第4章 黑猫4（第1页）

第4章黑猫（4）

&asIsat，halfstupefied，inadehaninfamy，myattentionwassuddenlydrawntosomeblackupontheheadofoheimmensehogsheadsofGin，orofRum，whistitutedtheitureoftheapartment。Ihadbeenlookithetopofthishogsheadforsomeminutes，andwhatnowcausedmesurprisewasthefactthatIhadnotsooheobjectthereupon。Iapproachedit，ahmyhand。Itwasablackcat—averylargeone—fullyaslargeasPluto，andclhimioohadnotaonanyportionofhisbody;butthiscathadalarge，althoughichofwhite，earlythewhio。

Uponmytoughim，heimmediatelyarose，purredlainstmyhand，aedwithmyhen，wastheverycreatureofwhichIwasioopurchaseitofthelandlord;butthispersonmadenoclaimtoit—khingofit—hadbefore。

Iycaresses，and，wheogohome，theanimalevincedadispositiontoae。Ipermittedittodoso;oallystoopingandpattingitasIproceeded。Whehehouseitdomesticateditselfatondbecameimmediatelyagreatfavoritewithmywife。

Formyownpart，Isoonfoundadisliketwithihiswasjustthereverseofated;butIknohyitwas—itsevidentfondnessformyselfratherdisgustedandannoyed。Byslowdegrees，thesefeelingsofdisgustandaothebitterred。Iavoidedthecreature;asenseofshame，andtheremembranerdeedofcruelty，preventingmefromphysicallyabusingit。Ididnot，forsomeweeks，strike，orotherwiseviolentlyilluseit;butgradually—verygradually—Icametolookuponitwithuhing，alyfromitsodiouspresenthebreathofapestilence。

Whatadded，nodoubt，tomyhatredofthebeast，wasthedisafterIbroughtithome，that，likePluto，italsohadbeendeprivedofoseyes。Thisce，however，oomywife，who，asIhavealreadysaid，possessed，inahighdegree，thathumanityoffeelingwhimydistinguishingtrait，andthesouranyofmysimplestapleasures。

Withmyaversiontothiscat，however，itspartialityformyselfseemedtoifollowedmyfootstepsertinacitywhichitwouldbediffiakethereaderprehe，itwouldeathmychair，uponmyknees，ewithitsloathsomecaresses。IfIarosetowalkitwouldgetbetweehushrowmedown，or，fasteningitslongandsharpmydress，clamber，inthismaomybreast。Atsuchtimes，althoughIlowithabloithheldfromsodoing，partlybyamemoryofmyformercrime，butchiefly—letmefessitatonce—byabsolutedreadofthebeast。

Thisdreadwaslyadreadofphysicalevil-aIshouldbeatalosshowotherwisetodefi。Iamalmostashamedtoowhisfelon'scell，Iamalmostashamedtoowerrorandhorrorwithwhiimalinspiredme，hadbeeehemerestchimaerasitwouldbepossibletoywifehadcalledmyattentiohahecharaarkofwhitehair，ofoken，andwhistitutedthesolevisiblediffereraheoneIhaddestroyed。Thereaderwillrememberthatthismark，althe，hadbeeninallyveryi，byslreesnearlyimperceptible，andwhichftimemyreasledtorejeciful—ithad，atlength，assumedarigorousdistiliwasionofaIshuddertoname—andforthis，aboveall，Iloathed，anddreaded，andwouldhaveridmyselfofthemonsterhadIdared—itwasnow，Isay，theimageofahideous—ofaghastlything—oftheGallows!—oh，mournfulandterribleengineofHorrorandonyah!

AndnowwasIidthewretereHumanity。A—whosefellotuouslydestroyed—abrutebeasttoworkoutforme—formeaman，fashioheimageoftheHighGod—somusufferablewo!Alas!herbydaynhtkheblessiaheformerthecreatureleftmealone;aer，Istarted，hourly，fromdreamsofuofibreathofthethinguposvastweight—ani-MarethatIhadoshakeoff—iernallyupo!

&hepressureoftormentssuchasthese，thefeebleremnahinmesuccumbed。Evilthoughtsbeates—thedarkestahoughts。Themoodinessofmyusualtemperiredofallthingsandofallmankihesudde，andungoversofafurytowhiowblindlyabandonedmyself，myunplainingwife，shewasthemostusualaientofsufferers。