Tales of Terror and Mystery

           Iamawareoftherumourstowhichithasgivenrise.Thesespeculations,whetherscandalousorsuperstitious,aresuchasIcandisregardandforgive.WhatIshouldneverforgivewouldbeadisloyalspyingandeavesdroppinginordertosatisfyanillicitcuriosity.Butofthat,Mr.Colmore,Iacquityou.

           "WhenIwasayoungman,sir,manyyearsyoungerthanyouarenow,Iwaslaunchedupontownwithoutafriendoradviser,andwithapursewhichbroughtonlytoomanyfalsefriendsandfalseadviserstomyside.Idrankdeeplyofthewineoflife—ifthereisamanlivingwhohasdrunkmoredeeplyheisnotamanwhomIenvy.Mypursesuffered,mycharactersuffered,myconstitutionsuffered,stimulantsbecameanecessitytome,Iwasacreaturefromwhommymemoryrecoils.Anditwasatthattime,thetimeofmyblackestdegradation,thatGodsentintomylifethegentlest,sweetestspiritthateverdescendedasaministeringangelfromabove.Shelovedme,brokenasIwas,lovedme,andspentherlifeinmakingamanoncemoreofthatwhichhaddegradeditselftothelevelofthebeasts.

           "Butafelldiseasestruckher,andshewitheredawaybeforemyeyes.Inthehourofheragonyitwasneverofherself,ofherownsufferingsandherowndeaththatshethought.Itwasallofme.TheonepangwhichherfatebroughttoherwasthefearthatwhenherinfluencewasremovedIshouldreverttothatwhichIhadbeen.ItwasinvainthatImadeoathtoherthatnodropofwinewouldevercrossmylips