by Edgar Allan Poe

most wild, yet most homely narrative which about to pen, I neither expect nor solicit belief Mad indeed would I be to expect it, in case where my very senses reject their own evidence Yet, mad am I not - and very surely do I not dream But to-morrow I die, and to-day unburthen my soul My immediate purpose is world, plainly, succinctly, and without comment, series of mere household events In their consequences, these events have terrified - have tortured - have destroyed me Yet attempt to expound them , presented little but Horror - to many seem less terrible than barroques Hereafter, perhaps, some intellect found which will reduce my phantasm common-place - some intellect more calm, more logical, and far less excitable than my own, which will perceive, circumstances I detail with awe, nothing more than an ordinary succession of very natural causes and effects

From my infancy noted docility and humanity disposition My tenderness of heart was even so conspicuous as me the jest companions especially fond of animals, and was indulged by my parents with great variety of pets I spent most of , and never was so happy as when feeding and caressing them This peculiarity of character grew with my growth, and in my manhood, I derived one principal sources of pleasure cherished an affection for faithful and sagacious dog, hardly be trouble of explaining the nature or the intensity gratification thus derivable something unselfish and self-sacrificing love of brute, which goes directly heart of him who has had frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of mere Man

I married early, and was happy in my wife disposition not uncongenial with my own Observing my partiality for domestic pets, she lost no opportunity of procuring those most agreeable kind We had birds, gold-fish, fine dog, rabbits, small monkey, and cat

This latter was remarkably large and beautiful animal, entirely black, and sagacious to an astonishing degree In speaking intelligence, my wife, who at heart was not little tinctured with superstition, made frequent allusion ancient popular notion, which regarded all black cats as witches in disguise Not that she was ever serious point - and I mention the matter at all for no better reason than happens, just now, remembered

Pluto - the cat's name - was my favorite pet and playmate I alone fed him, and he attended me wherever I went house even with difficulty that prevent him from following me streets

Our friendship lasted, manner, for several years, during which my general temperament and character - instrumentality Fiend Intemperance - had (I blush to confess it) experienced radical alteration worse I grew, day by day, more moody, more irritable, more regardless feelings of others I suffered myself to use intemperate language to my wife , I even offered her personal violence My pets, , were made the change in my disposition I neglected, but ill-used them For Pluto, however, I still retained sufficient regard to restrain me from maltreating him, as no scruple of maltreating the rabbits, the monkey, or even the dog, when by accident, or through affection, they came in my way But my disease grew upon me - for what disease is like Alcohol ! - and even Pluto, who was now becoming old, and consequently somewhat peevish - even Pluto began to experience the effects ill temper

One night, returning home, much intoxicated, from one haunts about town, I fancied cat avoided my presence I seized him; when, fright at my violence, he inflicted slight wound upon my hand teeth The fury of demon instantly possessed me myself no longer My original soul seemed, at once, its flight from my body and more than fiendish malevolence, gin-nurtured, thrilled every fibre frame from my waistcoat-pocket pen-knife, opened it, grasped the poor beast throat, and deliberately cut one eyes socket ! I blush, I burn, I shudder, while I pen the damnable atrocity

When reason returned morning - when I had slept off the fumes night's debauch - I experienced sentiment half of horror, half of remorse, crime I guilty; but , at best, feeble and equivocal feeling, soul remained untouched I again plunged into excess, and soon drowned in wine all memory deed

meantime the cat slowly recovered The socket lost eye presented, true, frightful appearance, but he no longer appeared to suffer any pain He went house as usual, but, as expected, fled in extreme terror at my approach I had old heart left, be at first grieved evident dislike of creature which had once so loved me But this feeling soon gave place to irritation And then came, to my final and irrevocable overthrow, the spirit of PERVERSENESS spirit philosophy takes no account Yet not more sure that my soul lives, than that perverseness is primitive impulses human heart - indivisible primary faculties, or sentiments, which give direction character of Man Who , hundred times, found himself committing vile or silly action, for no other reason than because ? Have we not perpetual inclination, teeth best judgment, to violate that Law_, merely because we understand it such ? This spirit of perverseness, , came to my final overthrow It unfathomable longing soul to vex itself - to offer violence to its own nature - wrong wrong's sake only - that urged me and finally to consummate the injury I had inflicted unoffending brute One morning, in cool blood, I slipped noose about its neck and hung it limb of tree; - hung it tears streaming from my eyes, and bitterest remorse at my heart; - hung it because_ had loved me, and because it had given me no reason of offence; - hung it because that in so doing committing sin - deadly sin so jeopardize my immortal soul as it - if such thing wore possible - even beyond the reach infinite mercy Most Merciful and Most Terrible God

night day this cruel deed , aroused from sleep cry of fire The curtains bed were in flames The whole house was blazing with great difficulty that my wife, servant, and myself, made our escape conflagration The destruction was complete My entire worldly wealth was swallowed up, and I resigned myself thenceforward to despair

above the weakness of seeking to establish sequence of cause and effect, disaster atrocity But detailing chain of facts - and wish not to leave even possible link imperfect day succeeding the fire, I visited the ruins The walls, with one exception, had fallen in This exception was found in compartment wall, not very thick, which stood middle house, and against which had rested the head bed The plastering had here, in great measure, resisted the action fire - fact which I attributed to its having been recently spread wall dense crowd were collected, and many persons seemed examining particular portion of it with very minute and eager attention The words "strange ! " "singular ! " and other similar expressions, excited my curiosity I approached and saw, graven in bas relief white surface, the figure of gigantic _cat The impression was given with an accuracy truly marvellous rope animal's neck

When I first beheld this apparition - for scarcely regard it as less - my wonder and my terror were extreme But reflection came to my aid The cat, I remembered, hung in garden adjacent house alarm of fire, this garden immediately filled crowd - by some one of whom the animal must cut tree and thrown, through an open window, into my chamber This had probably been done view of arousing me from sleep The falling of other walls had compressed the victim cruelty substance freshly-spread plaster; the lime , flames, ammonia carcass, had then accomplished the portraiture as it

Although I thus readily accounted to my reason, altogether to my conscience, startling fact just detailed, it the less fail deep impression upon my fancy For months rid myself phantasm cat; and, during this period, there came back into my spirit half-sentiment that seemed, but was not, remorse I went regret the loss animal, and to look about me, vile haunts which I now habitually frequented, for another pet same species, and of somewhat similar appearance, to supply its place

One night as I sat, half stupified, in den of more than infamy, my attention was suddenly drawn to some black object, reposing head of immense hogsheads of Gin, or of Rum, which constituted the chief furniture apartment I looking steadily top hogshead for some minutes, and what now caused me surprise fact that I sooner perceived the object thereupon I approached it, and touched it with my hand black cat - very large one - fully as large as Pluto, and closely resembling him in every respect but one Pluto white hair upon any portion body; but this cat had large, although indefinite splotch of white, covering nearly the whole region breast Upon my touching him, he immediately arose, purred loudly, rubbed against my hand, and appeared delighted with my notice This, then, very creature in search I at once offered to purchase it landlord; but this person made no claim - knew nothing of it - had never seen it before

I continued my caresses, and, when I prepared home, the animal evinced disposition to accompany me I permitted it ; occasionally stooping and patting it as I proceeded When it reached the house it domesticated itself at once, and became immediately great favorite with my wife