The Mystery of Marie Roget by Edgar Allan Poe
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scarf are found deposited as_if upon shelves .' the pieces of_the frock torn out by_the bushes were about three inches wide and six inches long . one part was_the hem of_the frock and it had_been mended . they looked like strips torn off .' here, inadvertently, Le Soleil has employed an exceedingly suspicious phrase . the pieces, as described, do indeed ' look like strips torn off;' but purposely and by hand . it_is one_of_the rarest of accidents that a piece is 'torn off,' from any garment such as is now in_question, by_the agency of a thorn . from_the very nature of_such fabrics, a thorn or nail becoming entangled in_them, tears them rectangularly - divides them into two longitudinal rents, at right angles with each_other, and meeting at an apex where the thorn enters - but it_is scarcely possible to conceive the piece 'torn off .' I never so knew it, nor did you . to tear a piece off from such fabric, two distinct forces, in different directions, will_be, in almost every case, required . if there be two edges to_the fabric - if, for example, it be a pocket- handkerchief, and it_is desired to tear from_it a slip, then, and then only, will the one force serve the purpose . but in_the present case the question is of a dress, presenting but one edge . to tear a piece from_the interior, where no edge is presented, could only be effected by a miracle through_the agency of thorns, and no one thorn could accomplish it . but, even where an edge is presented, two thorns will_be necessary, operating, the one in two distinct directions, and_the other in one . and this in_the supposition that_the edge is unhemmed . if hemmed, the matter is nearly out_of_the_question . we thus see the numerous and great obstacles in_the way of pieces being 'torn off' through_the simple agency of 'thorns;' yet we_are required to_believe not_only that one piece but that many have_been so torn .' and one part,' too, ' was_the hem of_the frock ! ' another piece was ' part of_the skirt, not the hem,' - that_is_to_say, was torn completely out through_the agency of thorns, from_the uncaged interior of_the dress ! these, I_say, are things which one may well be pardoned for disbelieving; yet, taken collectedly, they form, perhaps, less of reasonable ground for suspicion, than_the one startling circumstance of_the articles' having been left in_this thicket at all, by any murderers who had enough precaution to_think of removing the corpse . you_will_not_have apprehended me rightly, however, if_you suppose it my design to deny this thicket as_the scene of_the outrage . there might_have_been a wrong here, or, more possibly, an accident at Madame Deluc's . but, in_fact, this_is a point of minor importance . we_are_not engaged in an attempt to discover the scene, but to_produce the perpetrators of_the murder . what I_have adduced, notwithstanding the minuteness with_which I_have adduced it, has_been with_the view, first, to show the folly of_the positive and headlong assertions of Le Soleil, but secondly and chiefly, to bring you, by_the most natural route, to a further contemplation of_the doubt whether this assassination has, or has_not_been, the work of a gang .

" we_will resume this question by mere allusion to_the revolting details of_the surgeon examined at_the inquest . it_is only necessary to_say that_is published inferences, in regard to_the number of ruffians, have_been properly ridiculed as unjust and totally baseless, by all the reputable anatomists of Paris . not that_the matter might_not have_been as inferred, but that there_was no ground for_the inference: - was there not much for another ?

" let_us reflect now upon ' the traces of a struggle;' and let me ask what these traces have_been supposed to demonstrate .a gang . but do they not rather demonstrate the absence of a gang ? what struggle could_have taken place - what struggle so violent and so enduring as to_have left its 'traces' in all directions - between a weak and defenceless girl and_the gang of ruffians imagined ? the silent grasp of a few rough arms and all would_have_been over . the victim must_have been absolutely passive at their will . you_will here bear in mind that_the arguments urged against the thicket as_the scene, are applicable in chief part, only against it as_the scene of an outrage committed by more than a single individual . if_we imagine but one violator, we_can conceive, and thus only conceive, the struggle of so violent and so obstinate a nature as to_have left the 'traces' apparent .

" and again . I_have already mentioned the suspicion to_be excited by_the fact that_the articles in_question were suffered to remain at all in_the thicket where discovered . it seems almost impossible that_these evidences of guilt should_have_been accidentally left where found . there_was sufficient presence of mind ( it_is supposed) to remove the corpse; and yet a more positive evidence than_the corpse itself ( whose features might_have_been quickly obliterated by decay,) is allowed to lie conspicuously in_the scene of_the outrage - I allude to_the handkerchief with_the name of_the deceased . if this_was accident, it_was not the accident of a gang . we_can imagine it only the accident of an individual . let_us_see . an individual has committed the murder . he_is alone with_the ghost of_the departed . he_is appalled by what lies motionless before him . the fury of_his passion is over, and there_is abundant room in_his heart for_the natural awe of_the deed . his is none of_that confidence which the presence of numbers inevitably inspires . he_is alone with_the dead . he trembles and_is bewildered . yet there_is a necessity for disposing of_the corpse . he bears it to_the river, but leaves behind him the other evidences of guilt; for_it is difficult, if_not impossible to carry all the burthen at once, and it_will_be easy to return for what_is left . but in_his toilsome journey to_the water his fears redouble within him . the sounds of life encompass his path .a dozen times he hears or fancies the step of an observer . even the very lights from_the city bewilder him . yet, in_time and by long and frequent pauses of deep agony, he reaches the river's brink, and disposes of_his ghastly charge - perhaps through_the medium of a boat . but now what treasure does the world hold - what threat of vengeance could it hold out - which would_have power to urge the return of_that lonely murderer over that toilsome and perilous path, to_the thicket and its blood chilling recollections ? he returns not, let the consequences be what they_may . he_could_not return if he_would . his sole thought is immediate escape . he turns his back forever upon those dreadful shrubberies and flees as from_the wrath to_come .

" but how with a gang ? their number would_have inspired them with confidence; if, indeed confidence is ever wanting in_the breast of_the arrant blackguard; and of arrant blackguards alone are the supposed gangs ever constituted . their number, I_say, would_have prevented the bewildering and unreasoning terror which I_have imagined to paralyze the single man . could we suppose an oversight in one, or two, or three, this oversight would_have_been remedied by a fourth . they_would_have left nothing behind them; for their number would_have enabled them to carry all at once . there would_have_been no need of return .

" consider now the circumstance that in_the outer garment of_the corpse when found, 'a slip, about a foot wide had_been torn upward from_the bottom hem to_the waist wound three times round the waist, and secured by a sort of hitch in_the back .' this was_done with_the obvious design of affording a handle by_which to carry the body . but would any number of men have dreamed of resorting to such an expedient ? to three or four, the limbs of_the corpse would_have afforded not_only a sufficient, but the best possible hold . the device is_that of a single individual; and this brings us to_the fact that ' between_the thicket and_the river, the rails of_the fences were found taken down, and_the ground bore evident traces of some heavy burden having been dragged along it ! ' but would a number of men have put themselves to_the superfluous trouble of taking down a fence, for_the_purpose of dragging through it a corpse which they_might have lifted over any fence in an instant ? would a number of men have so dragged a corpse at all as to_have left evident traces of_the dragging ?

" and here we_must refer to an observation of Le Commerciel; an observation upon_which I_have already, in some measure, commented .'A piece,' says this journal, ' of one_of_the unfortunate girl's petticoats was torn out and tied under her chin, and around the back of her head, probably to_prevent screams . this was_done by fellows who had no pocket-handkerchiefs .'

" I_have before suggested that a genuine blackguard is never without a pocket- handkerchief . but it_is_not to_this fact that I now especially advert . that_it_was not through want of a handkerchief for_the_purpose imagined by Le Commerciel, that_this bandage was employed, is rendered apparent by_the handkerchief left in_the thicket; and_that the object was not ' to_prevent screams' appears, also, from_the bandage having been employed in preference to what would so_much better have answered the purpose . but the language of_the evidence speaks of_the strip in_question as ' found around the neck, fitting loosely, and secured with a hard knot .' these words are sufficiently vague, but differ materially from those of Le Commerciel . the slip was eighteen inches wide, and therefore, although of muslin, would form a strong band when folded or rumpled longitudinally . and thus rumpled it_was discovered . my inference is_this . the solitary murderer, having borne the corpse, for some distance, ( whether from_the thicket or elsewhere) by_means of_the bandage hitched around its middle, found the weight, in_this mode of procedure, too_much for_his strength . he resolved to drag the burthen - the evidence goes to show that_it_was dragged . with_this object in view, it became necessary to attach something like a rope to one_of_the extremities . it could_be best attached about_the neck, where the head would prevent its slipping off . and, now, the murderer bethought him, unquestionably, of_the bandage about_the loins . he_would_have used this, but for its volution about_the corpse, the hitch which embarrassed it, and_the reflection that_it had_not_been 'torn off' from_the garment . it_was easier to tear a new slip from_the petticoat . he tore it, made it fast about_the neck, and so dragged his victim to_the brink of_the river . that_this 'bandage,' only attainable with trouble and delay, and but imperfectly answering its purpose - that_this bandage was employed at all, demonstrates that_the necessity for its employment sprang from circumstances arising at a period when_the handkerchief was no longer attainable -- that_is_to_say, arising, as we_have imagined, after quitting the thicket, ( if_the thicket it_was), and on_the road between_the thicket and_the river .

" but the evidence, you_will say, of Madame Deluc, ( ! ) points especially to_the presence of a gang, in_the vicinity of_the thicket, at or about_the epoch of_the murder . this I grant . I_doubt if there were_not a dozen gangs, such as described by Madame Deluc, in and about_the vicinity of_the Barrire du Roule at or about_the period of_this tragedy . but the gang which_has drawn upon itself the pointed animadversion, although the somewhat tardy and very suspicious evidence of Madame Deluc, is_the only gang which_is represented by_that honest and scrupulous old lady as having eaten her cakes and swallowed her brandy, without putting themselves to_the trouble of making her payment .Et hinc ill ir ?

" but what_is the precise evidence of Madame Deluc ? 'A gang of miscreants made their appearance, behaved boisterously, ate and drank without making payment, followed in_the route of_the young man and girl, returned to_the inn about dusk, and recrossed the river as_if in great haste .'

" now this ' great haste' very possibly seemed greater haste in_the eyes of Madame Deluc, since she dwelt lingeringly and lamentingly upon her violated cakes and ale - cakes and ale for_which she might still have entertained a faint hope of compensation . why, otherwise, since it_was about dusk, should she make a point of_the haste ? it_is no cause for wonder, surely, that even a gang of blackguards should make haste to_get home, when a wide river is_to_be crossed in small boats, when storm impends, and when night approaches .

" I_say approaches; for_the night had_not yet arrived . it_was only about dusk that_the indecent haste of_these 'miscreants' offended the sober eyes of Madame Deluc . but we_are told that_it_was upon_this very evening that Madame Deluc, as_well as her eldest son, ' heard the screams of a female in_the vicinity of_the inn .' and in what words does Madame Deluc designate the period of_the evening at which these screams were heard ? ' it_was soon after dark,' she says . but ' soon after dark,' is, at_least, dark; and ' about dusk' is as certainly daylight . thus it_is abundantly clear that_the gang quitted the Barrire du Roule prior to_the screams overheard ( ? ) by Madame Deluc . and although, in all the many reports of_the evidence, the relative expressions in_question are distinctly and invariably employed just as I_have employed them in_this conversation with yourself, no notice whatever of_the gross discrepancy has, as_yet, been taken by any of_the public journals, or by any of_the Myrmidons of police .

" I_shall add but one to_the arguments against a gang; but this_one has, to my own understanding at_least, a weight altogether irresistible . under the circumstances of large reward offered, and full pardon to any king's evidence, it_is_not to_be imagined, for a moment, that some member of a gang of low ruffians, or of any body of men, would_not long_ago have betrayed his accomplices . each_one of a gang so placed, is_not so_much greedy of reward, or anxious for escape, as fearful of betrayal . he betrays eagerly and early that he_may not himself be betrayed

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