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奇书网>跟自己说再见是什么意思 > 第23章 黑猫 3(第1页)

第23章 黑猫 3(第1页)

第23章黑猫(3)

&asIsat,halfstupefied,inadehaninfamy,myattentionwassuddenlydrawntosomeblackupontheheadofoheimmensehogsheadsofGin,orofRum,whistitutedtheitureoftheapartment。Ihadbeenlookithetopofthishogsheadforsomeminutes,andwhatnowcausedmesurprisewasthefactthatIhadnotsooheobjectthereupon。Iapproachedit,ahmyhand。Itwasablackcat—averylargeone—fullyaslargeasPluto,andclhimioohadnotaonanyportionofhisbody;butthiscathadalarge,althoughichofwhite,earlythewhio。

Uponmytoughim,heimmediatelyarose,purredlainstmyhand,aedwithmyhen,wastheverycreatureofwhichIwasinsearch。Iatoopurchaseitofthelandlord;butthispersonmadenoclaimtoit—khingofit—hadbefore。

Iycaresses,and,wheogohome,theanimalevincedadispositiontoae。Ipermittedittodoso;oallystoopingandpattingitasIproceeded。Whehehouseitdomesticateditselfatondbecameimmediatelyagreatfavoritewithmywife。

Formyownpart,Isoonfoundadisliketwithihiswasjustthereverseofated;butIknohyitwas—itsevidentfondnessformyselfratherdisgustedandannoyed。Byslowdegrees,thesefeelingsofdisgustandaothebitterred。Iavoidedthecreature;asenseofshame,andtheremembranerdeedofcruelty,preventingmefromphysicallyabusingit。Ididnot,forsomeweeks,strike,orotherwiseviolentlyilluseit;butgradually—verygradually—Icametolookuponitwithuhing,alyfromitsodiouspresenthebreathofapestilence。

Whatadded,nodoubt,tomyhatredofthebeast,wasthedisafterIbroughtithome,that,likePluto,italsohadbeendeprivedofoseyes。Thisce,however,oomywife,who,asIhavealreadysaid,possessed,inahighdegree,thathumanityoffeelingwhimydistinguishingtrait,andthesouranyofmysimplestapleasures。

Withmyaversiontothiscat,however,itspartialityformyselfseemedtoifollowedmyfootstepsertinacitywhichitwouldbediffiakethereaderprehe,itwouldeathmychair,uponmyknees,ewithitsloathsomecaresses。IfIarosetowalkitwouldgetbetweehushrowmedown,or,fasteningitslongandsharpmydress,clamber,inthismaomybreast。Atsuchtimes,althoughIlowithabloithheldfromsodoing,partlyitatbyamemoryofmyformercrime,butchiefly—letmefessitatonce—byabsolutedreadofthebeast。

Thisdreadwaslyadreadofphysicalevil-aIshouldbeatalosshowotherwisetodefi。Iamalmostashamedtoowhisfelon'scell,Iamalmostashamedtoowerrorandhorrorwithwhiimalinspiredme,hadbeeehemerestchimaerasitwouldbepossibletoywifehadcalledmyattentiohahecharaarkofwhitehair,ofoken,andwhistitutedthesolevisiblediffereraheoneIhaddestroyed。Thereaderwillrememberthatthismark,althe,hadbeeninallyveryi,byslreesnearlyimperceptible,andwhichftimemyReasledtorejeciful—ithad,atlength,assumedarigorousdistiliwasionofaIshuddertoname—andforthis,aboveall,Iloathed,anddreaded,andwouldhaveridmyselfofthemonsterhadIdared—itwasnow,Isay,theimageofahideous—ofaghastlything—oftheGallows!—oh,mournfulandterribleengineofHorrorandonyah!

AndnowwasIidthewretereHumanity。A—whosefellotuouslydestroyed—abrutebeasttoworkoutforme—formeaman,fashioheimageoftheHighGod—somusufferablewo!Alas!herbydaynhtkheblessianymtheformerthecreatureleftmealone;aer,Istarted,hourly,fromdreamsofuofibreathofthethinguposvastweight—ani-MarethatIhadoshakeoff—iernallyupo!

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