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Text B The Black Cat II（第1页）

TextBTheBlackCat（II）

EdgarAllanPoe

Formyownpart，Isoonfoundadisliketwithihiswasjustthereverseofated;but—Iknohyitwas—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，partlybyamemoryofmyformercrime，butchiefly—letmefessitatonce—byabsolutedreadofthebeast。

Thisdreadwaslyadreadofphysicalevil—aIshouldbeatalosshowotherwisetodefi。Iamalmostashamedtoowhisfelon’scell，Iamalmostashamedtoown—thattheterrorandhorrorwithwhiimalinspiredme，hadbeeehemerestchimerasitwouldbepossibletoywifehadcalledmyattentiohahecharaarkofwhitehair，ofoken，andwhistitutedthesolevisiblediffereraheoneIhaddestroyed。Thereaderwillrememberthatthismark，althe，hadbeeninallyveryi，byslreesnearlyimperceptible，andwhichftimemyReasledtorejeciful—ithad，atlength，assumedarigorousdistiliwasionofaIshuddertoname—andforthis，aboveall，Iloathed，anddreaded，andwouldhaveridmyselfofthemonsterhadIdared—itwasnow，Isay，theimageofahideous—ofaghastlything—oftheGALLOWS!—oh，mournfulandterribleengineofHorrorandofCrime—ofAgonyah!

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

&hepressureoftormentssuchasthese，thefeebleremnahinmesuccumbed。Evilthoughtsbeates—thedarkestahoughts。Themoodinessofmyusualtemperiredofallthingsandofallmankihesudde，andungoversofafurytowhiowblindlyabandonedmyself，myunplainingwife，alas!wasthemostusualaientofsufferers。

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。Idetermiointhecellar—asthemonksofthemiddleagesarerecordedtohavetheirvictims。

Forapurposesuchasthisthecellarted。Itswallswerelooselystrudhadlatelybeehroughoutlaster，whichthedampheatmospherehadpreventedfr。Moreover，iheroje，causedbyafalseey，orfireplace，thathadbeenfilledup，aoresembletherestofthecellar。ImadenodoubtthatIcouldreadilydisplacethebricksatthispoihedwallthewholeupasbefore，sothatnoeyecoulddeteythingsuspicious。

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

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

Thesedthethirddaypassed，andstillmytorme。OnIbreathedasafreemaer，interror，hadfledthepremisesforever!Ishouldbeholditnomore!Myhappinessreme!Theguiltofmydarkdeeddisturbedmebutlittle。Somefewinquirieshadbeehesehadbeenreadilyanswered。Evenasearchhadbeeniofothingwastobediscovered。Ilookeduponmyfuturefelicityassecured。

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

&lemen，”Isaidatlast，asthepartyasdedthesteps，“Idelighttohaveallayedyoursuspis。Iwishyouallhealth，andalittlemorecourtesy。Bythebye，gehis—thisisaverywellstructedhouse。”（Intherabiddesiretosaysomethingeasily，IsewwhatIutteredatall。）—“Imaysayalywellstructedhouse。Thesewalls—areyougoihesewallsaresolidlyputtogether，”ahroughthemerefrenzyofbravado，Irappedheavily，withaewhichIheldinmyhand，upoionofthebrick-workbehindwhichstoodthecorpseofthewifeofmybosom。

ButmayGodshieldanddelivermefromthefangsoftheArd!hereverberationofmyblowssunkihanIwasansweredbyavoiwithiomb!—byacry，atfirstmuffledahesobbingofadthenquicklyswellingintoonelong，loud，and，utterlyanomalousandinhuman—ahowl—awailingshriek，halfofhorrorandhalfoftriumph，suchasmighthavearisenonlyoutofhell，tlyfromthethroatsofthedammedintheiragonyahatexultiion。

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

1。Discussthefollowiions。

1）Isthenarratortinhisas?Isheafullydevelopedcharacter?How?Why?

2）Doyoufiorlikable?Wouldyouwahim?

3）Doesthestoryendtheected?How?Why?

4）Whatisthetralprimarypurposeofthestory?Isthepurposeimpful?

5）Whyisthestoryusuallysideredaworkofhorrorliterature?WouldyoureaditatHalloween?

6）Howessentialisthesettiory?Couldthestoryhavetakenplaywhereelse?

7）Whataresomeofthetroversialelemeory?Weretheynecessary?

8）Whatistheroleofwome?

9）WhatarethefancywordsexclusivelyusedbyPoe?

10）Whataretheflithisstory?

2。OralActivity:Talkwithyourpartyourettableexperiehananimalorrelatetoyourpartorybetweenhumanandanimalsyouheardabouti。