Question

excerpt from \the masque of the red death\ by edgar allan poe
the red death had long devastated the country. no pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous. and the whole seizure, progress and termination of the disease, were the incidents of half an hour.
but the prince prospero was happy and dauntless fearless and sagacious smart. when his dominions were half depopulated, he summoned to his presence a thousand hale and light - hearted friends from among the knights and dames of his court, and with these retired to the deep seclusion of one of his castellated castled abbeys. the external world could take care of itself. in the meantime it was folly to grieve, or to think. the prince had provided all the appliances of pleasure. there were buffoons, there were improvisatori, there were ballet - dancers, there were musicians, there was beauty, there was wine. all these and security were within. without was the red death.
it was towards the close of the fifth or sixth month of his seclusion, and while the pestilence raged most furiously abroad, that the prince prospero entertained his thousand friends at a masked ball of the most unusual magnificence.
it was a voluptuous scene, that masquerade. but first let me tell of the rooms in which it was held. there were seven - an imperial suite. now in no one of the seven apartments was there any lamp or candelabrum. but in the corridors that followed
read the excerpt from poes \the masque of the red death.\
but in the western or black chamber the effect of the fire - light that streamed upon the dark hangings through the blood - tinted panes, was ghastly in the extreme, and produced so wild a look upon the countenances of those who entered, that there were few of the company bold enough to set foot within its precincts at all.
what technique does poe use to build suspense in the excerpt?
the word choice darkens the tone.
the pace of the story quickens.
the outcome of events becomes certain.
the setting moves outside.

Explanation:

Poe utiliza palabras como "ghastly", "hideous" y describe la cámara negra de manera temible. Estas elecciones de palabras oscuras crean un tono siniestro y aumentan la tensión y el suspense.

Answer:

The word choice darkens the tone.