The Black Cat

A man tells his own story from a prison cell, on the eve of his punishment. He describes a quiet youth, his love of animals, and his marriage to a woman who shares that love. Over time drink and a dark temper change him, and his affection for a pet black cat turns to cruelty. Events then grow stranger, and he finds he cannot escape guilt. The tale is a study of perversity and a disturbed conscience, told in a calm voice that makes it more chilling. It first appeared in 1843, not in the year given in the catalogue.