosseo or cartilaginous, and was now of course totally useless for the purpose of life. The right lung, the upper area was partially if not completely ossified, while the lower region was not more than a mass of purulent tubercles confondentisi in each other. There were several very large holes, and at one point had been standing adherence to the ribs. These symptoms were revealed by the right lobe of the relatively recently. The process of ossification was prograde with very unusual rapidity; not even a month before it was noticed the slightest symptom, and adherence was discovered only three days before.
Regardless of the consumer, the patient was suspected aortic aneurysm, but the bones in this region made it impossible for a proper diagnosis. Both doctors were of opinion that M. Valdemar would die about midnight dell'indomani (Sunday). Were then the seven on Saturday evening.
in the removal from the bedside nurse to talk to me, the learned D. .. and F. .. had made a final farewell. It was not their intention to return, ma su mia richiesta promisero che sarebbero venuti a dare un’occhiata al paziente, verso le dieci della sera successiva.
Quando se ne furono andati discussi apertamente col signor Valdemar intorno all’argomento della sua fine imminente, nonché, e con maggiori particolari, intorno all’esperienza che mi proponevo di tentare. Egli si dichiarò tuttora dispostissimo e anzi impaziente di parteciparvi, e
insistette perché iniziassi subito. Ero assistito da un infermiere e da una infermiera, ma non mi sentivo d’imbarcarmi in un compito di quella fatta con testimoni cosí poco sicuri, nel caso avvenisse una catastrofe improvvisa. Rimandai perciò il tentativo alle otto circa della sera
seguente, allorché the coming of a medical student I knew quite well (Mr. Theodore L. .... l) delivered me from all further care and uncertainty. It was originally my desire to await the return of doctors but was induced to proceed, first of all by
pressing entreaties of M. Valdemar, and secondly an intimate conviction that I had a minute to predict, because I saw him decline quickly and visibly.
L. .... l was good enough to accede to my desire that he write down everything that is reaching up what was happening, and it is from his notes I've gathered summarizing or copying word for word what I am now to narrate.
were missing about five minutes to eight when, taking the patient's hand, I begged him to declare, as clearly as he could, Mr L. ... l, if he (Valdemar) was actually consenting I began the experiment mesmerist of his person in its present condition .
M said the weak, yet clearly audible voice: - Yes, I would be mesmerized - by adding immediately after: - I am afraid that you have sent the experience already too many.
While saying this I began to perform the steps that sometimes I found it particularly effective in a person such as his. He was evidently influenced by the first lateral movement of my hand across his forehead, but although everyone should exercise my powers did not take any further significant effect except for some minutes after ten o'clock, when that happened that, while remaining faithful to their commitment, Drs D. .. and F. .. I explained to them in a few words what I had in mind, and they gave me no objection, saying rather that the patient had already been entered in agony. Then proceeded without hesitation, but replacing the side passages with those bikes down, and posted my eyes entirely within the patient's right eye. The pulse was imperceptible
now gasping and breathing, with pauses of half a minute.
This state remained virtually unchanged over a quarter of an hour. At the end of this period, however, from the chest of the dying out a sigh natural although deep, el'affanno stertorous ceased, ie, the agonal gasp was no longer audible, the breaks did not diminish.
The ends of the patient were cold as ice.
Five minutes before eleven I perceived unequivocal signs of the first mesmeric influence. The glassy roll of the eye was turned in that expression of uneasy INNER examination that is felt ever except in cases of sleepwalking, and on which it is quite impossible to mistake. With a few rapid lateral passes I made her lips tremble as in incipient sleep, and a few others closed altogether. I was not satisfied, however, and continued so strongly in my
manipulation, putting more than the will, until I had completely stiffened the limbs of the sleeper, but not before he set them in a seemingly comfortable position. Her legs were spread throughout their length, and so are the arms, or roughly, and they rested on the bed at a proper distance from the loins.
The head was very slightly raised.
When I had finished it was midnight in the middle of everything, and I asked the gentlemen present to examine the conditions of Valdemar. After a few experiments they declared a state of being engaged in unusually Perfect mesmeric trance. The curiosity of both the physicians was greatly excited
. Dr. D. .. She promptly decided to stay with the patient all night, while Dr. F. .. took his leave with the promise that he would return at dawn. L. .... the nurses remained. Valdemar
left undisturbed until about three in the morning. At that time I approached him and found him in exactly the same condition as when Dr. F. .. had left, ie lying in exactly the same position, the pulse was imperceptible; breathing mild (or rather, barely noticeable, and verifiable only a mirror to his lips), the eyes were closed naturally, and limbs rigid and cold as marble. However, the general appearance was certainly that of death. In his approach to
Valdemar I made a kind of semisforzo in an attempt to influence his right arm to follow my own, I did go back and forth gently on his person. In these experiments on him I had never quite managed before, and certainly not much hope of success now, but to my amazement his arm very readily, albeit weakly, he began to follow any direction given to me with mine. I decided to venture a few words of conversation.
- Mr. Valdemar, - I said - he sleeps? - It gave me an answer, but I felt a tremor around the lips and I felt so led to repeat the question a second time. At the third of his entire body was agitated by a slight shudder, the eyelids opened up up to leave a glimpse of a white segment of the eyeball, the lips moved sluggishly, and from them in a barely audible whisper came out of these words:
- Yes and now I sleep. Do not wake me up! Let me die like this ...
At this point, and felt my limbs felt more rigid than ever. The right arm, as before, obeyed the direction of my hand. I asked again
sleepwalker:
- still feels pain in the chest, M. Valdemar?
The answer now was immediate, but even the most subtle of the previous
- No pain ... I'm dying ...
did not consider it prudent to disturb him more than just that moment, and nothing was said or done until the return of Dr. F. .., which came shortly before dawn, and expressed his astonishment at finding the most unlimited patient still alive. After having approached him and take the pulse of a mirror to his lips, he asked me to turn again to the word somnambulist. I obeyed and said
- Mr. Valdemar, still asleep? As with the first
, spent a few minutes before I could get an answer, and during this pause the dying person seemed to gather all his energy to speak. On the fourth repetition of the question he said weakly, his voice barely audible:
- Yes, again ... Muoio. The doctors showed
now the opinion, or rather the desire, which was left undisturbed in Valdemar that his state of apparent calm, until the occurrence of death, which, according to general opinion, was just a matter of minutes. However, I decided to speak to him again, simply repeat the question put earlier. While talking
was produced to an appreciable change in the appearance of sleepwalking.
eyes were opened by themselves, slowly, rolling the eyes upward disappeared, the skin assumed a cadaverous hue, resembling not so much by coming to the parchment, as a sheet of white paper. And the typical circular spots dell'etisia which until then had stand out clearly in the middle of each cheek, went extinct suddenly. Using this expression, because the suddenness of their demise gave me the feeling of a candle go out in a puff of breath. The upper lip, at the same time, he crumpled up moving away from the teeth, before they were fully covered, while the lower jaw fell with a sharp click, leaving the mouth open and fully revealing the swollen and blackened tongue. I imagine that all those who were in the room were long accustomed to the horrors of death, but at that moment the appearance of Valdemar was so terribly frightening, that all instinctively drew back from the bed. I have the impression
di essere giunto al punto di questa mia narrazione in cui tutti i miei lettori rimarranno irriducibilmente increduli. Ma è mio compito limitarmi a proseguire nel racconto.
Il corpo di Valdemar non presentava ormai piú il benché minimo segno di vita, e giudicandolo morto stavamo per affidarlo alle cure degli infermieri, allorché avvertimmo nella lingua un forte movimento vibratorio, il quale si protrasse per forse un minuto. Al termine di questo, uscí dalle mascelle contratte e immobili una voce quale sarebbe demenza da parte mia tentare di descrivere. Vi sono in realtà due o tre aggettivi che potrebbero essere usati con sufficiente approssimazione per raffigurarla; potrei dire per esempio che il suono di quella voce era aspro, spezzato, cavo; but it is indescribable in its frightening Overall, for the simple reason that such a sound ever reached human ears. There were, however, it judged that two particular
then, and still judge, as fairly typical intonation, and also quite capable of making the idea of \u200b\u200bits strangeness extraterrena. First of all, it seemed that his voice would reach the ears, to my least, a huge distance, or from some deep cavern beneath the surface of the earth. Second, it m'impressionò (I fear that I will not really make myself understood) as well as a glutinous or gelatinous substance impress the sense of touch.
I talked to both "sound" both "voice". What I mean by this that the sound had a distinct spelling, indeed I would add, wonderfully, amazingly distinct. Valdemar TALKED evidently in response to the question I put to him that I
few minutes before. I asked him, you will recall, if still asleep. He now told me:
- Yes, no, I slept, and now, now ... I'm dead.
None of those present tried to conceal, or tried to suppress, the unspeakable horror, creepy, that these few words, thus uttered, were intended to provoke. L. .... l (the student) swooned.
The nurses immediately left the room, and nothing could induce them to return. Do not try to explain to the reader my personal impressions. Us busy for about an hour in silence, without uttering a single word, to try to revive L. .... l. When they got back we resumed our study of the conditions of Valdemar.
These were left in all respects as I have described above, except that the mirror did not offer more hours of breathing track. An attempt to do it bled from the arm. I should add that this art was no longer subject to my will. I tried in vain to get him to follow the direction of my hand. The only tangible
index mesmeric influence was being felt now in the vibratory motion of the tongue, whenever I put a question to Valdemar. It seemed every time just about to reply, but he had not volitività enough. The questions put to him by others appeared to be completely insensitive, as I tried to put each of those present in mesmeric RELATIONSHIP with him. I think I have been told what is necessary for understanding the state of sleepwalking at the time. Other nurses were sent for at ten o'clock I left the house accompanied by two doctors and L. .... l.
N el afternoon we returned together to visit the patient. His condition remained precisely the same. We talked a little about the convenience and the possibility of revival, but were not slow to agree that we would not have achieved this with no positive result. It was evident that death (or what usually defines death) was arrested by the mesmeric process. Valdemar awaken all agree that would be tantamount to his immediate or otherwise cause rapid disintegration.
From then until the end of last week, THEREFORE DURING AN INTERVAL OF NEARLY SEVEN MONTHS, we continued to bring us daily at the home of Valdemar, accompanied occasionally by medicine men and other friends. In all this time, the sleepwalker remained exactly as I described. Nurses watched it without interruption.
was finally decided last Friday that groped the experience of awakening, that is to try to interest him, and is (perhaps) the unfortunate result of that experiment which has provoked much discussion in private circles, and this, in a word, I can not help but judge a popular resentment justified. In order to free
Valdemar the mesmeric trance, I used the usual steps. These were for a time to no avail. The first indication of revival was revealed by a partial reduction of the iris. It was noted as being particularly worthy of note, that this descent
the pupil was accompanied by a profuse spray of yellowish ichor (from under the eyelids) of a pungent odor and fetidissimo.
I was then encouraged to try to influence the patient's arm, as the first. This attempt but failed. Dr. F. .. then expressed the wish that I ask a question. I obeyed and asked
- Mr. Valdemar, can you explain what are his current feelings or desires?
For a moment the cheeks of their characteristics reinvermigliarono spots phthisis; tongue vibrated, or rather rolled violently in the mouth (lips and jaw remained rigid even as the first), and that same scary voice that I have already described burst :
- For God's sake! Presto! Presto! Put me to sleep. Or ... soon! Wake me up! Presto! I TELL YOU THAT ARE DEAD! I was unspeakably
upset, and for a moment I was uncertain about what to do. I tried at first to reconstruct the patient, but this failed attempt for the total suspension of the will, I returned to my work and I struggled to wake with equal energy. This time I immediately noticed that I could or at least I am flattered that my success would soon be completed, and I am sure that everyone in the room were prepared to assist the awakening of the patient.
But what actually happened, it was not really possible to be prepared.
quickly while doing the steps between mesmeric exclamations of "dead dead!" that literally emanates from the language rather than from the lips of the patient, the whole body of them, immediately, in the space of a minute, maybe less, shrank, it
crumbled, in a word became corrupted and fell apart under my hands.
On the bed, in front of everyone present, there remained a nearly liquid mass of rotten disgusting, frightening.
Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar , 1845
(Images: top Matthew Childers, center Moisés Martín Navas , down Harry Clarke)
While saying this I began to perform the steps that sometimes I found it particularly effective in a person such as his. He was evidently influenced by the first lateral movement of my hand across his forehead, but although everyone should exercise my powers did not take any further significant effect except for some minutes after ten o'clock, when that happened that, while remaining faithful to their commitment, Drs D. .. and F. .. I explained to them in a few words what I had in mind, and they gave me no objection, saying rather that the patient had already been entered in agony. Then proceeded without hesitation, but replacing the side passages with those bikes down, and posted my eyes entirely within the patient's right eye. The pulse was imperceptible
now gasping and breathing, with pauses of half a minute.
This state remained virtually unchanged over a quarter of an hour. At the end of this period, however, from the chest of the dying out a sigh natural although deep, el'affanno stertorous ceased, ie, the agonal gasp was no longer audible, the breaks did not diminish.
The ends of the patient were cold as ice.
Five minutes before eleven I perceived unequivocal signs of the first mesmeric influence. The glassy roll of the eye was turned in that expression of uneasy INNER examination that is felt ever except in cases of sleepwalking, and on which it is quite impossible to mistake. With a few rapid lateral passes I made her lips tremble as in incipient sleep, and a few others closed altogether. I was not satisfied, however, and continued so strongly in my
manipulation, putting more than the will, until I had completely stiffened the limbs of the sleeper, but not before he set them in a seemingly comfortable position. Her legs were spread throughout their length, and so are the arms, or roughly, and they rested on the bed at a proper distance from the loins.
The head was very slightly raised.
When I had finished it was midnight in the middle of everything, and I asked the gentlemen present to examine the conditions of Valdemar. After a few experiments they declared a state of being engaged in unusually Perfect mesmeric trance. The curiosity of both the physicians was greatly excited
. Dr. D. .. She promptly decided to stay with the patient all night, while Dr. F. .. took his leave with the promise that he would return at dawn. L. .... the nurses remained. Valdemar
left undisturbed until about three in the morning. At that time I approached him and found him in exactly the same condition as when Dr. F. .. had left, ie lying in exactly the same position, the pulse was imperceptible; breathing mild (or rather, barely noticeable, and verifiable only a mirror to his lips), the eyes were closed naturally, and limbs rigid and cold as marble. However, the general appearance was certainly that of death. In his approach to
Valdemar I made a kind of semisforzo in an attempt to influence his right arm to follow my own, I did go back and forth gently on his person. In these experiments on him I had never quite managed before, and certainly not much hope of success now, but to my amazement his arm very readily, albeit weakly, he began to follow any direction given to me with mine. I decided to venture a few words of conversation.
- Mr. Valdemar, - I said - he sleeps? - It gave me an answer, but I felt a tremor around the lips and I felt so led to repeat the question a second time. At the third of his entire body was agitated by a slight shudder, the eyelids opened up up to leave a glimpse of a white segment of the eyeball, the lips moved sluggishly, and from them in a barely audible whisper came out of these words:
- Yes and now I sleep. Do not wake me up! Let me die like this ...
At this point, and felt my limbs felt more rigid than ever. The right arm, as before, obeyed the direction of my hand. I asked again
sleepwalker:
- still feels pain in the chest, M. Valdemar?
The answer now was immediate, but even the most subtle of the previous
- No pain ... I'm dying ...
did not consider it prudent to disturb him more than just that moment, and nothing was said or done until the return of Dr. F. .., which came shortly before dawn, and expressed his astonishment at finding the most unlimited patient still alive. After having approached him and take the pulse of a mirror to his lips, he asked me to turn again to the word somnambulist. I obeyed and said
- Mr. Valdemar, still asleep? As with the first
, spent a few minutes before I could get an answer, and during this pause the dying person seemed to gather all his energy to speak. On the fourth repetition of the question he said weakly, his voice barely audible:
- Yes, again ... Muoio. The doctors showed
now the opinion, or rather the desire, which was left undisturbed in Valdemar that his state of apparent calm, until the occurrence of death, which, according to general opinion, was just a matter of minutes. However, I decided to speak to him again, simply repeat the question put earlier. While talking
was produced to an appreciable change in the appearance of sleepwalking.
eyes were opened by themselves, slowly, rolling the eyes upward disappeared, the skin assumed a cadaverous hue, resembling not so much by coming to the parchment, as a sheet of white paper. And the typical circular spots dell'etisia which until then had stand out clearly in the middle of each cheek, went extinct suddenly. Using this expression, because the suddenness of their demise gave me the feeling of a candle go out in a puff of breath. The upper lip, at the same time, he crumpled up moving away from the teeth, before they were fully covered, while the lower jaw fell with a sharp click, leaving the mouth open and fully revealing the swollen and blackened tongue. I imagine that all those who were in the room were long accustomed to the horrors of death, but at that moment the appearance of Valdemar was so terribly frightening, that all instinctively drew back from the bed. I have the impression
di essere giunto al punto di questa mia narrazione in cui tutti i miei lettori rimarranno irriducibilmente increduli. Ma è mio compito limitarmi a proseguire nel racconto.
Il corpo di Valdemar non presentava ormai piú il benché minimo segno di vita, e giudicandolo morto stavamo per affidarlo alle cure degli infermieri, allorché avvertimmo nella lingua un forte movimento vibratorio, il quale si protrasse per forse un minuto. Al termine di questo, uscí dalle mascelle contratte e immobili una voce quale sarebbe demenza da parte mia tentare di descrivere. Vi sono in realtà due o tre aggettivi che potrebbero essere usati con sufficiente approssimazione per raffigurarla; potrei dire per esempio che il suono di quella voce era aspro, spezzato, cavo; but it is indescribable in its frightening Overall, for the simple reason that such a sound ever reached human ears. There were, however, it judged that two particular
then, and still judge, as fairly typical intonation, and also quite capable of making the idea of \u200b\u200bits strangeness extraterrena. First of all, it seemed that his voice would reach the ears, to my least, a huge distance, or from some deep cavern beneath the surface of the earth. Second, it m'impressionò (I fear that I will not really make myself understood) as well as a glutinous or gelatinous substance impress the sense of touch.
I talked to both "sound" both "voice". What I mean by this that the sound had a distinct spelling, indeed I would add, wonderfully, amazingly distinct. Valdemar TALKED evidently in response to the question I put to him that I
few minutes before. I asked him, you will recall, if still asleep. He now told me:
- Yes, no, I slept, and now, now ... I'm dead.
None of those present tried to conceal, or tried to suppress, the unspeakable horror, creepy, that these few words, thus uttered, were intended to provoke. L. .... l (the student) swooned.
The nurses immediately left the room, and nothing could induce them to return. Do not try to explain to the reader my personal impressions. Us busy for about an hour in silence, without uttering a single word, to try to revive L. .... l. When they got back we resumed our study of the conditions of Valdemar.
These were left in all respects as I have described above, except that the mirror did not offer more hours of breathing track. An attempt to do it bled from the arm. I should add that this art was no longer subject to my will. I tried in vain to get him to follow the direction of my hand. The only tangible
index mesmeric influence was being felt now in the vibratory motion of the tongue, whenever I put a question to Valdemar. It seemed every time just about to reply, but he had not volitività enough. The questions put to him by others appeared to be completely insensitive, as I tried to put each of those present in mesmeric RELATIONSHIP with him. I think I have been told what is necessary for understanding the state of sleepwalking at the time. Other nurses were sent for at ten o'clock I left the house accompanied by two doctors and L. .... l.
N el afternoon we returned together to visit the patient. His condition remained precisely the same. We talked a little about the convenience and the possibility of revival, but were not slow to agree that we would not have achieved this with no positive result. It was evident that death (or what usually defines death) was arrested by the mesmeric process. Valdemar awaken all agree that would be tantamount to his immediate or otherwise cause rapid disintegration.
From then until the end of last week, THEREFORE DURING AN INTERVAL OF NEARLY SEVEN MONTHS, we continued to bring us daily at the home of Valdemar, accompanied occasionally by medicine men and other friends. In all this time, the sleepwalker remained exactly as I described. Nurses watched it without interruption.
was finally decided last Friday that groped the experience of awakening, that is to try to interest him, and is (perhaps) the unfortunate result of that experiment which has provoked much discussion in private circles, and this, in a word, I can not help but judge a popular resentment justified. In order to free
Valdemar the mesmeric trance, I used the usual steps. These were for a time to no avail. The first indication of revival was revealed by a partial reduction of the iris. It was noted as being particularly worthy of note, that this descent
the pupil was accompanied by a profuse spray of yellowish ichor (from under the eyelids) of a pungent odor and fetidissimo.
I was then encouraged to try to influence the patient's arm, as the first. This attempt but failed. Dr. F. .. then expressed the wish that I ask a question. I obeyed and asked
- Mr. Valdemar, can you explain what are his current feelings or desires?
For a moment the cheeks of their characteristics reinvermigliarono spots phthisis; tongue vibrated, or rather rolled violently in the mouth (lips and jaw remained rigid even as the first), and that same scary voice that I have already described burst :
- For God's sake! Presto! Presto! Put me to sleep. Or ... soon! Wake me up! Presto! I TELL YOU THAT ARE DEAD! I was unspeakably
upset, and for a moment I was uncertain about what to do. I tried at first to reconstruct the patient, but this failed attempt for the total suspension of the will, I returned to my work and I struggled to wake with equal energy. This time I immediately noticed that I could or at least I am flattered that my success would soon be completed, and I am sure that everyone in the room were prepared to assist the awakening of the patient.
But what actually happened, it was not really possible to be prepared.
quickly while doing the steps between mesmeric exclamations of "dead dead!" that literally emanates from the language rather than from the lips of the patient, the whole body of them, immediately, in the space of a minute, maybe less, shrank, it
crumbled, in a word became corrupted and fell apart under my hands.
On the bed, in front of everyone present, there remained a nearly liquid mass of rotten disgusting, frightening.
Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar , 1845
(Images: top Matthew Childers, center Moisés Martín Navas , down Harry Clarke)
