the tell- tale heart

by Edgar Allan Poe

true ! - nervous - very, very dreadfully nervous I had_been and am; but why will_you say that I_am mad ? the disease had sharpened my senses - not destroyed - not dulled them . above all was_the sense of hearing acute .I heard all things in_the heaven and in_the earth .I heard many things in hell . how, then, am I mad ? hearken ! and observe how healthily - how calmly I_can tell you the whole story .

it_is impossible to_say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night . object there_was none . passion there_was none .I loved the old man . he had never wronged me . he had never given me insult . for_his gold I had no desire . i_think it_was his eye ! yes, it was_this ! he had the eye of a vulture - a pale blue eye, with a film over it . whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees - very gradually - I_made up my mind to take_the life of_the old man, and thus rid myself of_the eye forever .

now this_is_the point . you fancy me mad .Madmen know nothing . but you_should_have seen me . you_should_have seen how wisely I proceeded - with what caution - with what foresight - with what dissimulation I went to work ! i_was never kinder to_the old man than during the whole week before I killed him . and every night, about midnight, I turned the latch of_his door and opened it - oh so gently ! and then, when I had made an opening sufficient for_my head, I put in a dark lantern, all closed, closed, that no light shone out, and then I thrust in my head .Oh, you_would_have laughed to_see how cunningly I thrust it in ! I moved it slowly - very, very slowly, so_that I might_not disturb the old man's sleep . it took me an hour to_place my whole head within_the opening so_far that I could_see him as he lay upon his bed .Ha ! would a madman have_been so wise as_this, and then, when my head was well in_the room, I undid the lantern cautiously-oh, so cautiously - cautiously ( for_the hinges creaked) - I undid it just so_much that a single thin ray fell upon_the vulture eye . and this I_did for seven long nights - every night just at midnight - but I_found the eye always closed; and so it_was impossible to_do_the work; for it_was not the old man who vexed me, but his evil eye . and every morning, when_the day broke, I went boldly into_the chamber, and spoke courageously to him, calling him by name in a hearty tone, and inquiring how he has passed the night . so you_see he would_have_been a very profound old man, indeed, to suspect that every night, just at twelve, I looked in upon him while he slept .

upon_the eighth night i_was more than usually cautious in opening the door .a watch's minute hand moves more quickly than did mine . never before_that night had I_felt the extent of_my own powers - of_my sagacity . I_could scarcely contain my feelings of triumph . to_think that there i_was, opening the door, little by little, and he not even to dream of_my secret deeds or thoughts .I fairly chuckled at_the idea; and perhaps he heard me; for he moved on_the bed suddenly, as_if startled . now you_may think that I drew back - but no . his room was as black as pitch with_the thick darkness, ( for_the shutters were close fastened, through fear of robbers,) and so I_knew that he could_not_see the opening of_the door, and I kept pushing it on steadily, steadily .

I had my head in, and was about to open the lantern, when my thumb slipped upon_the tin fastening, and_the old man sprang up in bed, crying out - " who's there ? "

I kept quite still and said nothing . for a whole hour I_did_not move a muscle, and in_the meantime I_did_not hear him lie down . he_was still sitting up in_the bed listening; - just as I_have_done, night after night, hearkening to_the death watches in_the wall .

presently I heard a slight groan, and I_knew it was_the groan of mortal terror . it_was not a groan of pain or of grief - oh, no ! - it was_the low stifled sound that arises from_the bottom of_the soul when overcharged with awe . I_knew the sound well . many a night, just at midnight, when all the world slept, it has welled up from my own bosom, deepening, with its dreadful echo, the terrors that distracted me . I_say I_knew it well . I_knew what the old man felt, and pitied him, although I chuckled at heart . I_knew that he had_been lying awake ever_since the first slight noise, when he had turned in_the bed . his fears had_been ever_since growing upon him . he had_been trying to fancy them causeless, but could_not . he had_been saying to himself - " it_is nothing but the wind in_the chimney - it_is only a mouse crossing the floor," or " it_is merely a cricket which_has made a single chirp ." yes, he had_been trying to comfort himself with_these suppositions: but he had found all in vain . all in vain; because death, in approaching him had stalked with_his black shadow before him, and enveloped the victim . and it was_the mournful influence of_the unperceived shadow that caused him to_feel - although he neither saw nor heard - to_feel the presence of_my head within_the room .

when I had waited a long_time, very patiently, without hearing him lie down, I resolved to open a little - a very, very little crevice in_the lantern . so I opened it - you_cannot imagine how stealthily, stealthily - until, at_length a simple dim ray, like the thread of_the spider, shot from out the crevice and fell full upon_the vulture eye .

it_was open - wide, wide open - and I grew furious as I gazed upon it . I_saw it with perfect distinctness - all a dull blue, with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones; but I could_see nothing else of_the old man's face or person: for I had directed the ray as_if by instinct, precisely upon_the damned spot .

and_have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over- acuteness of_the sense ? - now, I_say, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton . I_knew that sound well, too . it was_the beating of_the old man's heart . it increased my fury, as_the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage .

but even yet I refrained and kept still .I scarcely breathed .I held the lantern motionless .I tried how steadily I_could maintain the ray upon_the eve . meantime the hellish tattoo of_the heart increased . it grew quicker and quicker, and louder and louder every instant . the old man's terror must_have been extreme ! it grew louder, I_say, louder every moment ! - do_you mark me well I_have told you that I_am nervous: so I_am . and now at_the dead hour of_the night, amid the dreadful silence of_that old house, so strange a noise as_this excited me to uncontrollable terror . yet, for some minutes longer I refrained and stood still . but the beating grew louder, louder ! i_thought the heart must burst . and now a new anxiety seized me - the sound would_be heard by aneighbour ! the old man's hour had come ! with a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into_the room . he shrieked once - once only . in an instant I dragged him to_the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him .I then smiled gaily, to_find the deed so_far done . but, for many minutes, the heart beat on with a muffled sound . this, however, did_not vex me; it would_not_be heard through_the wall . at_length it ceased . the old man was dead .I removed the bed and examined the corpse . yes, he_was stone, stone dead .I placed my hand upon_the heart and held it there many minutes . there_was no pulsation . he_was stone dead . his eye would trouble me no more .

if still you_think me mad, you_will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions i_took for_the concealment of_the body . the night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence . first of all I dismembered the corpse .I cut off the head and_the arms and_the legs .

I then took up three planks from_the flooring of_the chamber, and deposited all between_the scantlings .I then replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye - not even his - could_have detected any thing wrong . there_was nothing to wash out - no stain of any kind - no blood- spot whatever .I had_been too wary for_that .a tub had caught all - ha ! ha !

when I had made an end of_these labors, it_was four o'clock - still dark as midnight . as_the bell sounded the hour, there came aknocking at_the street door .I went down to open it with a light heart, - for what had I now to fear ? there entered three men, who introduced themselves, with perfect suavity, as officers of_the police .a shriek had_been heard by aneighbour during the night; suspicion of foul play had_been aroused; information had_been lodged at_the police office, and_they ( the officers) had_been deputed to search the premises .

I smiled, - for what had I to fear ? I bade the gentlemen welcome . the shriek, I_said, was my own in a dream . the old man, I mentioned, was absent in_the country . i_took my visitors all over the house .I bade them search - search well .I led them, at_length, to_his chamber .I showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed . in_the enthusiasm of_my confidence, I brought chairs into_the room, and desired them here to rest from their fatigues, while I myself, in_the wild audacity of_my perfect triumph, placed my own seat upon_the very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of_the victim .

the officers were satisfied . my manner had convinced them . i_was singularly at ease . they sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things . but, ere long, I_felt myself getting pale and wished them gone . my head ached, and I fancied aringing in my ears: but still they sat and still chatted . the ringing became more distinct: - it continued and became more distinct: i_talked more freely to_get rid of_the feeling: but it continued and gained definiteness - until, at_length, I_found that_the noise was not within my ears .

no_doubt I now grew very pale; - but i_talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice . yet the sound increased - and what could I_do ? it_was a low, dull, quick sound - much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton .I gasped for breath - and yet the officers heard it not . i_talked more quickly - more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased .I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased . why would they not be gone ? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as_if excited to fury by_the observations of_the men - but the noise steadily increased .Oh god ! what could I_do ? I foamed - I raved - I swore ! I swung the chair upon_which I had_been sitting, and grated it upon_the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased . it grew louder - louder - louder ! and still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled . was_it possible they heard not ? almighty god ! - no, no ! they heard ! - they suspected ! - they knew ! - they were making a mockery of_my horror ! - this i_thought, and this i_think . but anything was better than this agony ! anything was more tolerable than this derision ! I_could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer ! I_felt that I_must scream or die ! and now - again ! - hark ! louder ! louder ! louder ! louder !

"Villains ! " I shrieked, " dissemble no more ! I admit the deed ! - tear up the planks ! here, here ! - it_is_the beating of_his hideous heart ! "