Act Six Lyrics - Hammill Peter

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