Чорний кіт

           ButmayGodshieldanddelivermefromthefangsoftheArch-Fiend! NosoonerhadthereverberationofmyblowssunkintosilencethanIwasansweredbyavoicefromwithinthetomb! —byacry,atfirstmuffledandbroken,likethesobbingofachild,andthenquicklyswellingintoonelong,loud,andcontinuousscream,utterlyanomalousandinhuman —ahowl—awailingshriek,halfofhorrorandhalfoftriumph, suchasmighthavearisenonlyoutofhell,conjointlyfromthethroatsofthedamnedintheiragonyandofthedemonsthatexultinthedamnation. 

           Ofmyownthoughtsitisfollytospeak. Swooning,Istaggeredtotheoppositewall. Foroneinstantthepartyuponthestairsremainedmotionless,throughextremityofterrorandofawe. Inthenext,adozenstoutarmsweretollingatthewall. Itfellbodily. Thecorpse,alreadygreatlydecayedandclottedwithgore,stooderectbeforetheeyesofthespectators. Uponitshead,withredextendedmouthandsolitaryeyeoffire,satthehideousbeastwhosecrafthadseducedmeintomurder,andwhoseinformingvoicehadconsignedmetothehangman. Ihadwalledthemonsterupwithinthetomb!