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VOA慢速英语2021--“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe

时间:2021-01-17 16:48:21

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Today we present the short story "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe. Here is Shep O'Neal with the story.

True! Nervous -- very, very nervous I had been and am! But why will you say that I am mad? The disease1 had sharpened3 my senses -- not destroyed them.

Above all was the sense of hearing. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in the underworld. How, then, am I mad? Observe how healthily -- how calmly I can tell you the whole story.

It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult4. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! Yes, it was this! He had the eye of a bird, a vulture -- a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell on me, my blood ran cold; and so -- very slowly -- I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and free myself of the eye forever.

Now this is the point. You think that I am mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely and carefully I went to work!

I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him. And every night, late at night, I turned the lock of his door and opened it – oh, so gently! And then, when I had made an opening big enough for my head, I put in a dark lantern, all closed that no light shone out, and then I stuck in my head. I moved it slowly, very slowly, so that I might not interfere5 with the old man's sleep. And then, when my head was well in the room, I undid6 the lantern just so much that a single thin ray of light fell upon the vulture eye.

And this I did for seven long nights -- but I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the work; for it was not the old man who was a problem for me, but his Evil7 Eye.

On the eighth night, I was more than usually careful in opening the door. I had my head in and was about to open the lantern, when my finger slid on a piece of metal and made a noise. The old man sat up in bed, crying out "Who's there?"

I kept still and said nothing. I did not move a muscle for a whole hour. During that time, I did not hear him lie down. He was still sitting up in the bed listening -- just as I have done, night after night.

Then I heard a noise, and I knew it was the sound of human terror8. It was the low sound that arises from the bottom of the soul. I knew the sound well. Many a night, late at night, when all the world slept, it has welled up from deep within my own chest. I say I knew it well.

I knew what the old man felt, and felt sorry for him, although I laughed to myself. I knew that he had been lying awake ever since the first noise, when he had turned in the bed. His fears had been ever since growing upon him.

When I had waited a long time, without hearing him lie down, I decided9 to open a little -- a very, very little -- crack in the lantern. So I opened it. You cannot imagine how carefully, carefully. Finally, a single ray of light shot from out and fell full upon the vulture eye.

It was open -- wide, wide open -- and I grew angry as I looked at it. I saw it clearly -- all a dull blue, with a horrible veil10 over it that chilled11 my bones; but I could see nothing else of the old man's face or person. For I had directed the light exactly upon the damned12 spot.

And have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but a kind of over-sensitivity? Now, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when inside a piece of cotton. I knew that sound well, too. It was the beating of the old man's heart. It increased my anger.

But even yet I kept still. I hardly breathed. I held the lantern motionless13. I attempted to keep the ray of light upon the eye. But the beating of the heart increased. It grew quicker and quicker, and louder and louder every second. The old man's terror must have been extreme! The beating grew louder, I say, louder every moment!

And now at the dead hour of the night, in the horrible silence of that old house, so strange a noise as this excited me to uncontrollable terror. Yet, for some minutes longer I stood still. But the beating grew louder, louder! I thought the heart must burst.

And now a new fear seized me -- the sound would be heard by a neighbor! The old man's hour had come! With a loud shout, I threw open the lantern and burst into the room.

He cried once -- once only. Without delay, I forced him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled, to find the action so far done.

But, for many minutes, the heart beat on with a quiet sound. This, however, did not concern me; it would not be heard through the wall. At length, it stopped. The old man was dead. I removed the bed and examined the body. I placed my hand over his heart and held it there many minutes. There was no movement. He was stone dead. His eye would trouble me no more.

If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise steps I took for hiding the body. I worked quickly, but in silence. First of all, I took apart the body. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.

I then took up three pieces of wood from the flooring, and placed his body parts under the room. I then replaced the wooden boards so well that no human eye -- not even his -- could have seen anything wrong.

There was nothing to wash out -- no mark of any kind -- no blood whatever. I had been too smart for that. A tub14 had caught all -- ha! ha!

When I had made an end of these labors15, it was four o'clock in the morning. As a clock sounded the hour, there came a noise at the street door. I went down to open it with a light heart -- for what had I now to fear? There entered three men, who said they were officers of the police. A cry had been heard by a neighbor during the night; suspicion16 of a crime had been aroused17; information had been given at the police office, and the officers had been sent to search the building.

I smiled -- for what had I to fear? The cry, I said, was my own in a dream. The old man, I said, was not in the country. I took my visitors all over the house. I told them to search -- search well. I led them, at length, to his room. I brought chairs there, and told them to rest. I placed my own seat upon the very place under which lay the body of the victim.

The officers were satisfied. I was completely at ease2. They sat, and while I answered happily, they talked of common things. But, after a while, I felt myself getting weak and wished them gone. My head hurt, and I had a ringing in my ears; but still they sat and talked.

The ringing became more severe. I talked more freely18 to do away with the feeling. But it continued until, at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears.

I talked more and with a heightened19 voice. Yet the sound increased -- and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound like a watch makes when inside a piece of cotton. I had trouble breathing -- and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly -- more loudly; but the noise increased. I stood up and argued about silly things, in a high voice and with violent hand movements. But the noise kept increasing.

Why would they not be gone? I walked across the floor with heavy steps, as if excited to anger by the observations of the men -- but the noise increased. What could I do? I swung my chair and moved it upon the floor, but the noise continually20 increased. It grew louder -- louder -- louder! And still the men talked pleasantly, and smiled.

Was it possible they heard not? No, no! They heard! They suspected! They knew! They were making a joke of my horror21! This I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this pain! I could bear those smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die! And now -- again! Louder! Louder! Louder!

"Villains22!" I cried, "Pretend no more! I admit the deed! Tear up the floor boards! Here, here! It is the beating of his hideous23 heart!"

You have heard the story "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe. Your storyteller was Shep O'Neal. This story was adapted by Shelley Gollust. It was produced by Lawan Davis.

Words in This Story

nervous - adj. often or easily becoming worried and afraid about what might happen

underworld - n. the place where dead people go in Greek myths24

vulture - n. any one of several large birds that eat dead animals and have a small and featherless head

lantern - n. a light that has usually a glass covering and that can be carried by a handle

terror- n. a very strong feeling of fear

well - v. to rise to a surface and flow out — usually + up

horrible - adj. very bad or unpleasant


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 disease etMxx     
n.疾病,弊端
参考例句:
  • The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
  • He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。
2 ease wruxN     
n. 安乐,安逸,悠闲; v. 使...安乐,使...安心,减轻,放松
参考例句:
  • His mind was at ease and he felt confident in the future. 他心情舒畅,对前途很有信心。
  • You should ease up on the child and stop scolding her. 你应该对那个孩子宽松些,不要再骂她了。
3 sharpened f0f9eb2258071743020ca4c911dac06f     
adj. 尖锐的
参考例句:
  • Knives can be sharpened by grinding them against a rough stone. 刀能在一块粗石上磨快。
  • A knife is sharpened on the grindstone;steel is tempered in fire. 刀在石上磨,钢在火中炼。
4 insult T5xxs     
vt.侮辱,凌辱;n.侮辱的言词或行为
参考例句:
  • You will insult her if you don't go to her party. 你要是不去参加她举办的聚会,就对她太无礼了。
  • I can't sit down with that insult.我不能忍受那种侮辱。
5 interfere b5lx0     
v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰
参考例句:
  • If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话,可能弊多利少。
  • When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件,棘手的事情就来了。
6 Undid 596b2322b213e046510e91f0af6a64ad     
v. 解开, 复原
参考例句:
  • The officer undid the flap of his holster and drew his gun. 军官打开枪套盖拔出了手枪。
  • He did wrong, and in the end his wrongs undid him. 行恶者终以其恶毁其身。
7 evil KiHzS     
n.邪恶,不幸,罪恶;adj.邪恶的,不幸的,有害的,诽谤的
参考例句:
  • We pray to God to deliver us from evil.我们祈求上帝把我们从罪恶中拯救出来。
  • Love of money is the root of all evil.爱钱是邪恶的根源。
8 terror dI9z3     
n.恐怖;可怖的人(事)
参考例句:
  • We were in mortal terror of being found out. 我们非常害怕被发现。
  • That guy is a proper terror. 那家伙真是讨厌。
9 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
10 veil VpWyC     
n.面纱,掩饰物,修女;vt.给...戴面纱或面罩;vi.带面纱或面罩
参考例句:
  • Please veil your face.请用面纱遮住脸。
  • There was a veil of mist over the mountains.山上覆盖着一层薄雾。
11 chilled chilled     
adj. 冷却的, 冷藏的,冷冻了的 动词chill的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • He felt totally chilled. 他感觉完全放松了下来。
  • Rain chilled the glittering pageant. 雨使华丽的庆典大为逊色。
12 damned on0zD     
a.该死的;打入地狱的
参考例句:
  • The play was damned by the reviewers. 这部戏被评论家们批评得一无是处。
  • She damned herself with one stupid remark. 她被自己的一句蠢话毁了。
13 motionless tnnzi2     
adj.一动不动的
参考例句:
  • She stood absolutely motionless.她纹丝不动地站在那里。
  • A silent movie doesn't mean it is motionless.无声电影并非没有动作。
14 tub BmUwP     
n.桶,塑料杯,纸杯;盆,洗澡盆,浴缸
参考例句:
  • The girl washed clothes in a tub.那女孩把衣服放在木盆里洗。
  • The tub needs fixing too.It leaks.浴盆也得修了。它漏。
15 labors 8e0b4ddc7de5679605be19f4398395e1     
v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转
参考例句:
  • He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors. 他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜,令人生厌。 来自辞典例句
  • Farm labors used to hire themselves out for the summer. 农业劳动者夏季常去当雇工。 来自辞典例句
16 suspicion srCw1     
n.猜疑,怀疑;怀疑,嫌疑
参考例句:
  • There was just a suspicion of light in the east. 东方刚刚泛白。
  • I confess to some suspicion of your honesty.我承认对你的诚实有所怀疑。
17 aroused 42deb30af4bfaf095968f5f0ff43d0ef     
v.引起( arouse的过去式和过去分词 );唤醒;激起性欲;使行动起来
参考例句:
  • The rise in train fares has aroused public indignation. 火车票提价激起了公愤。
  • It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments. 那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
18 freely LiexN     
adv.自由地,随便地,无拘无束地
参考例句:
  • She was unable to keep back her tears,and wept freely.她抑制不住泪水,痛痛快快地哭了起来。
  • A liquid flows freely and has no fixed shape.液体能自由流动,无固定形态。
19 heightened bdaa72284643357b643087fb61fca19a     
(使)变高, (使)增大( heighten的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)提高; (使)加强[重]
参考例句:
  • Tension has heightened after the recent bomb attack. 最近的炸弹袭击之后,情势更加紧张。
  • The lively dance heightened the joyous atmosphere of the scene. 轻快的舞蹈给这场戏渲染了欢乐气氛。
20 continually qvlznv     
adv.不间断地,不停地;多次重复地
参考例句:
  • The other kids continually taunted him about his size.其他孩子不断地耻笑他的个头儿。
  • The US is continually building up its armed forces.美军正持续加强它的三军。
21 horror DdUzN     
n.惊骇,恐怖,惨事,极端厌恶
参考例句:
  • The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation.公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。
  • The thought of working nights fills me with abject horror.一想到要夜间工作我就觉得惨兮兮的。
22 villains ffdac080b5dbc5c53d28520b93dbf399     
n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 );罪犯;(小说、戏剧等中的)反面人物;淘气鬼
参考例句:
  • The impression of villains was inescapable. 留下恶棍的印象是不可避免的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Some villains robbed the widow of the savings. 有几个歹徒将寡妇的积蓄劫走了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
23 hideous 65KyC     
adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的
参考例句:
  • The whole experience had been like some hideous nightmare.整个经历就像一场可怕的噩梦。
  • They're not like dogs,they're hideous brutes.它们不像狗,是丑陋的畜牲。
24 myths 472f82f79e7bb7e83adf53fcb7fd9c64     
n.神话( myth的名词复数 );杜撰出来的人[事物]
参考例句:
  • They drew the material of their plays chiefly from myths and legends. 他们主要从神话传说中提取剧本的素材。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Jasper White is one of rare people who believes in ancient myths. 贾斯珀。怀特是少有的相信古代神话的人之一。 来自新概念英语第二册

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