own part, I soon found dislike arising within me just the reverse of what I had anticipated; but - not how or why - its evident fondness rather disgusted and annoyed By slow degrees, these feelings of disgust and annoyance rose bitterness of hatred I avoided the creature; certain sense of shame, remembrance former deed of cruelty, preventing me from physically abusing it , for some weeks, strike, or otherwise violently ill use it; but gradually - very gradually - to look upon it with unutterable loathing, and to flee silently from its odious presence, as breath of pestilence

What added, , to my hatred beast, discovery, morning after I brought it home, that, like Pluto, it also deprived of one eyes This circumstance, however, only endeared it to my wife, who, as already said, possessed, in high degree, that humanity of feeling which had once been my distinguishing trait, source of many simplest and purest pleasures

With my aversion cat, however, its partiality seemed to increase It followed my footsteps with pertinacity which it difficult to reader comprehend Whenever I sat, it would crouch beneath my chair, or spring upon my knees, covering me with its loathsome caresses If I arose to walk it would get between my feet and thus nearly throw me down, or, fastening its long and sharp claws in my dress, clamber, manner, to my breast At such times, although I longed to destroy it with blow, yet withheld from so doing, partly by memory former crime, but chiefly - let me confess it at once - by absolute dread beast

This dread was not exactly dread of physical evil - and yet at loss how otherwise to define it almost ashamed to own - yes, even felon's cell, almost ashamed to own - terror and horror the animal inspired me, heightened by merest chimaeras it possible to conceive My wife had called my attention, more than once, character mark of white hair, spoken, and which constituted the sole visible difference strange beast one I had destroyed The reader will remember mark, although large, originally very indefinite; but, by slow degrees - degrees nearly imperceptible, and which my Reason struggled to reject as fanciful - it had, , assumed rigorous distinctness of outline now the representation of an object that I shudder to name - and , above all, I loathed, and dreaded, and rid myself monster had I dared - now, , the image of hideous - of ghastly thing - GALLOWS ! - oh, mournful and terrible engine of Horror and of Crime - of Agony and of Death !

And now was I indeed wretched beyond the wretchedness of mere Humanity And brute beast - whose fellow I had contemptuously destroyed - brute beast to work out - man, fashioned image High God - of insufferable wo ! Alas ! neither by day nor by night knew I the blessing of Rest any more ! During the former the creature left me no moment alone; and, latter, I started, hourly, from dreams of unutterable fear, the hot breath thing upon my face, and its vast weight - an incarnate Night-Mare that I had no power to shake off - incumbent eternally upon my heart !

Beneath the pressure of torments such , the feeble remnant good within me succumbed Evil thoughts became my sole intimates - the darkest and most evil of thoughts The moodiness usual temper increased to hatred of all things and of all mankind; while, sudden, frequent, and ungovernable outbursts of fury I now blindly abandoned myself, my uncomplaining wife, alas ! most usual most patient of sufferers

One day she accompanied me, upon some household errand, cellar old building which our poverty compelled us to inhabit The cat followed me down the steep stairs, and, nearly throwing me headlong, exasperated me to madness Uplifting an axe, and forgetting, in my wrath, the childish dread which had hitherto stayed my hand, I aimed blow animal which, , proved instantly fatal had it descended as I wished But this blow was arrested hand wife Goaded, interference, into rage more than demoniacal, I withdrew my arm from her grasp and buried the axe in her brain She fell dead spot, without groan

This hideous murder accomplished, I set myself forthwith, and with entire deliberation, task of concealing the body that remove it house, either by day or by night, without the risk of being observed neighbors Many projects entered my mind At one period of cutting the corpse into minute fragments, and destroying them by fire At another, I resolved to dig grave floor cellar Again, I deliberated about casting it well yard - about packing it in box, merchandize, usual arrangements, and so getting porter it house Finally I hit upon what I considered far better expedient than either I determined to wall it up cellar - monks middle ages are recorded walled up their victims

For purpose such the cellar was well adapted Its walls were loosely constructed, and had lately been plastered throughout with rough plaster, which the dampness atmosphere had prevented from hardening Moreover, in walls was projection, caused by false chimney, or fireplace, that filled up, and made to resemble the red cellar that readily displace the bricks point, insert the corpse, and wall the whole up as before, no eye could detect any thing suspicious And calculation not deceived of crow-bar I easily dislodged the bricks, and, having carefully deposited the body against the inner wall, I propped it position, while, with little trouble, I re-laid the whole structure as it originally stood Having procured mortar, sand, and hair, with every possible precaution, I prepared plaster which distinguished old, and I very carefully went over the new brickwork When I had finished, satisfied that all was right The wall present the slightest appearance of having been disturbed The rubbish floor was picked up minutest care I looked around triumphantly, and said to myself - "Here , then, my labor in vain "

My next step was to look beast which the cause of wretchedness; for I had, , firmly resolved it to death Had I been able to meet with it, moment, there fate; but it appeared crafty animal alarmed violence previous anger, and forebore itself in my present mood impossible to describe, or to imagine, the deep, the blissful sense of relief which the absence detested creature occasioned in my bosom It make its appearance during the night - and thus night , since its introduction house, I soundly and tranquilly slept; aye, slept even burden of murder upon my soul !

The second third day passed, and still my tormentor came not Once again I breathed as freeman The monster, in terror, had fled the premises forever ! behold it no more ! My happiness was supreme ! The guilt dark deed disturbed me but little Some few inquiries made, but these readily answered Even search instituted - but nothing was discovered I looked upon my future felicity as secured

fourth day assassination, party police came, very unexpectedly, house, and proceeded again rigorous investigation premises Secure, however, inscrutability place of concealment, no embarrassment whatever The officers bade me accompany them in their search They left no nook or corner unexplored , third or fourth time, they descended cellar I quivered not in muscle My heart beat calmly of one who slumbers in innocence I walked the cellar from end to end I folded my arms upon my bosom, and roamed easily to and fro The police were thoroughly satisfied and prepared to depart The glee at my heart was too strong restrained I burned if but one word, by way of triumph, and to render doubly sure their assurance guiltlessness

"Gentlemen," at last, party ascended the steps, "I delight allayed your suspicions you all health, and little more courtesy bye, gentlemen, this - constructed house " [ rabid desire something easily, I scarcely knew what I uttered at all ] - " say an _excellently well constructed house These walls going, gentlemen ? - these walls are solidly put together;" and here, mere phrenzy of bravado, I rapped heavily, with cane which I held in my hand, upon that very portion brick-work behind which stood the corpse wife bosom

But may God shield and deliver me fangs Arch-Fiend ! No sooner had the reverberation blows sunk into silence, than answered by voice from tomb ! - by cry, at first muffled and broken, like the sobbing of child, and then quickly swelling into one long, loud, and continuous scream, utterly anomalous and inhuman - howl - wailing shriek, half of horror and half of triumph, such as arisen only out of hell, conjointly throats dammed in their agony and demons that exult damnation

own thoughts folly Swooning, I staggered opposite wall instant the party stairs remained motionless, through extremity of terror and of awe next, dozen stout arms were toiling wall It fell bodily The corpse, already greatly decayed and clotted with gore, stood erect eyes spectators Upon its head, with red extended mouth and solitary eye of fire, sat the hideous beast whose craft had seduced me into murder, and whose informing voice had consigned me hangman I had walled the monster up tomb !