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第5章 黑猫5（第1页）

第5章黑猫（5）

Onedaysheae，uponsomehouseholderrand，iheoldbuildingwhipelledustoinhabit。Theedowairs，ahrowingmeheadloedmetomadinganaxe，aing，inmywrath，thechildishdreadwhichhadhithertostayedmyhand，Iaimedablowattheanimalwhich，ofcourse，rovedinstantlyfatalhaditdesdedasIwished。Butthisblowwasarrestedbythehandofmywife。Goaded，bytheiemorethandemoniacal，Iwithdrewmyarmfrraspaheaxeinherbrain。Shefelldeadupo，withoutagroan。

Thishideousmurderaplished，Isetmyselfforthwith，airedeliberatioaskofgthebody。IkIoveitfromthehouse，eitherbydayht，withouttheriskofbeiheneighbors。Maeredmymind。Atohoughtofgthetomis，aroyingthembyfire。Atanother，Iresolvedtodigagraveforitinthefloorofthecellar。Agaiedaboutgitiheyard—aboutpagitinabox，asifmerdize，withtheusualarras，aiakeitfromthehouse。FinallyIhituponwhatIsideredafarbetterexpedieherofthese。Idetermioihemonksofthemiddleagesarerecordedtohavetheirvictims。

Forapurposesuchasthisthecellarted。Itswallswerelooselystrudhadlatelybeehroughoutlaster，whichthedampheatmospherehadpreventedfr。Moreover，iheroje，causedbyafalseey，orfireplace，thathadbeenfilledup，aoresembletherestofthecellar。ImadenodoubtthatIcouldreadilydisplacetheatthispoihedwallthewholeupasbefore，sothatnoeyecoulddetegsuspicious。

AndinthiscalIwasnotdeceived。Bymeansofacrow-barIeasilydislodgedthebrid，havingcarefullydepositedthebodyagainsttheinnerroppeditinthatpositiohlittletrouble，Ire-laidthewholestructureasitinallystood。Haviar，sand，andhair，witheverypossiblepre，Ipreparedaplasteroteverypossbedistiheold，andwiththisIverycarefullywehenehenIhadfisatisfiedthatallwasright。Thewalldidheslightestappearanceofhaviurbed。Therubbishonthefloorickedupwiththemicare。Ilookedaroundtriumphantly，andsaidtomyself—"Hereatleast，then，mylaborhasnotbeeninvain。"

&epwastolookforthebeastwhichhadbeentheuchwretess;forIhad，atlength，firmlyresolvedtoputittodeath。HadIbeewithit，atthemoment，therecouldhavebeennodoubtofitsfate;butitappearedthattheimalhadbeeheviolenypreviousanger，aopresentitselfimood。Itisimpossibletodesagiheblissfulsenseofreliefwhichtheabseedcreatureoybosom。Itdidsappearahenight—andthusfhtatleast，sirodutothehouse，Isoundlyandtranquillyslept;sleptevenwiththeburdenofmurderuponmysoul!

Thesedthethirddaypassed，andstillmytorme。OnIbreathedasafree-maer，interror，hadfledthepremisesforever!Ishouldbeholditnomore!Myhappinessreme!Theguiltofmydarkdeeddisturbedmebutlittle。Somefewinquirieshadbeehesehadbeenreadilyanswered。Evenasearchhadbeeniofothingwastobediscovered。Ilookeduponmyfuturefelicityassecured。

Upohdayoftheassassination，apartyofthepolicecame，veryuothehouse，andproceededagaintorousiionofthepremises。Secure，however，iabilityofmyplaenoembarrassmeheofficersbademeapaheirsearch。Theyleftnonookorexplored。Atlength，forthethirdorfourthtime，theydestothecellar。Iquiverednotibeatcalmlyasthatofonewhoslumbersininnoce。Iwalkedtheendtoend。Ifoldedmyarmsuponmybosom，androamedeasilytoandfro。Thephlysatisfiedaleeatmyheartwasttoberestrained。Iburosayifbutoneword，bywayoftriumph，andtorenderdoublysuretheirassuranyguiltlessness。

"Ge;Isaidatlast，asthepartyasdedthesteps，"Idelighttohaveallayedyoursuspis。Iwishyouallhealth，andalittlemorecourtesy。Bytheway，gehisisaverywellstructedhouse。"（Intherabiddesiretosaysomethingeasily，IsewwhatIutteredatall。）—"Imaysayalywellstructedhouse。Thesewalls—areyougoihesewallsaresolidlyputtogether";ahroughthemerephreicofbravado，Irappedheavily，withaewhichIheldinmyhand，upoionofthebrick-workbehindwhichstoodthecorpseofthewifeofmybosom。

ButmayGodshieldanddelivermefromthefangsoftheArosoohereverberationofmyblowssunkihanIwasansweredbyavoiwithiomb!—byacry，atfirstmuffledahesobbingofadthenquicklyswellingintoonelong，loud，and，utterlyanomalousandinhuman—ahowl—awailingshriek，halfofhorrorandhalfoftriumph，suchasmighthavearisenonlyoutofhell，tlyfromthethroatsofthedamheiragonyahatexultiion。

Ofmyownthoughtsitisfollytospeak。Swooning，Istaggeredtotheoppositewall。Forothepartyupoairsremaiiohroughextremityofterrorahe，adozenstoutarmsweretollifellbodily。Thecreatlydedclottedwithgore，stooderectbeforetheeyesofthespectators。Upohredextehandsolitaryeyeoffire，satthehideousbeastwhosecrafthadsedutomurder，andwhvoietothehangman。Ihadwalledthemohiomb!