True! — nervous — very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses — not destroyed — not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily — how calmly I can tell you the whole story.
I loved the old man. Hehad never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had nodesire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! One of his eyes resembledthat of a vulture — a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees — very gradually — I made up my mindto take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever.
The old man’s hour had come! With a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. He shrieked once — once only. In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done. But, for many minutes, the heart beat on with a muffled sound. This, however, did not vex me; it would not be heard through the wall. At length it ceased. The old man was dead. I removed the bed and examined the corpse. Yes, he was stone, stone dead. I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs. I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and depoisted all between the scantlings.
A shriek had been heard by a neighbor during the night; suspicion of foul play had been aroused; information had been lodged at the police office, and they (the officers) had been deputed to search the premises. I smiled - for what had I to fear? The shriek, I said was my own in a dream. The old man, I mentioned was absent in the country. I led them at length it his chamber. The officers had found nothing and were satisified, chattering cheerly. I fancied a ringing in my ears, No doubt I now grew very pale; Almight God! - no, no! - they suspected! - they knew! - they were making a mockery of my horror! - "Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed! - tear up the planks! - here, here! - it is the beating of his hideous heart!"