Серце-викривач

           Oh,youwouldhavelaughed toseehowcunninglyIthrustitin! Imoveditslowly—very,veryslowly, sothatImightnotdisturbtheoldman’ssleep. IttookmeanhourtoplacemywholeheadwithintheopeningsofarthatIcouldseehimashelayuponhisbed. Ha!wouldamadmanhavebeensowiseasthis, Andthen,whenmyheadwaswellintheroom, Iundidthelanterncautiously-oh,socautiously—cautiously (forthehingescreaked) —Iundiditjustsomuchthatasinglethinrayfelluponthevultureeye. AndthisIdidforsevenlongnights—everynightjustatmidnight —butIfoundtheeyealwaysclosed; andsoitwasimpossibletodothework; foritwasnottheoldmanwhovexedme,buthisEvilEye. Andeverymorning,whenthedaybroke, Iwentboldlyintothechamber,andspokecourageouslytohim, callinghimbynameinaheartytone, andinquiringhowhehaspassedthenight. Soyouseehewouldhavebeenaveryprofoundoldman,indeed, tosuspectthateverynight,justattwelve,Ilookedinuponhimwhileheslept. 

           UpontheeighthnightIwasmorethanusuallycautiousinopeningthedoor. Awatch’sminutehandmovesmorequicklythandidmine. NeverbeforethatnighthadIfelttheextentofmyownpowers—ofmysagacity. Icouldscarcelycontainmyfeelingsoftriumph. TothinkthatthereIwas,openingthedoor,littlebylittle, andhenoteventodreamofmysecretdeedsorthoughts. Ifairlychuckledattheidea; andperhapsheheardme; forhemovedonthebedsuddenly,asifstartled.