⟨but⟩ on hearkening more attentively, I was soon ⟨undeceived⟩, as I found it was owing to a strange ⟨frightful⟩ kind of noise under ground, resembling ⟨the⟩ hollow distant rumbling of thunder: all this ⟨passed⟩ in less than a minute, and I must confess ⟨I now⟩ began to be alarmed, as it naturally occurred ⟨to⟩ me, that this noise might possibly be the ⟨fore-manner⟩ of an earthquake, as one I remembered, ⟨which⟩ had happened about six or seven years ago, ⟨on⟩ the island of Madeira, commenced in the same ⟨manner⟩, though it did little or no damage.
'Upon this I threw down my pen, and started ⟨upon⟩ my feet, remaining a moment in suspence, ⟨whether⟩ I should stay in the apartment, or run ⟨to⟩ the street, as the danger in both places ⟨seemed⟩ equal, and still flattering myself that this ⟨tremor⟩ might produce no other effects than such ⟨considerable⟩ ones as had been felt at Madeira; ⟨but⟩ in a moment I was roused from my dream, ⟨being⟩ instantly stunned with a most horrid crash, ⟨as⟩ if every edifice in the city had tumbled down ⟨at⟩ once. The house I was in shook with such ⟨violence⟩, that the upper stories immediately fell, ⟨all⟩ though my apartment (which was the first ⟨floor⟩) did not then share the same fate, yet every ⟨thing⟩ was thrown out of its place in such a ⟨manner⟩, that it was with no small difficulty I kept my ⟨seat⟩, and expected nothing less than to be soon ⟨crushed⟩ to death, as the walls continued rocking to and fro in the frightfullest manner, opening in several places, large stones falling down on every ⟨side⟩ from the cracks, and the ends of most of the ⟨rafters⟩ starting out from the roof. To add to this ⟨terrifying⟩ scene, the sky in a moment became so ⟨gloomy⟩, that I could now distinguish no ⟨particular⟩ objects, it was an Egyptian darkness indeed, ⟨which⟩ as might be felt; owing, no doubt, to the
