For a purpose such as this the cellar was well adapted. Its walls were loosely constructed, and had lately been plastered throughout with a rough plaster, which the dampness of the atmosphere had prevented from hardening. Moreover, in one of the walls was a projection, caused by a false chimney, or fireplace, that had been filled up, and made to resemble the red of the cellar. I made no doubt that I could readilydisplace the bricks at this point, insert the corpse, and wall the whole up as before, so that no eye could detect any thing suspicious. And in this calculation I was not deceived. By means of a crow-bar I easily dislodged the bricks, and, having carefully deposited the body against the inner wall, I propped it in that position, while, with little trouble, I re-laid the whole structure as it originally stood. Having procured mortar, sand, and hair, with every possible precaution, I prepared a plaster which could not be distinguished from the old, and with this I very carefully went over the new brickwork. When I had finished, I felt satisfied that all was right. The wall did not present the slightest appearance of having been disturbed. The rubbish on the floor was picked up with the minutest care. I looked around triumphantly, and said to myself - "Here at least, then, my labor has not been in vain."

My next step was to look for the beast which had been the cause of so much wretchedness; for I had, at length, firmlyresolved to put it to death. Had I been able to meet with it, at the moment, there could have been no doubt of its fate; but it appeared that the crafty animal had been alarmed at the violence of my previous anger, and forebore to present itself in my present mood. It is impossible to describe, or to imagine, the deep, the blissful sense of relief which the absence of the detested creature occasioned in my bosom. It did not make its appearance during the night - and thus for one night at least, since its introduction into the house, I soundly and tranquilly slept; aye, slept even with the burden of murder upon my soul!

The second and the third day passed, and still my tormentor came not. Once again I breathed as a freeman. The monster, in terror, had fled the premises forever! I should behold it no more! My happiness was supreme! The guilt of my dark deed disturbed me but little. Some few inquiries had been made, but these had been readily answered. Even a search had been instituted - but of course nothing was to be discovered. I looked upon my future felicity as secured.

Upon the fourth day of the assassination, a party of the police came, very unexpectedly, into the house, and proceeded again to make rigorous investigation of the premises. Secure, however, in the inscrutability of my place of concealment, I felt no embarrassment whatever. The officers bade me accompany them in their search. They left no nook or corner unexplored. At length, for the third or fourth time, they descended into the cellar. I quivered not in a muscle. My heart beat calmly as that of one who slumbers in innocence. I walked the cellar from end to end. I folded my arms upon my bosom, and roamed easily to and fro. The police were thoroughly satisfied and prepared to depart. The glee at my heart was too strong to be restrained. I burned to say if but one word, by way of triumph, and to render doubly sure their assurance of my guiltlessness.

cellar [´selə]   n.地窑，地下室   (初中英语单词)

lately [´leitli]   ad.近来，不久前   (初中英语单词)

atmosphere [´ætməsfiə]   n.大气；空气；气氛   (初中英语单词)

moreover [mɔ:´rəuvə]   ad.再者，此外，而且   (初中英语单词)

resemble [ri´zembəl]   vt.类似，象   (初中英语单词)

readily [´redili]   ad.乐意地；容易地   (初中英语单词)

structure [´strʌktʃə]   n.结构，构造；组织   (初中英语单词)

firmly [´fə:mli]   ad.坚固地，稳定地   (初中英语单词)

violence [´vaiələns]   n.猛烈；暴力(行)   (初中英语单词)

previous [´pri:viəs]   a.先，前，以前的   (初中英语单词)

relief [ri´li:f]   n.救济；援救；减轻   (初中英语单词)

absence [´æbsəns]   n.不在，缺席；缺乏   (初中英语单词)

introduction [,intrə´dʌkʃən]   n.介绍；引言；引导   (初中英语单词)

monster [´mɔnstə]   n.怪物 a.大得异常的   (初中英语单词)

terror [´terə]   n.恐怖；惊骇   (初中英语单词)

investigation [in,vesti´geiʃən]   n.调查(研究)   (初中英语单词)

whatever [wɔt´evə]   pron.&a.无论什么   (初中英语单词)

muscle [´mʌsəl]   n.肌肉；体力；力量   (初中英语单词)

calmly [´kɑ:mli]   ad.平静地；无风浪地   (初中英语单词)

thoroughly [´θʌrəli]   ad.完全地，彻底地   (初中英语单词)

triumph [´traiəmf]   n.胜利 vi.得胜，战胜   (初中英语单词)

plaster [´plɑ:stə]   n.灰泥 vt.厚厚地涂抹   (高中英语单词)

fireplace [´faiəpleis]   n.壁炉，炉灶   (高中英语单词)

insert [in´sə:t, ´insə:t]   vt.插入；夹入 n.插入物   (高中英语单词)

detect [di´tekt]   vt.发觉；侦察   (高中英语单词)

suspicious [sə´spiʃəs]   a.可疑的，多疑的   (高中英语单词)

originally [ə´ridʒənəli]   ad.本来；独创地   (高中英语单词)

precaution [pri´kɔ:ʃən]   n.预防 vt.预先警告   (高中英语单词)

distinguished [di´stiŋgwiʃt]   a.卓越的，著名的   (高中英语单词)

freeman [´fri:mən]   n.自由民；荣誉市民   (高中英语单词)

innocence [´inəsəns]   n.无罪；天真   (高中英语单词)

assurance [ə´ʃuərəns]   n.保证；自信；信任   (高中英语单词)

loosely [´lu:sli]   ad.松散地   (英语四级单词)

displace [dis´pleis]   vt.移动，移置；取代   (英语四级单词)

corpse [kɔ:ps]   n.尸体   (英语四级单词)

calculation [,kælkju´leiʃən]   n.计算；考虑，预料   (英语四级单词)

mortar [´mɔ:tə]   n.灰浆 vt.用灰浆涂抹   (英语四级单词)

rubbish [´rʌbiʃ]   n.垃圾；碎屑；废话   (英语四级单词)

triumphantly [trai´ʌmfəntli]   ad.胜利地；洋洋得意地   (英语四级单词)

resolved [ri´zɔlvd]   a.决心的；坚定的   (英语四级单词)

unexpectedly [´ʌniks´pektidli]   ad.意外地；突然地   (英语四级单词)

embarrassment [im´bærəsmənt]   n.窘迫；困惑；为难   (英语四级单词)

projection [prə´dʒekʃən]   n.设计；发射；放映   (英语六级单词)

crafty [´krɑ:fti]   a.狡猾的   (英语六级单词)

felicity [fi´lisiti]   n.幸福；(措词)适当   (英语六级单词)

assassination [ə,sæsi´neiʃən]   n.暗杀；暗杀事件   (英语六级单词)

concealment [kən´si:lmənt]   n.隐藏，隐瞒   (英语六级单词)

doubly [´dʌbli]   ad.加倍地，双重地   (英语六级单词)