Tales by Edgar Allan Poe: the gold-bug, the black cat, mesmeric revelation lionizing, a descent into the maelström, the colloquy of monos and una, conversation of eiros and charmion, the mystery of marie roget, the purloined letter, the man of the crowd. 

Many years ago, I contracted an intimacy with a Mr. William Legrand. He was of an ancient Huguenot family, and had once been wealthy; but a series of misfortunes had reduced him to want. To avoid the mortification consequent upon his disasters, he left New Orleans, the city of his forefathers, and took up his residence at Sullivan's Island, near Charleston, South Carolina....