It was then, however, that the prince prospero, maddening with rage and the shame of his own momentary cowardice, rushed hurriedly through the six chambers, while none followed him on account of a deadly terror that had seized upon all. he bore aloft a drawn dagger, and had approached, in rapid impetuosity, to within three or four feet of the retreating figure, when the latter, having attained the extremity of the velvet apartment, turned suddenly and confronted his pursuer. what effect does the tone of the excerpt have on the reader? it fosters a belief that the narrator is unreliable. it produces a contradictory urge to stop reading and to continue. it inspires confidence that everything will work out fine in the end. it encourages surprising delight in blood and gore.