ItremainedinallrespectsasIhavelastdescribedit，withtheexceptionthatthemirrornolongeraffordedevidenceofrespiration。
Anattempttodrawbloodfromthearmfailed。Ishouldmention，too，thatthislimbwasnofarthersubjecttomywill。Iendeavoredinvaintomakeitfollowthedirectionofmyhand。Theonlyrealindication，indeed，ofthemesmericinfluence，wasnowfoundinthevibratorymovementofthetongue，wheneverIaddressedM。Valdemaraquestion。Heseemedtobemakinganefforttoreply，buthadnolongersufficientvolition。ToqueriesputtohimbyanyotherpersonthanmyselfheseemedutterlyinsensiblealthoughIendeavoredtoplaceeachmemberofthecompanyinmesmericrapportwithhim。I
believethatIhavenowrelatedallthatisnecessarytoanunderstandingofthesleep-waker’sstateatthisepoch。Othernurseswereprocured；andatteno’clockIleftthehouseincompanywiththetwophysiciansandMr。Ll。
Intheafternoonweallcalledagaintoseethepatient。Hisconditionremainedpreciselythesame。Wehadnowsomediscussionastotheproprietyandfeasibilityofawakeninghim；butwehadlittledifficultyinagreeingthatnogoodpurposewouldbeservedbysodoing。Itwasevidentthat，sofar，deathorwhatisusuallytermeddeathhadbeenarrestedbythemesmericprocess。ItseemedcleartousallthattoawakenM。Valdemarwouldbemerelytoinsurehisinstant，oratleasthisspeedydissolution。
FromthisperioduntilthecloseoflastweekanintervalofnearlysevenmonthswecontinuedtomakedailycallsatM。
Valdemar’shouse，accompanied，nowandthen，bymedicalandotherfriends。Allthistimethesleeper-wakerremainedexactlyasIhavelastdescribedhim。Thenurses’attentionswerecontinual。
ItwasonFridaylastthatwefinallyresolvedtomaketheexperimentofawakeningorattemptingtoawakenhim；anditistheperhaps
unfortunateresultofthislatterexperimentwhichhasgivenrisetosomuchdiscussioninprivatecirclestosomuchofwhatIcannothelpthinkingunwarrantedpopularfeeling。
ForthepurposeofrelievingM。Valdemarfromthemesmerictrance，I
madeuseofthecustomarypasses。These，foratime，wereunsuccessful。Thefirstindicationofrevivalwasaffordedbyapartialdescentoftheiris。Itwasobserved，asespeciallyremarkable，thatthisloweringofthepupilwasaccompaniedbytheprofuseout-flowingofayellowishichorfrombeneaththelidsofapungentandhighlyoffensiveodor。
ItwasnowsuggestedthatIshouldattempttoinfluencethepatient’sarm，asheretofore。Imadetheattemptandfailed。Dr。Fthenintimatedadesiretohavemeputaquestion。Ididso，asfollows：
“M。Valdemar，canyouexplaintouswhatareyourfeelingsorwishesnow？”
Therewasaninstantreturnofthehecticcirclesonthecheeks；thetonguequivered，orratherrolledviolentlyinthemouthalthoughthejawsandlipsremainedrigidasbefore；andatlengththesamehideousvoicewhichIhavealreadydescribed，brokeforth：
“ForGod’ssake！quick！quick！putmetosleepor，quick！
wakenme！quick！IsaytoyouthatIamdead！”
Iwasthoroughlyunnerved，andforaninstantremainedundecidedwhattodo。AtfirstImadeanendeavortore-composethepatient；but，failinginthisthroughtotalabeyanceofthewill，Iretracedmystepsandasearnestlystruggledtoawakenhim。InthisattemptI
soonsawthatIshouldbesuccessfuloratleastIsoonfanciedthatmysuccesswouldbecompleteandIamsurethatallintheroomwerepreparedtoseethepatientawaken。
Forwhatreallyoccurred，however，itisquiteimpossiblethatanyhumanbeingcouldhavebeenprepared。
AsIrapidlymadethemesmericpasses，amidejaculationsof“dead！
dead！”absolutelyburstingfromthetongueandnotfromthelipsofthesufferer，hiswholeframeatoncewithinthespaceofasingleminute，orevenless，shrunkcrumbledabsolutelyrottedawaybeneathmyhands。Uponthebed，beforethatwholecompany，therelayanearlyliquidmassofloathsomeofdetestableputridity。
FORthemostwild，yetmosthomelynarrativewhichIamabouttopen，Ineitherexpectnorsolicitbelief。MadindeedwouldIbetoexpectit，inacasewheremyverysensesrejecttheirownevidence。
Yet，madamInot-andverysurelydoInotdream。Butto-morrowI
die，andto-dayIwouldunburthenmysoul。Myimmediatepurposeistoplacebeforetheworld，plainly，succinctly，andwithoutcomment，aseriesofmerehouseholdevents。Intheirconsequences，theseeventshaveterrified-havetortured-havedestroyedme。YetIwillnotattempttoexpoundthem。Tome，theyhavepresentedlittlebutHorror-tomanytheywillseemlessterriblethan_barroques_。Hereafter，perhaps，someintellectmaybefoundwhichwillreducemyphantasmtothecommon-place-someintellectmorecalm，morelogical，andfarlessexcitablethanmyown，whichwillperceive，inthecircumstancesIdetailwithawe，nothingmorethananordinarysuccessionofverynaturalcausesandeffects。
FrommyinfancyIwasnotedforthedocilityandhumanityofmydisposition。Mytendernessofheartwasevensoconspicuousastomakemethejestofmycompanions。Iwasespeciallyfondofanimals，andwasindulgedbymyparentswithagreatvarietyofpets。WiththeseIspentmostofmytime，andneverwassohappyaswhenfeedingandcaressingthem。Thispeculiarityofcharactergrewwithmygrowth，andinmymanhood，Iderivedfromitoneofmyprincipalsourcesofpleasure。Tothosewhohavecherishedanaffectionforafaithfulandsagaciousdog，Ineedhardlybeatthetroubleofexplainingthenatureortheintensityofthegratificationthusderivable。Thereissomethingintheunselfishandself-sacrificingloveofabrute，whichgoesdirectlytotheheartofhimwhohashadfrequentoccasiontotestthepaltryfriendshipandgossamerfidelityofmere_Man_。
Imarriedearly，andwashappytofindinmywifeadispositionnotuncongenialwithmyown。Observingmypartialityfordomesticpets，shelostnoopportunityofprocuringthoseofthemostagreeablekind。Wehadbirds，gold-fish，afinedog，rabbits，asmallmonkey，and_acat_。
Thislatterwasaremarkablylargeandbeautifulanimal，entirelyblack，andsagacioustoanastonishingdegree。Inspeakingofhisintelligence，mywife，whoatheartwasnotalittletincturedwithsuperstition，madefrequentallusiontotheancientpopularnotion，whichregardedallblackcatsaswitchesindisguise。Notthatshewasever_serious_uponthispoint-andImentionthematteratallfornobetterreasonthanthatithappens，justnow，toberemembered。
Pluto-thiswasthecat’sname-wasmyfavoritepetandplaymate。Ialonefedhim，andheattendedmewhereverIwentaboutthehouse。ItwasevenwithdifficultythatIcouldpreventhimfromfollowingmethroughthestreets。
Ourfriendshiplasted，inthismanner，forseveralyears，duringwhichmygeneraltemperamentandcharacter-throughtheinstrumentalityoftheFiendIntemperance-hadIblushtoconfessitexperiencedaradicalalterationfortheworse。Igrew，daybyday，moremoody，moreirritable，moreregardlessofthefeelingsofothers。Isufferedmyselftouseintemperatelanguagetomywife。Atlength，Ievenofferedherpersonalviolence。Mypets，ofcourse，weremadetofeelthechangeinmydisposition。Inotonlyneglected，butill-usedthem。ForPluto，however，Istillretainedsufficientregardtorestrainmefrommaltreatinghim，asImadenoscrupleofmaltreatingtherabbits，themonkey，oreventhedog，whenbyaccident，orthroughaffection，theycameinmyway。Butmydiseasegrewuponme-forwhatdiseaseislikeAlcohol！-andatlengthevenPluto，whowasnowbecomingold，andconsequentlysomewhatpeevish-
evenPlutobegantoexperiencetheeffectsofmyilltemper。
Onenight，returninghome，muchintoxicated，fromoneofmyhauntsabouttown，Ifanciedthatthecatavoidedmypresence。I
seizedhim；when，inhisfrightatmyviolence，heinflictedaslightwounduponmyhandwithhisteeth。Thefuryofademoninstantlypossessedme。Iknewmyselfnolonger。Myoriginalsoulseemed，atonce，totakeitsflightfrommybodyandamorethanfiendishmalevolence，gin-nurtured，thrilledeveryfibreofmyframe。Itookfrommywaistcoat-pocketapen-knife，openedit，graspedthepoorbeastbythethroat，anddeliberatelycutoneofitseyesfromthesocket！Iblush，Iburn，Ishudder，whileIpenthedamnableatrocity。
Whenreasonreturnedwiththemorning-whenIhadsleptoffthefumesofthenight’sdebauch-Iexperiencedasentimenthalfofhorror，halfofremorse，forthecrimeofwhichIhadbeenguilty；
butitwas，atbest，afeebleandequivocalfeeling，andthesoulremaineduntouched。Iagainplungedintoexcess，andsoondrownedinwineallmemoryofthedeed。
Inthemeantimethecatslowlyrecovered。Thesocketofthelosteyepresented，itistrue，afrightfulappearance，buthenolongerappearedtosufferanypain。Hewentaboutthehouseasusual，but，asmightbeexpected，fledinextremeterroratmyapproach。Ihadsomuchofmyoldheartleft，astobeatfirstgrievedbythisevidentdislikeonthepartofacreaturewhichhadoncesolovedme。Butthisfeelingsoongaveplacetoirritation。Andthencame，asiftomyfinalandirrevocableoverthrow，thespiritofPERVERSENESS。Ofthisspiritphilosophytakesnoaccount。YetIamnotmoresurethatmysoullives，thanIamthatperversenessisoneoftheprimitiveimpulsesofthehumanheart-oneoftheindivisibleprimaryfaculties，orsentiments，whichgivedirectiontothecharacterofMan。Whohasnot，ahundredtimes，foundhimselfcommittingavileorasillyaction，fornootherreasonthanbecauseheknowsheshouldnot？Havewenotaperpetualinclination，intheteethofourbestjudgment，toviolatethatwhichis_Law_，merelybecauseweunderstandittobesuch？Thisspiritofperverseness，Isay，cametomyfinaloverthrow。Itwasthisunfathomablelongingofthesoul_tovexitself_-toofferviolencetoitsownnature-todowrongforthewrong’ssakeonly-thaturgedmetocontinueandfinallytoconsummatetheinjuryIhadinflictedupontheunoffendingbrute。Onemorning，incoolblood，Islippedanooseaboutitsneckandhungittothelimbofatree；-hungitwiththetearsstreamingfrommyeyes，andwiththebitterestremorseatmyheart；-hungit_because_
Iknewthatithadlovedme，and_because_Ifeltithadgivenmenoreasonofoffence；-hungit_because_IknewthatinsodoingIwascommittingasin-adeadlysinthatwouldsojeopardizemyimmortalsoulastoplaceit-ifsuchathingworepossible-evenbeyondthereachoftheinfinitemercyoftheMostMercifulandMostTerribleGod。
Onthenightofthedayonwhichthiscrueldeedwasdone，Iwasarousedfromsleepbythecryoffire。Thecurtainsofmybedwereinflames。Thewholehousewasblazing。Itwaswithgreatdifficultythatmywife，aservant，andmyself，madeourescapefromtheconflagration。Thedestructionwascomplete。Myentireworldlywealthwasswallowedup，andIresignedmyselfthenceforwardtodespair。
Iamabovetheweaknessofseekingtoestablishasequenceofcauseandeffect，betweenthedisasterandtheatrocity。ButIamdetailingachainoffacts-andwishnottoleaveevenapossiblelinkimperfect。Onthedaysucceedingthefire，Ivisitedtheruins。
Thewalls，withoneexception，hadfallenin。Thisexceptionwasfoundinacompartmentwall，notverythick，whichstoodaboutthemiddleofthehouse，andagainstwhichhadrestedtheheadofmybed。
Theplasteringhadhere，ingreatmeasure，resistedtheactionofthefire-afactwhichIattributedtoitshavingbeenrecentlyspread。
Aboutthiswalladensecrowdwerecollected，andmanypersonsseemedtobeexaminingaparticularportionofitwithveryminuteandeagerattention。Thewords“strange！”“singular！”andothersimilarexpressions，excitedmycuriosity。Iapproachedandsaw，asifgravenin_basrelief_uponthewhitesurface，thefigureofagigantic_cat_。Theimpressionwasgivenwithanaccuracytrulymarvellous。
Therewasaropeabouttheanimal’sneck。