The Works of Edgar Allan Poe - Volume 1


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and wondered what occurrence could have given rise to the swelling of  
the veins, and the horrible blackness of the fingernails. I afterward  
carefully examined my head, shaking it repeatedly, and feeling it with  
minute attention, until I succeeded in satisfying myself that it was  
not, as I had more than half suspected, larger than my balloon. Then,  
in a knowing manner, I felt in both my breeches pockets, and, missing  
therefrom a set of tablets and a toothpick case, endeavored to account  
for their disappearance, and not being able to do so, felt inexpressibly  
chagrined. It now occurred to me that I suffered great uneasiness in the  
joint of my left ankle, and a dim consciousness of my situation began to  
glimmer through my mind. But, strange to say! I was neither astonished  
nor horror-stricken. If I felt any emotion at all, it was a kind of  
chuckling satisfaction at the cleverness I was about to display in  
extricating myself from this dilemma; and I never, for a moment, looked  
upon my ultimate safety as a question susceptible of doubt. For a few  
minutes I remained wrapped in the profoundest meditation. I have a  
distinct recollection of frequently compressing my lips, putting  
my forefinger to the side of my nose, and making use of other  
gesticulations and grimaces common to men who, at ease in their  
arm-chairs, meditate upon matters of intricacy or importance. Having,  
as I thought, sufficiently collected my ideas, I now, with great caution  
and deliberation, put my hands behind my back, and unfastened the large  
iron buckle which belonged to the waistband of my inexpressibles. This  
buckle had three teeth, which, being somewhat rusty, turned with great  
difficulty on their axis. I brought them, however, after some trouble,  
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55 56 57 58 59

Quick Jump
1 90 180 269 359