THE TELL—TALE HEART
people would bow down to me.
The richest man in the world !
Think of it!
I'll do wonderful things.
I’ll buy the Tower
of London for poor old Martin, dear old boy.
On my soul,
I love him like a father.
[A þama]
What was it now?
I’ve forgotten—I knew a minute ago.
However did the idea
strike me?
Such a beautiful idea.
Aha!
Aha!
[Manner
again change: to intense/y furtive hate inspired by horror]
It is his eye—that pale blue filmy eye.
It is like the eye of a
vulture.
My blood runs cold.
I will cut it out; the blood
will run warm all over me.
I shall bathe in it.
I shall never
shiver again.
Oh no! the blood of the old is bitter chill.
But it shall not look at me, glazing over till it almost dies-—
I hate you, hate you, hate you!
[HE walks about]
Seven
nights—seven long nights! have I waited for my chance to
'stinguish its glare—in his blood—in his blood—in his blood!
[Stumbhhg 01/07 a shuttzr, HE recovers normal manner]
Ah
Ι
the robbers, we must keep out the robbers.
[HE bars and
shutters the windows, gutte normally] Dear old Daddy, to
rob him they’d have to walk across me.
[Fee/5 0750176610-
business]
And now I’ll get to bed.
[Exits R.
[Re-enler MARTIN, L., who lat/es and bolts the door most
careful/y after him]
MARTIN. Is it all right, lad?
Are you gone to bed?
JACKi [Of] Ay, ay, Father, all's well.
Call if you need
me.
MARTIN. Good-night, lad; God bless ye, Jack!
JACK. [Of] Good-night, Father! and pleasant dreams.
[MARTIN goes and tests all the fastening: ofthe shutters,
bars and so ah.
Then goes to safe and (Brings out
Ι35