“No kinsman, high-or low-born, is coming to carry me away,” said my friend Annabel Lee. “Kinsmen do not carry away things that have no intrinsic value.”
“No, I believe they don’t,” said I, and felt relieved.
I repeated:
“‘The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and me,
Yes! that was the reason, (as all men know
In this kingdom by the sea,)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.’
But no,” said I; “the angels in heaven are surely more than half so happy as you and I.”
“More than half,” said my friend Annabel Lee. “They need not send clouds from heaven on that account.”
I repeated:
“‘But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we,
Of many far wiser than we;
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.’
If you loved anything,” said I, “’twould be stronger by far than that of some who are older, and of very many who may be wiser.”
“I don’t think wisdom and age have to do with it,” said my friend Annabel Lee.