The Mystery of Marie Roget by Edgar Allan Poe
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.Madame D . recognized not_only the scarf which_was found in_the thicket, but the dress which_was discovered upon_the corpse . an omnibus driver, valence, {*13} now also testified that he_saw Marie Rogt cross a ferry on_the seine, on_the Sunday in_question, in company with a young man of dark complexion . he, valence, knew Marie, and could_not_be mistaken in her identity . the articles found in_the thicket were fully identified by_the relatives of Marie .

the items of evidence and information thus collected by_myself, from_the newspapers, at_the suggestion of Dupin, embraced only_one more point -- but this_was a point of seemingly vast consequence . it appears that, immediately after_the discovery of_the clothes as above described, the lifeless, or nearly lifeless body of St .Eustache, Marie's betrothed, was found in_the vicinity of what all now supposed the scene of_the outrage .a phial labelled " laudanum," and emptied, was found near him . his breath gave evidence of_the poison . he died without speaking . upon his person was found a letter, briefly stating his love for Marie, with_his design of self- destruction .

" I_need scarcely tell you," said Dupin, as he finished the perusal of_my notes, " that_this_is a far more intricate case than that of_the rue morgue; from_which it differs in one important respect . this_is an ordinary, although an atrocious instance of crime . there_is nothing peculiarly outr about_it . you_will observe that, for_this reason, the mystery has_been considered easy, when, for_this reason, it should_have_been considered difficult, of solution . thus; at first, it_was thought unnecessary to offer a reward . the myrmidons of G--- were able at once to comprehend how and why such an atrocity might_have_been committed . they_could picture to_their imaginations a mode - many modes - and a motive - many motives; and because it_was not impossible that either of_these numerous modes and motives could_have_been the actual one, they_have taken it for granted that one_of_them must . but the case with_which these variable fancies were entertained, and_the very plausibility which each assumed, should_have_been understood as indicative rather of_the difficulties than of_the facilities which_must attend elucidation . I_have before observed that_it_is by prominences above the plane of_the ordinary, that reason feels her way, if at all, in her search for_the true, and_that the proper question in cases such as_this, is_not so_much ' what has occurred ? ' as ' what has occurred that has never occurred before ? ' in_the investigations at_the house of Madame L'Espanaye, {*14} the agents of G---- were discouraged and confounded by_that very unusualness which, to a properly regulated intellect, would_have afforded the surest omen of success; while this same intellect might_have_been plunged in despair at_the ordinary character of all that met the eye in_the case of_the perfumery- girl, and yet told of nothing but easy triumph to_the functionaries of_the prefecture .

" in_the case of Madame L'Espanaye and her daughter there_was, even at_the beginning of_our investigation, no_doubt that murder had_been committed . the idea of suicide was excluded at once . here, too, we_are freed, at_the commencement, from all supposition of self- murder . the body found at_the Barrire du Roule, was found under such circumstances as_to leave us no room for embarrassment upon_this important point . but it_has_been suggested that_the corpse discovered, is_not that of_the Marie Rogt for_the conviction of whose assassin, or assassins, the reward is offered, and respecting whom, solely, our agreement has_been arranged with_the prefect . we both know this gentleman well . it_will_not do to trust him too far . if, dating our inquiries from_the body found, and thence tracing a murderer, we yet discover this body to_be that of some other individual than Marie; or, if starting from_the living Marie, we_find her, yet find her unassassinated -- in either case we lose our labor; since it_is Monsieur G---- with_whom we_have to deal . for_our own purpose, therefore, if_not for_the_purpose of justice, it_is indispensable that_our first step should_be the determination of_the identity of_the corpse with_the Marie Rogt who_is missing .

" with_the public the arguments of L'Etoile have_had weight; and_that the journal itself is convinced of_their importance would appear from_the manner in_which it commences one of_its essays upon_the_subject - ' several of_the morning papers of_the day,' it says, ' speak of_the _conclusive article in Monday's Etoile .' to_me, this article appears conclusive of little beyond the zeal of_its inditer . we_should bear in mind that, in general, it_is_the object of_our newspapers rather to create a sensation -- to_make a point - than to further the cause of truth . the latter end is only pursued when it seems coincident with_the former . the print which merely falls in with ordinary opinion ( however well founded this opinion may_be) earns for itself no credit with_the mob . the mass of_the people regard as profound only him who suggests pungent contradictions of_the general idea . in ratiocination, not less_than in literature, it_is_the epigram which_is the most immediately and_the most universally appreciated . in both, it_is of_the lowest order of merit .

" what I mean to_say is, that_it_is the mingled epigram and melodrame of_the idea, that Marie Rogt still lives, rather than any true plausibility in_this idea, which_have suggested it to L'Etoile, and secured it a favorable reception with_the public . let_us examine the heads of_this journal's argument; endeavoring to avoid the incoherence with_which it_is originally set forth .

" the first aim of_the writer is to show, from_the brevity of_the interval between Marie's disappearance and_the finding of_the floating corpse, that_this corpse cannot_be that of Marie . the reduction of_this interval to its smallest possible dimension, becomes thus, at once, an object with_the reasoner . in_the rash pursuit of_this object, he rushes into mere assumption at_the outset .' it_is folly to suppose,' he_says, ' that_the murder, if murder was committed on her body, could_have_been consummated soon enough to_have enabled her murderers to throw the body into_the river before midnight .' we demand at once, and very naturally, why ? why is_it folly to suppose that_the murder was committed within five minutes_ after_the girl's quitting her mother's house ? why is_it folly to suppose that_the murder was committed at any given period of_the day ? there_have been assassinations at all hours . but, had the murder taken place at any moment between nine o'clock in_the morning of Sunday, and a quarter before midnight, there would still have_been time enough ' to throw the body into_the river before midnight .' this assumption, then, amounts precisely to_this - that_the murder was not committed on Sunday at all - and, if_we allow L'Etoile to assume this, we_may permit it any liberties whatever . the paragraph beginning ' it_is folly to suppose that_the murder, etc .,' however it appears as printed in L'Etoile, may_be imagined to_have existed actually thus in_the brain of_its inditer - ' it_is folly to suppose that_the murder, if murder was committed on_the body, could_have_been committed soon enough to_have enabled her murderers to throw the body into_the river before midnight; it_is folly, we say, to suppose all this, and to suppose at_the same time, ( as_we_are resolved to suppose,) that_the body was not thrown in until after midnight' -- a sentence sufficiently inconsequential in itself, but not so utterly preposterous as_the one printed .

" were it my purpose," continued Dupin, " merely to_make out acase_ against this passage of L'Etoile's argument, I_might safely leave it where it_is . it_is_not, however, with L'Etoile that we_have to_do, but with_the truth . the sentence in_question has but one meaning, as it stands; and this meaning I_have fairly stated: but it_is material that we go behind the mere words, for an idea which these words have obviously intended, and failed to convey . it was_the design of_the journalist to_say that, at whatever period of_the day or night of Sunday this murder was committed, it_was improbable that_the assassins would_have ventured to bear the corpse to_the river before midnight . and herein lies, really, the assumption of_which I complain . it_is assumed that_the murder was committed at such a position, and under such circumstances, that_the bearing it to_the river became necessary . now, the assassination might_have taken place upon_the river's brink, or on_the river itself; and, thus, the throwing the corpse in_the water might_have_been resorted to, at any period of_the day or night, as_the most obvious and most immediate mode of disposal . you_will understand that i_suggest nothing here as probable, or as cincident with my own opinion . my design, so_far, has no reference to_the facts of_the case . i_wish merely to caution you against the whole tone of L'Etoile's suggestion, by calling your attention to its ex parte character at_the outset .

"Having prescribed thus a limit to suit its own preconceived notions; having assumed that, if_this were the body of Marie, it could_have_been in_the water but a very brief time; the journal goes on to_say:

' all experience has shown that drowned bodies, or bodies thrown into_the water immediately after death by violence, require from six to ten days for sufficient decomposition to_take place to bring them to_the top of_the water . even when a cannon is fired over a corpse, and it rises before at_least five or six days' immersion, it sinks again if let alone .'

" these assertions have_been tacitly received by every paper in Paris, with_the exception of Le Moniteur .{*15} this latter print endeavors to combat that portion of_the paragraph which_has reference to ' drowned bodies' only, by citing some five or six instances in_which_the bodies of individuals known to_be drowned were found floating after_the lapse of less time than is insisted upon by L'Etoile . but there_is something excessively unphilosophical in_the attempt on_the_part of Le Moniteur, to rebut the general assertion of L'Etoile, by a citation of particular instances militating against that assertion . had it been possible to adduce fifty instead of five examples of bodies found floating at_the end of two_or_three days, these fifty examples could still have_been properly regarded only as exceptions to L'Etoile's rule, until such time as_the rule itself should_be confuted .Admitting the rule, ( and this Le Moniteur does_not deny, insisting merely upon its exceptions,) the argument of L'Etoile is suffered to remain in full force; for_this argument does_not pretend to involve more than a question of_the probability of_the body having risen to_the surface in less_than three days; and this probability will_be in favor of L'Etoile's position until the instances so childishly adduced shall be sufficient in number to establish an antagonistical rule .

" you_will_see at once that all argument upon_this head should_be urged, if at all, against the rule itself; and for_this end we_must examine the rationale of_the rule . now the human body, in general, is neither much lighter nor much heavier than_the water of_the seine; that_is_to_say, the specific gravity of_the human body, in its natural condition, is about equal to_the bulk of fresh water which it displaces . the bodies of fat and fleshy persons, with small bones, and of women generally, are lighter than those of_the lean and large- boned, and of men; and_the specific gravity of_the water of a river is somewhat influenced by_the presence of_the tide from sea . but, leaving this tide out of question, it may_be said that very few human bodies will sink at all, even in fresh water, of_their own accord . almost any_one, falling into a river, will_be enabled to float, if he suffer the specific gravity of_the water fairly to_be adduced in comparison with_his own - that_is_to_say, if he suffer his whole person to_be immersed, with as little exception as possible . the proper position for_one who_cannot swim, is_the upright position of_the walker on land, with_the head thrown fully back, and immersed; the mouth and nostrils alone remaining above the surface . thus circumstanced, we_shall find that we float without difficulty and without exertion . it_is evident, however, that_the gravities of_the body, and of_the bulk of water displaced, are very nicely balanced, and_that a trifle will cause either to preponderate . an arm, for instance, uplifted from_the water, and thus deprived of_its support, is an additional weight sufficient to immerse the whole head, while the accidental aid of_the smallest piece of timber will enable us to elevate the head so as_to look about . now, in_the struggles of one unused to swimming, the arms are invariably thrown upwards, while an attempt is made to_keep the head in its usual perpendicular position . the result is_the immersion of_the mouth and nostrils, and_the inception, during efforts to breathe while beneath the surface, of water into_the lungs . much is also received into_the stomach, and_the whole body becomes heavier by_the difference between_the weight of_the air originally distending these cavities, and_that of_the fluid which now fills them . this difference is sufficient to cause the body to sink, as a general rule; but is insufficient in_the cases of individuals with small bones and an abnormal quantity of flaccid or fatty matter . such individuals float even after drowning .

" the corpse, being supposed at_the bottom of_the river, will there remain until, by some means, its specific gravity again becomes less_than that of_the bulk of water which it displaces . this effect is brought about by decomposition, or otherwise . the result of decomposition is_the generation of gas, distending the cellular tissues and all the cavities, and giving the puffed appearance which_is so horrible . when_this distension has so_far progressed that_the bulk of_the corpse is materially increased without acorresponding increase of mass or weight, its specific gravity becomes less_than that of_the water displaced, and it forthwith makes its appearance at_the surface . but decomposition is modified by innumerable circumstances - is hastened or retarded by innumerable agencies; for example, by_the heat or cold of_the season, by_the mineral impregnation or purity of_the water, by its depth or shallowness, by its currency or stagnation, by_the temperament of_the body, by its infection or freedom from disease before

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