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. 40 Gentlemen, I said at last, as the party ascended the steps, "I delight to have allayed your suspicions+. I wish you all health, and a little more courtesy. By the byet2, gentlemen, this-this a very well constructed house. [In the rabid desire to say something easily, I scarcely knew what I uttered at all ]-"I may say an excellently well constructed house. These walls are you going, gentlemen?-these walls are solidly put together; "and here, through the mere phrenzy of bravado, I rapped heavily, with a cane which I held in my hand, upon that very portion of the brick-work behind which stood the corpse of the wife of my bosom But may God shield and deliver me from the fangs of the Arch-Fiend!- No sooner had the reverberation of my blows sunk into silence, than I was answered by a voice from within the tomb by a cry, at first muffled and broken, like the sobbing of a child, and then quickly swelling into one long, loud, and continuous scream, utterly anomalous and inhuman-a howl-a wailing shriek half of horror and half of triumph, such as might have arisen only out of hell, conjointly from the throats of the dammed in their agony and of the demons that exult in the damnation Of my own thoughts it is folly to speak. Swooning, I staggered to the opposite wall. For one instant the party upon the stairs remained motionless, through extremity of terror and of awe. In the next, a dozen stout arms were toiling at the wall. It fell bodily. The corpse, already greatly decayed and clotted with gore, stood erect before the eyes of the spectators. Upon its head, with red extended mouth and solitary eye of fire, sat the hideous beast whose craft had seduced me into murder, and whose informing voice had consigned me to the hangman i had walled the monster up within the tomb I burned to say if but one word, by way of triumph, and to render doubly sure their assurance of my guiltlessness.为表达我的胜利,我恨不得开口说话,哪怕讲一句话也好,让这些警察更加确信我的清白无 4 allayed your suspicions:洗脱我的嫌疑 2 by the bye:顺便说一句 43 But may God shield and deliver me from the fangs of the arch- Fiend!愿主保佑,将我从恶魔的口中拯救出 来吧! wooing:迷迷糊糊地 4 It fell bodily..整座墙倒了下去 otted with gore:凝着血块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. 40 "Gentlemen," I said at last, as the party ascended the steps, "I delight to have allayed your suspicions41. I wish you all health, and a little more courtesy. By the bye42, gentlemen, this - this is a very well constructed house." [In the rabid desire to say something easily, I scarcely knew what I uttered at all.] - "I may say an _excellently_ well constructed house. These walls are you going, gentlemen? - these walls are solidly put together;" and here, through the mere phrenzy of bravado, I rapped heavily, with a cane which I held in my hand, upon that very portion of the brick-work behind which stood the corpse of the wife of my bosom. But may God shield and deliver me from the fangs of the Arch-Fiend! 43 No sooner had the reverberation of my blows sunk into silence, than I was answered by a voice from within the tomb! - by a cry, at first muffled and broken, like the sobbing of a child, and then quickly swelling into one long, loud, and continuous scream, utterly anomalous and inhuman - a howl - a wailing shriek, half of horror and half of triumph, such as might have arisen only out of hell, conjointly from the throats of the dammed in their agony and of the demons that exult in the damnation. Of my own thoughts it is folly to speak. Swooning44, I staggered to the opposite wall. For one instant the party upon the stairs remained motionless, through extremity of terror and of awe. In the next, a dozen stout arms were toiling at the wall. It fell bodily.45 The corpse, already greatly decayed and clotted with gore46, stood erect before the eyes of the spectators. Upon its head, with red extended mouth and solitary eye of fire, sat the hideous beast whose craft had seduced me into murder, and whose informing voice had consigned me to the hangman. I had walled the monster up within the tomb! 40 I burned to say if but one word, by way of triumph, and to render doubly sure their assurance of my guiltlessness. 为表达我的胜利，我恨不得开口说话，哪怕讲一句话也好，让这些警察更加确信我的清白无 辜。 41 allayed your suspicions: 洗脱我的嫌疑 42 by the bye: 顺便说一句 43 But may God shield and deliver me from the fangs of the Arch-Fiend! 愿主保佑，将我从恶魔的口中拯救出 来吧！ 44 swooning: 迷迷糊糊地 45 It fell bodily. 整座墙倒了下去。 46 clotted with gore: 凝着血块