November 21

November 21 is the date heading for Augustus Landor’s account of the quiet aftermath of Edgar Allan Poe’s declaration of love for Lea Marquis. The entry turns a moment of emotional revelation into a pause: Poe has written what he has to say, and then withdraws without extending it in conversation.

Dated Entry and Context

The date appears within the narrative of Augustus Landor. In the passage immediately preceding it, Poe recounts that Lea Marquis named the feeling between them as love; hearing her say it, he recognizes and acknowledges his own love. The November 21 heading thus places Landor’s account of Poe’s response after this declaration, linking the date to a change in their relationship without suggesting that the heading itself marks a separate event.

Poe’s Departure

Landor describes the silence that follows as the oddest part: after he finishes reading Poe’s written account, he waits for Poe to continue, but Poe has nothing to add. Instead, Poe bids him good night, promises to report further when he can, and slips away. The promise leaves the account open to continuation, while Poe’s immediate departure gives the entry its abrupt, suspended ending.