The Black Cat

　　I know you will not believe this story．Only a madman could hope that you would believe it-and I am not mad．But as I am going to die tomorrow，I would like to tell my story to the world today．Perhaps some day，somebody more calm and less excitale than me，will be able to explain it．

　　I have always loved animals．I loved them deeply，from the very first days of my life．When I was young，we always had many animals in our house，and so I used to spend most of my days playing with them and taking care of them．As the years passed，I grew into a quiet，gentle man，and my love for animals grew too．I found that they were more friendly，more honest than most men Animals were always my best friends．

　　I got married when I was quite young．Luckily，my wife loved animals too，and she used to buy me many animals as presents．In fact，our house was always full of animals-we had birds，fish，a dog，chickens，and a cat．

　　This cat，whom we called Pluto，was a large black cat．He was a beautiful animal，and he was also very clever．I loved Pluto more than I loved all my other animals．I wanted to do everything for him myself，so I never let my wife take care of him．I used to play with him and give him his food，and he followed me everywhere I went．

　　For several years Pluto and I were the best of friends，but during this time my life slowly changed．I became a heavy drinker，and my need for alcohol soon grew into a terrible disease．I was often angry and violent．I began to shout at my wife，and I even started to hit her．My animals，too，felt the change in me．I stopped taking care of them and sometimes I was even cruel to them．But I was never cruel to Pluto．As time passed，my disease grew worse，and soon even Pluto was not safe from my violence．

　　One night I arrived home late．I was very，very drunk．When Pluto saw me，he tried to run away from me，and this made me angry．I caught him by his neck and shook him．He，in his fright，bit me on the hand．At once，a wild，terrible anger filled me，and I could feel nothing except burning hate．Slowly I took a knife from my pocket，opened it，and then carefully cut out one of Pluto's eyes from its socket．I shake today as I write these words down．Every time I remember that day，I still feel sadness and pain．

　　When I woke up the next morning，I felt ashamed of what I had done．But this feeling was not strong enough to make me change my life．I continued to drink because it was too difficult for me to stop．Soon，I had forgotten what I had done．

　　As the months passed，Pluto got better．His empty eye socket still looked terrible，but at least he wasn't in pain any more．Not surprisingly，he used to run away from me when he saw me，frightened that I would hurt him again．At first I was sad to see him run away-an animal which had once so loved me．Then I began to feel a little angry．There is something strange about the human heart．We humans seem to like hurt－ing ourselves．Haven't we all，a hundred times，done something stupid or evil just because we know that we should not do it？It was because of this，this need to hurt myself，that I did this next evil thing…

　　One morning I woke，found a rope and calmly tied it round Pluto's neck．Then I hung the poor animal from a tree and left it there to die．I cried as I did this terrible thing．My face was wet with tears and my heart was black and heavy．But I killed it．I killed it because I knew it had loved me，because it hadn't hurt me，even because I knew that I was doing something terrible and wrong．

　　That same night we had a fire in our house．I was woken from my sleep by loud shouts of ‘Fire！’When I opened my eyes，I found that the fire had already reached the bedroom．My wife and I ran out of the house as fast as we could．Luckily we escaped death，but the house and almost everything in it was destroyed．

　　The next day I went back into the house and saw several people standing in a group，looking at a wall．It was the only wall of the house that was still standing after the fire．It was one of my bedroom walls，the one where the head of my bed had rested．As I came nearer to the wall I heard someone say，‘How strange！’and another person，‘That's impossible！’And then I saw it-a huge cat．Not a real cat，but the shape of a cat outlined in the white bedroom wall．It was as clear as a picture．I could even see a rope around the animal's neck．

　　I stood there in horror，too frightened to move．Then，slowly，I thought back to the night before．I had left the cat hanging from a tree，in the garden at the back of my house．When a neighbour had first noticed the fire，many people had run into the garden．One of them had probably cut the cat from the tree and thrown it through my open window，in order to wake me up．The cat's body had hit my bedroom wall and left its shape there，because the plaster on that wall was new and still soft．

　　Although I thought that this was a very reasonable explanation，the strange shape on the wall still worried me．I thought about the cat day and night．I began to feel sorry that I had killed it．I started walking around the streets at night looking at all the cats，to see if I could find another one like Pluto．

　　One night，I was drinking in my favourite bar when I suddenly noticed a large，black cat．I went up to it and touched it．It was very large-as large as Pluto had been．It also looked very like Pluto．Except for one thing．Pluto had been black all over，but this cat had a white mark on its front．

　　I touched the cat and he immediately lay down against my leg and seemed very friendly towards me．This，I decided，was the cat that I wanted．I offered the barman some money to buy the cat from him，but he said that the cat didn't belong to him．In fact，he had no idea where it had come from．

　　So I took the cat home．My wife liked it immediately，and it stayed with us from that day．But soon-I do not know why-the cat started to make me angry，and，as time passed，I began to hate it．I did not hurt it in any way，but I always tried to keep as far away from it as possible．

　　I knew one reason why I hated this cat so much．Oh the morning after I had brought it home，I saw that，like Pluto，it had lost one of its eyes．My wife，who was the kind，gentle per－son that I had once been，only loved the cat more because of this．But the cat didn't like my wife．It loved me alone．

　　Every time I sat down，it used to jump onto my knees．When I went out of a room，it used to run out in front of me and get between my feet，or climb up my legs．At these times，I wanted to kill it．But I didn't，because I was too afraid-afraid of the cat，and even more afraid of the white mark on its chest．

　　I have already mentioned this mark．At first，there was nothing strange about it．It was just a white mark．But slowly this mark grew and changed until it had the clear shape of a terrible，a horrible thing-I find it difficult，here in my prison，to write the word．It was the shape of the GALLOWS！Yes，those horrible wooden posts from which they hang men by a rope around the neck！

　　As each day passed，my fear grew and grew．I，a man，a strong man，had become afraid of a cat！Why was I so fright－ened，so worried by a stupid animal？Day and night，I could get no rest．I had the most terrible dreams，and my mind turned to dark，evil thoughts．I hated everything，everybody-and life itself．

　　One day my wife and I needed to get something from the cellar underneath the house．The cat followed us down the steps and threw itself in front of me．I almost fell on my face and，mad with anger，I took hold of an axe and tried to kill the animal．But my wife caught my arm to stop me，and then anger exploded in my mind．I turned and drove the axe deep into her head．She fell dead on the floor，without a sound．

　　After this horrible murder，I calmly made plans to hide the body．I knew I couldn't take it out of the house，either by day or night，because the neighbours would see me．So I had to think of other ways… I could cut the body up into very small pieces and then burn them in a fire．I could hide the body under the floor．Or I could put the body in a box and then ask someone to carry the box away… Finally，I thought of a better idea．I decided to hide the body behind the walls of the cellar．

　　I knew immediately which wall to choose．There was a wall in the cellar round the bottom of an old chimney，which was no longer used．This wall had bricks in the front and back but was empty in the middle．I started work at once． I took out some of the bricks from the front wall and carefully put the body against the back wall．Then I put back the bricks and covered them with plaster．I made sure that the plaster did not look new，and soon the wall looked just the same as all the other walls．When I had finished my work，I looked at the plaster．‘I've never done a better piece of work！’I said to myself happily．

　　I then looked around for the cat，to kill it．It had brought too much unhappiness into my life，and so it，too，must now die．I looked for it everywhere，but it had disappeared．I was free at last！That night I had a deep，peaceful sleep-I，who had just killed my wife，slept well！

　　Three days passed and still the cat did not appear．I was now a happy man，happier than I had been for a long time．I wasn't worried by what I had done．People had asked a few questions and the police had visited my house，but they had found nothing．

　　On the fourth day the police visited again and began to search the house．They looked into all the rooms and then went down into the cellar．I went with them，feeling calm and safe．I watched them as they looked everywhere．They seemed quite happy that there was nothing there and they got ready to leave．I was very happy．I was sure that I was safe，but I wanted to say something，just a word or two，to show how unworried I was．

　　‘Gentlemen，’I said，‘I'm pleased that you've found nothing here，and that you are now leaving this house…But let me show you something，gentlemen．Do you see how well built this house is？These walls，you will notice，are very strong．’As I said these words，I knocked on the wall with a stick-the wall where i had hidden my wife！

　　At that moment we heard a sound．It was a strange sound，unlike anything I had ever heard before．The sound was soft at first，almost like a baby crying．Then it grew louder and louder and turned into one long，endless scream．It was like a cry rising from Hell．

　　The policemen looked at me，then at one another．They ran to the wall and started pulling out the bricks as fast as they could．In minutes the wall was down and there，for all to see，was the body of my dead wife．On top of her head，with a red，open mouth and one burning eye，sat the black cat-the animal which had made me a murderer，and which would now send me to my death．

　　I had put the horrible thing into the wall，alive，with my wife！

　　黑 猫

　　我知道你们是不会相信这个故事的。只有疯子才会指望让你们相信——而我并没有发疯。可是考虑到明天我就要死了，我还是想在今天把我的故事讲给这个世界。也许有一天，有一个比我更镇静、更不易激动的人，将能够解释这一切。

　　我这人一向喜爱动物，从我生命最初的岁月起、便深深地眷恋它们。我小的时候，我们家里总是养着一大堆动物，于是我常常把大部分时间都花在陪它们玩、照料它们上面。随着光阴流逝，我成长为一个安静、文雅的男人，同时，我对动物的喜爱也有增无减。我发现它们比大多数人更友好，更诚实。动物们一直是我最好的朋友。

　　我在相当年轻的时候就结了婚。还好，我妻子也热爱动物，她常常买回好些个宠物送给我作礼物。事实上，我们家里总是充满了动物——我们养了好多鸟，好多鱼，一只狗，几只鸡，还有一只猫。

　　这只猫被我们称作普路托，它是只大个儿的黑猫，长得非常漂亮，而且十分聪明。比起我的其他宠物来，我对普路托更是宠爱有加。我情愿亲自为它做一切事情，所以从不让我妻子照料它。我经常陪它玩，喂它食吃；我走到哪儿，它也跟到哪儿。

　　普路托和我就这样做了好几年最亲密的朋友，可是在此期间，我的生活慢慢地发生了一些变化。我成了一个严重酗酒的家伙，我的嗜酒如命很快发展成可怕的顽症。我经常发脾气，态度很粗暴。我开始对我妻子大喊大叫，甚至开始动手打她。我的动物们也感觉到了我的变化。我不再精心照料它们，有时候甚至虐待它们。但我从不对普路托施暴。天长日久，我的病情逐渐加重了，很快地，就连普路托也难以幸免于我的暴虐凶残了。

　　一天夜里，我很晚才回到家中，我已经喝得酩酊大醉了。普路托一看见我，就想寻路逃开，这可让我心头火起。我一把抓住它的脖子，摇晃它。它吓坏了，就在我手上咬了一口。顿时，一股疯狂、骇人的怒火充盈了我的胸膛，除了燃烧着的仇恨我什么也感觉不到了。我慢慢地从口袋里掏出一把刀子，打开它，然后很仔细地把普路托的一只眼睛从眼眶里剜了出来。今天，当我写下这些词句时，我不禁浑身瑟瑟发抖。我每一次记起那一天，都依然感到悲伤和痛苦。

　　第二天早晨醒来时，我为我前夜的所作所为感到羞耻。但这种感情还不够强烈，不足以让我改过自新。我继续滥饮起来，因为想让我停下来真是太困难了。不久，我就将我做下的事情忘了个精光。

　　几个月过去了，普路托的伤势有所好转。它那空荡荡的眼窝看上去仍旧很可怕，但它起码不再觉得疼了。不出所料，它一见到我便赶紧跑开，惟恐我会再次伤害它。开始的时候，我看见它跑开还觉得很难过——这只动物从前是多么喜欢我呀。然后，我开始觉得有一点生气了。人类的心肠可真有点古怪，我们好像很喜欢伤害自己。难道我们不都曾明知故犯，昧着良心无数次干下这样那样的蠢事或者恶事吗？正是由于这个，由于这种自我伤害的需求，我紧接着又做下了这桩丧尽天良的事……

　　一天早晨，我醒来后找到了一根绳子，平静地把它套在了普路托的脖子上。然后我将那可怜的畜生吊在一棵树上，任凭它那样死去。我一边做这件可怕的事情一边哭泣，眼泪打湿了我的脸颊，我的心又阴郁又沉痛。但是我吊死了它。我吊死它是因为我知道它曾经爱过我，是因为它不曾伤害过我，甚至是因为我知道我在做着一件可怕的错事。

　　当天夜里我们家的房子失火了。我从睡梦中惊醒，听见有人高喊：“着火了！”我睁开眼，发现大火早已烧到了卧室，便和我妻子一起飞也似地逃出了房子。我们侥幸死里逃生，可是房子以及房子里的几乎全部家当都烧了个精光。

　　第二天，我回到房子里去，见几个人聚成一堆，正盯着一堵墙看。这是大火过后整栋房子惟一一堵仍旧立着的墙壁，是我卧室的四壁中的一面，平时我的床头就靠在上面。我向那面墙走近些，听见有人说：“真不可思议！”又听见另一个人说：“那是不可能的！”然后我也看见了——一只大猫。不是真猫，而是一只猫的形状，印在卧室雪白的墙上，像幅画一样清晰。我甚至可以看到那畜生脖子上拴着的绳子。

　　我魂飞魄散地站在那儿，吓得一动不敢动。然后，慢慢地，我回想起前一天夜里发生的事。我把猫吊在树上，是在我家后面的园子里。有一个邻居首先发现起火，很多人便跑进了那个园子。很可能是他们中间的某个人割断绳子，从树上解下那只猫，并将它顺着敞开的窗户扔进来，希望以此叫醒我。猫的尸体撞到我卧室的墙上，在上面印下了自己的轮廓，因为那面墙上的灰泥是新抹的，还软和着呢。

　　尽管我觉得这个解释很是入情入理，但墙上那古怪的形状仍然令我心烦意乱。日日夜夜，我总想起那只猫。我有些后悔自己害死了它，并开始在深夜跑到街上转悠，注意观察所有的猫，看是否能找到一只与普路托相像的。

　　一天夜里，我正在我最喜欢的酒吧里喝酒，突然，我注意到一只大个儿的黑猫，便朝它走过去，抚摸它。它大极了——和普路托过去一样大，而且看上去也很像普路托。不相像的只有一处。普路托是通体乌黑的，但这只猫前胸有一块白斑。

　　我抚摸着那猫，它立即挨着我的腿躺倒，似乎对我非常友善的样子。我当即断定，这就是我梦寐以求的那只猫。我向酒吧老板提出付他一些钱买下这只猫，但他说这只猫并不属于他，实际上，他根本不知道它是从什么地方跑来的。

　　于是我把猫带回了家。我妻子一下子就喜欢上了它，打那天起，它便和我们待在一起。可是没多久——我不知是何缘故——这只猫开始惹我生气了，而且，时间一长，我便开始对它深恶痛绝。我并没怎么折磨它，不过我总是尽量避开它，巴不得离得越远越好。

　　我知道有一个原因，可以解释我为何如此厌恶这只猫。就在我把它带回家的第二天早上，我看到，像普路托一样，它也丢掉了一只眼睛。我的妻子像过去的我一样是个善良、温柔的人，她因为猫的这次不幸反而更加怜爱它了。但这只猫并不喜欢我妻子，它只依恋我一个人。

　　每次我一坐下，它就要跳到我膝盖上；我一走出房间，它就窜出来跑到我前面，走在我两脚中间，或是爬到我的腿上。每逢这种时刻，我就想杀了它。但我没有下手，因为我太害怕了——害怕这只猫，尤其害怕它胸前的那块白斑。

　　这个斑块我在前面提到过。一开始，它并没有什么奇怪之处，不过是块白斑而已。但是慢慢地，这个斑块在长大、变形，最终清晰地显露出一样可怕的、恐怖的东西的形状——在这牢房之中，我很难写下那个字眼。那是个绞刑架的形状！是的，正是他们用绞索套住脖子将人吊死在上面的那种恐怖的木头架子！

　　随着每一个日子过去，我的恐惧感一增再增。我，一个男人，一个强健的男子汉，竟然到了害怕一只猫的地步！我为什么要这样心惊胆寒，这样被一只愚蠢的畜生搞得六神无主？白天黑夜，我都不得安宁。我总做些最可怕的噩梦，脑子里尽是些阴暗、邪恶的念头。我憎恨一切事，憎恨所有人——也憎恨生活本身。

　　有一天，我和我妻子需要到房子下面的地窖里去取点东西，那只猫也跟着我们下了台阶，并且一个箭步蹿到了我前头，害得我差点儿摔了个嘴啃泥。我气得发疯，抄起一柄斧头就想劈死这畜生，可是，我妻子拽住我的胳膊，要阻止我。这时，怒火在我心中爆发，我转过身，将斧头深深劈进了她的脑袋。她一声没哼，登时倒在地上断了气。

　　干完了这桩恐怖的杀人勾当，我镇定自若地谋划起匿尸灭迹的事来。我知道，无论白天还是黑夜，我都不能把尸首运出这房子，因为那样做会让邻居瞧见。所以我只好想些别的法子……我可以把尸体切成极小的碎块，扔到火里烧掉。我可以把尸体藏在地板下面。我还可以把尸体装到箱子里，再请人将箱子搬走……最后，我想出了一个更好的主意。我决定将尸体藏在地窖墙壁的背后。

　　我马上就知道应该选择哪一面墙了。地窖里有一面墙是围着一个废弃不用的旧烟囱底座砌起来的，它的正面和背面都垒着砖头，但中间部分却是空的。我马上动手开干。我从正面墙上拆下一些砖块，小心翼翼地将尸体贴着后面的墙放好，然后把砖块砌回去，再用灰泥将砖墙抹平。我把灰泥抹得使它看上去不像是新的，过不多久这面墙就和其他几面看着一模一样了。我忙活完，望着墙上的灰泥，高兴地自言自语道：“我还从没干过这么漂亮的活计呢！”

　　然后我四下里找那只猫，要杀了它。它给我的生活带来了太多的不幸，所以，现在它也必须去见阎王爷。我找遍了每一个角落，但是它已无影无踪了。我终于自由了！当天夜里，我太太平平地酣睡了一场——我，一个刚刚杀害了自己爱妻的家伙，居然睡了个好觉！

　　三天过去了，那只猫仍然没有出现。我现在快乐极了，是很久以来最快乐的时候。我对自己犯下的罪行并不担心。人们来问了几个问题，警察也到我家来过了，但他们什么也没有发现。

　　第四天，警察又来了，并且开始进行搜查。他们查看了每一个房间，然后下台阶来到地窖里面。我陪着他们，心里感到非常平静和安全，一直冷眼旁观他们检查每一个角落。他们没有找到任何东西，似乎相当高兴，并且准备离开了。我满心欢喜。我确信自己是安全的，但又想说点什么，哪怕是一两句话，就为了表示一下我是多么满不在乎、清白无辜。

　　“先生们，”我开口道，“你们在这里没有找到任何东西，现在又要离开这幢房子了，我很高兴……不过我要给你们看样东西，先生们。你们看见没有，这房子建得有多么好？你们会注意到，这几堵墙结实极了。”我一面说着这话，一面用根棍子敲打着墙壁——正是我藏匿妻子尸体的那面墙！

　　就在那一刻，我们听见了一个声音。这声音很古怪，同我以前听到过的声音都大不一样。它开始时很轻，几乎像是一个婴儿的哭声；然后就升得越来越高，转而成为一声没完没了的长啸，仿佛从地狱中响起的哀号。

　　警察们一齐望着我，又彼此看了看。他们奔到墙边，开始拼命将砖块飞快地向外扒。几分钟不到，砖墙扒倒了；那里赫然便是我那亡妻的尸首。在她的头顶上蹲着那只黑猫，张开血盆大口，一只独眼里燃烧着鬼火——这畜生诱使我犯下了杀人罪，现在又要送我去见阎王了。

　　我把这可怕的东西，同我妻子一起，活活砌到墙里去了！