The Tell - Tale Heart - Fairyage - part three

                             THE TELL - TALE HEART - PART THREE - final

If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body. The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence. First of all 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 deposited all between the scant-lings. I then replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye-not even his-could have detected anything wrong. There was nothing to wash out no stain of any kind no blood-spot whatever. I had been too wary for that. A tub had caught all-ha! ha!.

When I had made an end of these labors, it was four o'clock-still dark as midnight. As the bell sounded the hour, there came a knocking at the street  door. I went down to open it with a light heart,-for what had I now to fear? There entered three men who introduced themselves, with perfect suavity, as officers of the police. 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? I bade the gentlemen welcome. The shriek, I said, was my own in a dream. The old man, I mentioned was absent in the country. I took my visitors all over the house. I bade them search-search well. I led them, at length, to his chamber. I showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed. In the enthusiasm of my confidence, I brought chairs into the room, and desired them here to rest from their fatigues, while I myself, in the wild audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my own seat upon the very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim.

I was singularly at ease. They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things. But, ere long, I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone. My head ached, and I fancied a ringing in my ears: but still they sat and still chatted. The ringing became more distinct:-it continued and became more distinct:-I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definitiveness-until, at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears.

Now doubt I now grew very pale; but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound-much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath-and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly-more vehemently: but the noise steadily increased: I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased.

Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men-but the noise steadily increased. Oh GOD! what could I do? I foamed-I raved-I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder-louder-louder! And still the men chatter pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty GOD! -no,no! They heard!-they suspected! they knew! They were making a mockery of my horror! this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony!Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die! and now-again! hark louder! louder! louder! louder!...

"Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed!-tear up the planks!-here, here!-it is the beating of his hideous heart!"

here...Mrose...the original contents by www.sensualityface.com or www.fairyage.com  / described with the help of EDGAR ALLAN POE