True

Nervous

very nervous



Madman



Why will you say that I am mad

The disease has sharpened my senses

not destroyed

not dulled them



Madman



The eye of a vulture

a pale blue eye

with a film overit



Listen

observe how healthily

and how calmly I tell this story



He had no passion for the old man

He was never insulted



He loved him



It was the eye the eye the eye



I made up my mind

To take his life forever



Passionless



The eye of a vulture



You should have seen me



How wisely I proceeded



To rid himself of the eye forever



With what dissimulation I went to work



Caution



I turned the latch on his door

and opened it



To work



To practice



I opened his door

and put in a dark lantern



Dark



Slowly I put my head in

Slowly I thrust it until in time Ientered

I was in so far



He was in so far

he could see the old man sleep



And then I undid the lantern so a thin ray

fell upon the eye



The vulture eye



He did this for seven days



Seven days



But always the eye was closed

and so I could not do the work



And in the day he would greet the old man

calmly in his chamber



Calmly



Nothing is wrong and all is well



Knock, knock

who's there



Came night eight



Night eight



I was slower than a watch minute hand

The power that I had with the old man

not to even dream my secret thoughts



Secret thoughts



My sagacity

I could barely conceal my fee