I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye!
Its impossible to say how the idea first entered my mind but when concieved, it haunted me day and night...
I made up my mind to take the life of the old man and thus rid myself of the eye forever.
But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded - with what caution - with what foresight - with what dissimulation!
Now this is the point. You fancy me mad.
Madmen know nothing.
Every night before midnight I found the eye closed
I was never kinder to the old man than before the whole week before I killed him.
It was the eighth night. I had my head in his door, and was about to open the lantern.
The old man sprang up and cried out "Who's there?"
I then dismembered the corpse, then took up 3 planks from the flooring of the chamber and deposited it all between the scantlings.
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. The old man was dead.