The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-12-01
by EDGAR A. POE.

BY EDGAR A. POE.
True-nervous-very, dreadiully ner
vous l had been and am; but why vii
you say that l am mad? The disease hat
sharpened my sensss-not destroyed-no
dulled them. Above all was the sense o
hearing acute. 1 heard I'LL things in thu
heaven and in earth. Iheard many thing
in hell. How, then, am mad? Hearkep
aud observe how healthily-how calmly
1 can tell you the whole story.
1t is impossible to say how frat the idea
entered my brain but once conceived, II
haunted me day and night. Object there
was none. Passion there was none.
loved the old man. Hehad never wronged
me. He had never given me insult. For
bis gold had no desire. / think 1t was
his eye!-yee, It was this One OF his eyes
reeem bled that OF vulture-a pale blue
eye, with film over Il. Whenever 1t fell
upon me, my blood ran cold; and 80 by
degrees-very gradually made up my
mind to take the life OF the old man, and
thus rid myself Of the eye forever.
Now this Is the point. You fancy me
mad. Madmen know nothing. But you
should have seen me- You shouli have
seen how wisely proceeded-with what
caution, with what foresight, with what
Discrimination l went to work was
never kinder to the old man than during
the whole week before killed him. And
eyery night about midnight l turned the
latch Of his door and opened it--oh, so
gently! And then, when l had made an
opening sufficient for my head, put in q
dark lantern, all closed, closed, 80 that no
light shone out, and then thrust in my
head. Oh, you would have laughed to see
how clnnipgly thrust II in l moved it
slowly-yety, very slowly-so that might
not disturb the old mans sleep. 1t
took me an hour 10 place my
whole head within the opening so
far that could see him as he lay
upon his bed. Ha!-would q mailman
have been 80 wise as this? And then,
when my head was well in the room, un-
did the lantern cautiously-oh, so eau.
,iously (ior the hinges creaked)-I undid
it Just 60 much that single thin ray fell
upon the vulture eye. And this did for
seven long nights-every night just at
midnight but 1 found the eye always
closed and 60 it was impossible to do the
work; for IL was not the old man who
vexed me, but his Evil Eye. And every
morning, when the day broke, went
boldly into the chamber, and spoke cour
ageously to him, calling him by name in o
hearty tone, and in9uiring how he had
passed the night SO you see he would
have been a very profound old man in.
deed, to suspect that every night, just at Il,
looked in upon him while lie slept.
Upon the eighth night l was more than
usually cautious in opening tho door. A
watch's minute hand moves more quickly
than did mine. Never before that night
had / felt the extent Of my own powers
OF my s,gacity. could scarcely contain
my feeling OF triumph. Te think that
there was, opening the door, little by lit
tie, and he not even to dream OF my secret
deeds or thoughts. fairly chuckled at the
idee; and perhaps he heard me, for he
moved on the bed suddenly, as II startled.
Now you may think that drew back
but no. His room was as black as pitch
with the thick darkness, for the shutters
we're close fastened, through fear OF rob.
bers, and so knew he could not see the
opening Of the door, and kept pushing on
ii steadily, steadily.
I had my head in, and was about TO open
the lantern, when nay thumb slipped upon
the tin fastening, aud the old man sprang
up in bed, crying, "Who's tbere!"
kept quiet still and said nothing. For
whole hour did not move muscle, and
in the meantime l did not hear him liz
down. He was still sitting up in bed;
listenipg-just as have done, night after
night, hearkening to the death-watches in
the wall.
Presently heard slight groan, and l
knew 1t was the groan OF mortal terror. Il
was not q groan OF pain or OF griet-oh,
no!-it was the low atiflsd sound that arises
from the bottom OF the soul when over.
charged with awe. knew the sound well.
Many night, lust at midnight, when all
tho world slept, It has welled up from my
own bosom, deepening, with its dreadful
echo, the terrors that distracted me. say
knew 1t well. ! knew that he had been
lying awake ever since the first slightnoise,
when he had turned In bed. His fears had
been eyer since growing upon him. He
had been trying to fancy them Causeless
but could not. He had been saying to
himself, at Is nothing but the wind in the
chimney-it is oDly-a mouse crossing the
floor, or It Is merely cricket which has
made a single chirp." Yes, he has been
irving to comfort himself with these sup
positions, but he had found all In vain; be-
cause death In approaching him, had STALK.
ed with his black shadow before him, and
enyeloped the victim. And 1t was the
mournful Influence Of the unperceived
shadow that caused him to ieel-although
| he neither saw nor heard-to feel the pres
ence OF my head within the room.
When had waited long time, yerypa:
tiently without hearing him lilo doNn. ]
resolved to open q little, very, very little
crevice In the lantern. So | opened it--you
can imagine how stealthily-until, at
length, a single dim ray, like the thread Of
the spider, shoto oil the crevice and fell
upon the yulture eye. It was opeu-wide,
wide open--aad ! grew furious as gaZsd
upon 1t, saw It with perfect diatinctness,
ali dull blue with hideous veil over II
that chilled the very marrow in my bones!
but ] could zee nothing else Of the old
mans face or person. for / had directed the
ray, as Il by instinct, precisely upon the
damned spot.
And now have I not told you what yor
mistake for madness is but over.acutenesl
Of the senRes ?-now, l Say, there came L
my ears d low, dull, quick sound, such as !
watch makes when enyeloped In cotton.
knew that sound well, too. 1t was tn
lbeating Of the old mans heart, Il in
creased my fury, as tho beating Of drum
stimulates the soldier Into courage. -
But even yet RETAINED and kept still
| I scarcely bfeathed. I held the lanterl
motionless. tried how steadily l coul
maintain the ray upon the eye. Mean
time the hellish tattoo Of the heart In
creased. Itgrew quicker and quicker, an,
louder and louder every instant. The oil
mans terror must have been extremel
grew louder, say, louder every moment
do you mark me wellH / have told 20
NAlZ ? - a