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第22章 黑猫 2（第1页）

第22章黑猫（2）

Ihecatslowlyrecovered。Thesocketofthelosteyepreseistrue，afrightfulappearahenoloosufferanypaithehouseasusual，but，asmightbeexpected，fledierroratmyapproach。Ihadsomuyoldheartleft，astobeatfirstgrievedbythisevidehepartofacreaturewhie。Butthisfeelingsoooirritation。Andtheomyfinalandirrevocableoverthrow，thespiritofPerversess。Ofthisspiritphilosophytakesnoat。YetIamhatmysoullives，thanIamthatperversenessisoiveimpulsesofthehuma—oheindivisibleprimaryfaents，whichgivediretothecharaan。Whohasnot，ahuimes，foutingavileorasillya，fornootherreasonthanbecauseheknowsheshouldaperpetualin，ihofourbestjudgment，toviolatethatwhichisLaw，merelybecauseweutobesuch?Thisspiritofperverseness，Isay，yfihrow。Itwasthisunfathomablelongiovexitself—toofferviolesowf'ssakeonly—thaturgedmetoueandfinallytoatetheinjuryIhadiheunoffendingbrute。，incoolblood，Islippedasnegittothelimbitwiththetearsstreamingfrommyeyes，andwiththebitterestremorseatmyheart;—hungitbeewthatithadlovedme，aithadgivenmenoreasonofoffengitbeewthatinsodoingIwasittingasin—adeadlysinthatwouldsojeopardizemyimmortalsoulastoplaceit—ifsugwerepossible—evehereachoftheiheMostMerdMod。

Oofthedayonwhichthiscrueldeedwasdone，Iwasarousedfromsleepbythecryoffire。Theybedwereihewholehousewasblazing。Itwaswithgreatdifficultythatmywife，aservant，andmyself，madeourestheflagratioionlete。Myentireass，andIresigheodespair。

Iamabovetheweakoestablishasequenceofdeffect，betweeeray。ButIamdetailingaoffadwishnottoleaveevenapossiblelihedaysugthefire，Ivisitedtheruins。Thewalls，withoion，hadfalleniionwasfoundinaentwall，hick，whichstoodaboutthemiddleofthehouse，andagainstwhichhadrestedtheheadofmybed。Theplasteringhadhere，imeasure，resistedtheaofthefire—afactwhichIattributedtoitshavilyspread。Aboutthiswalladensecrowdwerecolledmanypersoobeexaminingaparticularportionofitwitheverymiention。Thewords&que!"，"singular!"andothersimilarexpressioedmycuriosity。Iapproadsaw，asifgraveninbasreliefupoesurface，thefigureofagiganticcat。Theimpressiohanaccuracytrulymarvellous。Thereeabouttheanimal'sneck。

&beheldthisapparition—forIcarditasless—mywonderandmyterrorwereextreme。Butatleioomyaid。Thecat，Iremembered，hadbeenhunginagardehehouse。Uponthealarmardenhadbeeelyfilledbytheeoneofwhomtheanimalmusthavebeenthetreeandthrhanopenwindow，intomychamber。Thishadprobablybeeheviewmefromsleep。Thefallingofotherressedtheviytothesubstahefreshly-spreadplaster;thelimeofwhich，hadthenwiththeflames，andtheammoniafromthecarplishedtheportraitureasIsawit。

AlthoughIthusreadilyatedtomyreason，ifomyce，forthestartlingfactjustdetailed，itdidomakeadeepimpressionuponmyfanonthsIyselfofthephantasmofthed，duriherecamebayspiritahalf-seseemed，butwasnot，remorse。Iwentsofarastretthelossoftheanimal，andtolookaboutme，amongthevilehauntswhiowhabituallyfrequented，forahesamespedofsomewhatsimilarappearahwhichtosupplyitsplace。