Серце-викривач

           True!—nervous—very,verydreadfullynervousIhadbeenandam; butwhywillyousaythatIammad? Thediseasehadsharpenedmysenses —notdestroyed—notdulledthem. Aboveallwasthesenseofhearingacute. Iheardallthingsintheheavenandintheearth. Iheardmanythingsinhell. How,then,amImad?Hearken! andobservehowhealthily —howcalmlyIcantellyouthewholestory. 

           Itisimpossibletosayhowfirsttheideaenteredmybrain; butonceconceived,ithauntedmedayandnight. Objecttherewasnone. Passiontherewasnone. Ilovedtheoldman. Hehadneverwrongedme. Hehadnevergivenmeinsult. ForhisgoldIhadnodesire. Ithinkitwashiseye!yes,itwasthis! Hehadtheeyeofavulture —apaleblueeye,withafilmoverit. Wheneveritfelluponme,mybloodrancold; andsobydegrees—verygradually —Imadeupmymindtotakethelifeoftheoldman, andthusridmyselfoftheeyeforever. 

           Nowthisisthepoint. Youfancymemad. Madmenknownothing. Butyoushouldhaveseenme. YoushouldhaveseenhowwiselyIproceeded —withwhatcaution—withwhatforesight—withwhatdissimulationIwenttowork! IwasneverkindertotheoldmanthanduringthewholeweekbeforeIkilledhim. Andeverynight,aboutmidnight,Iturnedthelatchofhisdoorandopenedit —ohsogently! Andthen,whenIhadmadeanopeningsufficientformyhead, Iputinadarklantern,allclosed,closed, thatnolightshoneout, andthenIthrustinmyhead.