The author came to know of his friend’s illness

Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

One dull, dark day in autumn, I was traveling on horseback through a dreary stretch of the countryside. At nightfall, I came in sight of the House of Usher. This was the house of Roderick Usher, who had been my childhood pal. It had been umpteen years since he and I had seen each other. I lived in a distant part of the country during my childhood. However, he had recently corresponded with me telling me at length of a serious illness and a mental disturbance that was troubling him. Beleaguered by his problems, Roderick was leading the existence of a hermit.