奇书网

第24章 黑猫 4（第1页）

第24章黑猫（4）

&hepressureoftormentssuchasthese，thefeebleremnahinmesuccumbed。Evilthoughtsbeates—thedarkestahoughts。Themoodinessofmyusualtemperiredofallthingsandofallmankihesudde，andungoversofafurytowhiowblindlyabandonedmyself，myunplainingwife，shewasthemostusualaientofsufferers。

Onedaysheae，uponsomehouseholderrand，iheoldbuildingwhipelledustoinhabit。Theedowairs，ahrowingmeheadloedmetomadness。Upliftinganaxe，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。