Black Cat

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For the most wild, yet most homely narrative which I am about to pen, I neither expect nor solid belief.

For the most wild, yet most homely narrative which I am about to pen, I neither expect nor solid belief.

But tomorrow I die, and today I would unburthen my soul.

My immediate purpose is to place before the word, plainly, succinctly, and without comment, a series of mere household events.

My immediate purpose is to place before the word, plainly, succinctly, and without comment, a series of mere household events.

My immediate purpose is to place before the word, plainly, succinctly, and without comment, a series of mere household events.

...to many they will seem less terrible then barroques. Hereafter, perhaps, some intellect may be found which will reduce my phantasm to the common-place ...

...which will perceive, in the circumstances I detail with awe, nothing more then an ordinary succession of very natural causes and effects.

My tenderness of heart was even so conspicuous as to make me the jest of my companions.

I was especially fond of animals, and was indulged by my parents with a great variety of pets.

This peculiarity of character grew with my growth, and in my manhood, I derived from it one of my principal sources of pleasure.

To those who have cherished an affection for a faithful and sagacious dog, I need hardly be at the trouble of explaining the nature or intensity of the ...

This peculiarity of character grew with my growth, and in my manhood, I derived from it one of my principal sources of pleasure.

which goes directly to the heart of him who has had frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of mere Man.

... the heart of him who has had frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of mere Man.

I married early, and was happy to find in my wife a disposition not uncongenial with my own.

This latter  was remarkably large and beautiful animal, entirely black, and sagacious to an astonishing degree.

In speaking of his intelligence, my wife, who at heart was not a little tinctured with superstition, made frequent allusion to the ancient popular notion, which ...

... made frequent allusion to the ancient popular notion, which regarded all black cats as witches in disguise.

Pluto__this was the cat's name__was my favourite pet and playmate.

...through the instrumentality of the Fiend Intemperance__had (I brush to confess it) experienced a radical alteration for the worse.

.through the instrumentality of the Fiend Intemperance__had (I brush to confess it) experienced a radical alteration for the worse.

At length, I even offered her personal violence.

I not only neglected, but ill-used them.

For Pluto, however, I still retained sufficient regard to restrain me from maltreating him, as I made no scruple of maltreating the rabbits, the monkey ...

For Pluto, however, I still retained sufficient regard to restrain me from maltreating him, as I made no scruple of maltreating the rabbits, the monkey ...

For Pluto, however, I still retained sufficient regard to restrain me from maltreating him, as I made no scruple of maltreating the rabbits, the monkey ...

... as I made no scruple of maltreating the rabbits, the monkey, or even the dog, when by accident, or through  affection, they came in my way.

...__and at length even Pluto, who was now becoming old, and consequently somewhat peevish__even Pluto began to experience the effects of my ill temper.

One night, returning home, much intoxicated, from one of my haunts about town, I fancied that the cat avoided my presence.

One night, returning home, much intoxicated, from one of my haunts about town, I fancied that the cat avoided my presence.

I seized him, when, in his fright at my violence, he inflicted a slight wound upon my hand with his teeth.

My original soul seemed, at once, to take its flight from my body and a more than fiendish malevolence, gin-nurtured, thrilled every fibre of my frame.

...to take its flight from my body and a more than fiendish malevolence, gin-nurtured, thrilled every of my frame.

I took from my waistcoat-pocket a pen-knife, opened it, grasped the poor beast by the throat, and deliberately cut one of its eyes from socket!

I took from my waistcoat-pocket a pen-knife, opened it, grasped the poor beast by the throat, and deliberately cut one of its eyes from socket!

I took from my waistcoat-pocket a pen-knife, opened it, grasped the poor beast by the throat, and deliberately cut one of its eyes from socket!

I blush, I burn, I shudder, while I pen the damnable atrocity.

I blush, I burn, I shudder, while I pen the damnable atrocity.

...when I had slept off the fumes of the night's debauch __ experienced a sentiment half of horror, half of remorse, for the crime of which I had been ...

When reason returned with the morning__when I had slept off the fumes of the night's debauch__I experienced a sentiment half of horror, half of remorse, ...

...half of remorse, for the crime of which I had been guilty; but it was, at best, a feeble and equivocal feeling, and the soul remained untouched.

I again plunged into excess, and soon drowned in wine all memory of the dead.

In the meantime the cat slowly recovered.

He went about the house as usual, but, as might be expected, fled in extreme terror at my approach.

I had so much of my old heart, as to be at fist grieved by this evident dislike on the part of a creature which had once once so loved me.

And then came, as if to my final and irrevocable overthrow, the spirit of PERVERSENESS

It was this unfathomable longing of the soul  to vex itself __ to offer violence to its own nature __ to do wrong for the  wrong's sake only __ that urged me to ...

It was this unfathomable longing of the soul  to vex itself __ to offer violence to its own nature __ to do wrong for the  wrong's sake only __ that urged me to ...

It was this unfathomable longing of the soul  to vex itself __ to offer violence to its own nature __ to do wrong for the  wrong's sake only __ that urged me to ...

It was this unfathomable longing of the soul  to vex itself __ to offer violence to its own nature __ to do wrong for the  wrong's sake only __ that urged me to ...

One morning in cool blood, I slipped a noose about its neck and hung it to the limb of a tree; __ hung it with the tears streaming from my eyes, and with the ...

... a deadly sin that would so jeopardize my immortal soul as to place it __ if such a thing wore possible __ even beyond the reach of the infinite mercy of ...

My entire worldly wealth was swallowed up, and I resigned myself thenceforward to despair.

My entire worldly wealth was swallowed up, and I resigned myself thenceforward to despair.

... not very thick, which stood about the middle of the house, and against which had rested the head of my bed.

The plastering had here, in great measure, resisted the action of the fire __ a fact which I attributed to its having been recently spread.

I approached and saw, as if graven in bas relief upon the white surface, the figure of a gigantic cat.

I approached and saw, as if graven in bas relief upon the white surface, the figure of a gigantic cat.

When I fist beheld this apparition __ for I could scarcely regard it as less __ my wonder and my terror were extreme.

When I fist beheld this apparition __ for I could scarcely regard it as less __ my wonder and my terror were extreme.

... through an open window, into my chamber.

This had probably been done with the view of arousing me from sleep.

The  falling of other walls had compressed the victim of my cruelty into the substance of freshly-spread plaster.

... spread plaster; the lime of which, with the flames, and the ammonia from the carcass, had then accomplished the portraiture as I saw it.

... spread plaster; the lime of which, with the flames, and the ammonia from the carcass, had then accomplished the portraiture as I saw it.

... with the flames, and the ammonia from the carcass, ad then accomplished the portraiture as I saw it.

... if not altogether to my conscience, for the starling fact just detailed, it did not the less fail to make a deep impression upon fancy.

... if not altogether to my conscience, for the starling fact just detailed, it did not the less fail to make a deep impression upon fancy.

I went so far as to regret the loss of the animal, and to look about me, among the vile haunts which I now habitually frequented, for another pet of the ...

One night as I sat, half stupefied, in a den of more than infamy, my attention was suddenly drawn to some black object, reposing upon the head of one of ...

One night as I sat, half stupefied, in a den of more than infamy, my attention was suddenly drawn to some black object, reposing upon the head of one of ...

... reposing upon the head of one of the immerse hogsheads of Gin, or of Rum which constituted the chief furniture of the apartment.

... now caused me surprise was the fact that I had not sooner perceived the object thereupon.

It was a black cat __ a very large one __ fully as large as Pluto, and closely resembling him in every respect but one.

... but this cat had a large, although indefinite splotch of white, covering nearly the whole region of the breast.

... covering nearly the whole region of the breast. Upon my touching him, he immediately arouse, purred loudly, rubbed against my hand, and appeared ...

Upon my touching him, he immediately arose, purred loudly, rubbed against my hand, and appeared delighted with my notice.

Upon my touching him, he immediately arose, purred loudly, rubbed against my hand, and appeared delighted with my notice.

I continued my caresses, and, when I prepared to go home, the animal evinced a disposition to accompany me.

I permitted it to do so; occasionally stooping and patting it as I proceeded.

I permitted it to do so; occasionally stooping and patting it as I proceeded.

Observing my partiality for domestic pets, she lost no opportunity of procuring those of the most agreeable kind.

For my own part, I soon found a dislike to it arising within me.

... but __ I know not how  or why it was __ its evident fondness for myself rather disgusted and annoyed.

I avoided the creature; a certain sense of shame, and the remembrance of my former deed of cruelty, preventing me from physically abusing it.

... or otherwise violently ill use it; but gradually __ very gradually __ I came to look upon it with unutterable loathing, and to flee silently from its odious ...

... but gradually __ very gradually __ I came to look upon it with unutterable loathing, and to flee silently from its odious presence, as from the breath of ...

... very gradually __ I came to look upon it with unutterable loathing, and to flee silently from its odious presence, as from the breath of a pestilence.

This circumstance, however, only endeared it to my wife, who, as I have already said, possessed, in a high degree, that humanity of feeling which had ...

... in a high degree, that humanity of feeling which had once been my distinguishing trait, and the source of many of my simplest and purest pleas ...

It followed my footsteps with a pertinacity which it would be difficult to make the reader comprehend.

Whenever I sat, it would crouch beneath my chair, or spring upon my knees, covering me with its loathsome caresses.

Whenever I sat, it would crouch beneath my chair, or spring upon my knees, covering me with its loathsome caresses.

... or fastening its long and sharp claws in my dress, clamber, in this manner, to my breast.

At such times, although I longed to destroy it with a blow, I was yet withheld from so doing partly by a memory of my former crime, but chiefly __ let me confess it at once...

At such times, although I longed to destroy it with a blow, I was yet withheld from so doing partly by a memory of my former crime, but chiefly __ let me confess it at once..

... I was yet withheld from so doing partly by a memory of my former crime, but chiefly __ let me confess it at once__by absolute dread of the beast.

... but chiefly __ le me confess it at once __ by absolute dread of the beast.

I am almost ashamed to own __ yes, even in this felon's cell, I am almost ashamed to own __ that the terror and horror with the animal inspired ...

... had been heightened by one of the chimaeras it would be possible to conceive.

... that the terror and horror with which the animal inspired me, had been heightened one of the merest chimaeras it would be possible to conceive.

...of which I have spoken, and which constituted the sole visible difference between the strange beast and the one I had destroyed.

... it had, at length, assumed a rigorous distinctness of outline.

And now was I indeed wretched beyond the wretchedness of mere Humanity.

And now was I indeed wretched beyond the wretchedness of mere Humanity.

And a brute beat __ whose fellow I had contemptuously destroyed __ a brute beast to work out for me __ for me a man, fashioned in the image of the High ...

And a brute beat __ whose fellow I had contemptuously destroyed __ a brute beast to work out for me __ for me a man, fashioned in the image of the High ...

... a brute beat to work out for me __ for me a man, fashioned in the image of the High God __ so much of insufferable wo !

... for me a man, fashioned in the image of the High God __so much of insufferable wo !

... and, in the latter, I started, hourly, from dreams of unutterable fear, to find the hot breath of the upon my face, and its vast weight ...

... ant its vast weight __ an incarnate Night_Mare that I ha no power to shake off __ incumbent eternally upon my heart !

... and its vast weight __ an incarnate Night-Mare that I had no power to shake off __ incumbent eternally upon my heart !

Beneath the pressure of torments such as these, the feeble remnant of the good with me succumbed.