Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[jays]

I want to know the meaning of "These walls are you going, gentlemen?" in the following sentence. [The Black Cat, Adgar Allen Poe]
----- the following -----
"Gentlemen," I said at last, as the party ascended the steps, "I delight to have allayed your suspicions. I wish you all health, and a little more courtesy. By the bye, gentlemen, this - this is a very well constructed house." [In the rabid desire to say something easily, I scarcely knew what I uttered at all.] - "I may say an excellently well constructed house. These walls are you going, gentlemen? - these walls are solidly put together;" and here, through the mere phrenzy of bravado, I rapped heavily, with a cane which I held in my hand, upon that very portion of the brick-work behind which stood the corpse of the wife of my bosom.

[lotus]

Hi jays,

Probably should be a dash or a comma there. Could be the original typing of the manuscript.

"I may say an excellently well constructed house. These walls - are you going, gentlemen? - these walls are solidly put together;"


--lotus