Чорний кіт

           Therubbishonthefloorwaspickedupwiththeminutestcare. Ilookedaroundtriumphantly,andsaidtomyself —"Hereatleast,then,mylaborhasnotbeeninvain." 

           Mynextstepwastolookforthebeastwhichhadbeenthecauseofsomuchwretchedness; forIhad,atlength,firmlyresolvedtoputittodeath. HadIbeenabletomeetwithit,atthemoment,therecouldhavebeennodoubtofitsfate; butitappearedthatthecraftyanimalhadbeenalarmedattheviolenceofmypreviousanger,andforeboretopresentitselfinmypresentmood. Itisimpossibletodescribe,ortoimagine,thedeep,theblissfulsenseofreliefwhichtheabsenceofthedetestedcreatureoccasionedinmybosom. Itdidnotmakeitsappearanceduringthenight—andthusforonenightatleast,sinceitsintroductionintothehouse, Isoundlyandtranquillyslept;aye,sleptevenwiththeburdenofmurderuponmysoul! 

           Thesecondandthethirddaypassed,andstillmytormentorcamenot. OnceagainIbreathedasafree-man. Themonster,interror,hadfledthepremisesforever!Ishouldbeholditnomore! Myhappinesswassupreme!Theguiltofmydarkdeeddisturbedmebutlittle. Somefewinquirieshadbeenmade,butthesehadbeenreadilyanswered. Evenasearchhadbeeninstituted—butofcoursenothingwastobediscovered.Ilookeduponmyfuturefelicityassecured. 

           Uponthefourthdayoftheassassination,apartyofthepolicecame,veryunexpectedly,intothehouse,andproceededagaintomakerigorousinvestigationofthepremises.