第21章黑猫（1）
TheBlackCat
埃德加·爱伦·坡EdgarAllenPoe
埃德加·爱伦·坡（EdgarAllenPoe，1809—1849），美国浪漫主义文学大师，19世纪美国最著名、最具代表性的作家之一，在短篇小说的发展历史中占有突出的地位。爱伦·坡的短篇小说大致分为三类：恐怖故事、谋杀疑案和科学难解之谜。他开创了侦探小说的先河，被称为“侦探小说之父”。本文被公认为他最完美的短篇小说之一，也是世界最佳短篇小说之一，充分体现了他关于短篇小说的理论和风格特征。
Forthemostwild，yetmosthomelynarrativewhichIamabouttopeherexpeorsolicitbelief。MadindeedwouldIbetoexpeacasewheremyveryseheirow，madamInot—andverysurelydoIomorrowIdie，andtodayIwouldunburthenmysoul。Myimmediatepurposeistoplacebeforetheworld，plainly，sudwithoutent，aseriesofmerehouseholdevents。Intheirces，theseeveerrified—havetortured—havedestroyedme。YetIttoexpouome，theyhavepreselebutHorror—tomanytheywillseemlessterriblethaer，perhaps，someimaybefoundwhichwillredutasmtotheoelle，midfarlessexcitablethanmyoillperthecesIdetailwithawe，nothihananordinarysuofverynaturaldeffects。
Frommyinfanotedforthedodhumanityofmydisposition。Mytenderwasevensospicuousastomakemethejestofmypanions。Iedofanimals，andwasindulgedbymyparentswithagreatvarietyofpets。WiththeseIspentmostofmytime，andneveryaswhenfeedingahem。Thispeculiarrewwithmygrowth，andinmymanhood，Iderivedfromitoneofmyprincipalsourcesofpleasure。Tothosewhohavecherishedaionforafaithfulandsagaciousdog，Ineedhardlybeatthetroubleofexplaiureortheiyofthegratifithusderivable。Thereissomethingintheunselfishandself-sagloveofabrute，whichgoesdirectlytotheheartofhimwhohashadfrequentototestthepaltryfriendshipayofmereMan。
Imarriedearly，andytofindinmyositionnotuhmymypartialityfordomesticpets，shelostnoopportunitythoseofthemostagreeablekind。Wehadbirds，goldfish，afinedog，rabbits，asmallmonkey，andacat。
Thislatterwasaremarkablylargeaifulairelybladsagacioustoanastonishingdegree。Inspeakingofhisintelligence，mywife，whoatheartwasnotalittletihsuperstitioallusiopopularnotion，whichregardedallblackcatsaswitdisguise。Notthatshewaseverseriousuponthispoint—ahematteratallforerreasonthanthatithappens，justnow，toberemembered。
Pluto—thiswasthee—etandplaymate。Ialonefedhim，aendedmewhereverIwentaboutthehouse。ItwasevenwithdifficultythatIcouldpreventhimfromfollowihroughthestreets。
Ourfriendshiplasted，inthismanner，forseveralyears，duringwhieraltemperamentandcharacter—throughtheiyoftheFiendIntemperance—had（Iblushtofessit）experiencedaradicalalterationfrew，daybyday，moremoody，moreirritable，mardlessofthefeelingsofothers。Isufferedmyselftouseielaomywife。Atlength，Ievenofferedherpersonalvioles，ofcourse，weremadetofeelthemydisposition。Inotoill-usedthem。ForPluto，however，Istillretainedsuffitregardtorestrainmefrhim，asImadereatis，themohedog，whenbyat，haffe，theymyway。ButmydiseasegrewupodiseaseislikeAldatleo，beingold，alysomeeevish—eveoexperiesofmyilltemper。
&，returninghome，mutoxioneofmyhauntsabouttown，Ifaheypresence。Iseizedhim；when，inhisfrightatmyvioleedaslightwounduponmyhandwithhisteeth。Thefuryofademoninstantlypossessedme。Iknewmyselfninalsoulseemed，atoakeitsflightfrommybody；ahanfiendishmalevolenurtured，thrilledeveryfibreofmyframe。Itookfrommyo-k，graspedthepoorbeastbythethroat，aelyeofitseyesfromthesocket！Iblush，Iburn，Ishudder，whileIpenthedamy。
Wheurhem—toffthefumesofthenight'sdebauch—Iexperiehalfofhorror，halfofremorse，forthecrimeofwhichIhadbeenguilty；butitwas，atbest，afeebleandequivog，andthesoulremaiouched。Iagaioexdsoondrownedinwihedeed。