The Mystery of Marie Roget by Edgar Allan Poe
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be betrayed . that_the secret has_not_been divulged, is_the very best of proof that_it_is, in_fact, a secret . the horrors of_this dark deed are known only to one, or two, living human beings, and to god .

" let_us sum up now the meagre yet certain fruits of_our long analysis . we_have attained the idea either of a fatal accident under the roof of Madame Deluc, or of a murder perpetrated, in_the thicket at_the Barrire du Roule, by a lover, or at_least by an intimate and secret associate of_the deceased . this associate is of swarthy complexion . this complexion, the ' hitch' in_the bandage, and_the ' sailor's knot,' with_which the bonnet- ribbon is tied, point to a seaman . his companionship with_the deceased, a gay, but not an abject young girl, designates him as above the grade of_the common sailor . here the well written and urgent communications to_the journals are much in_the way of corroboration . the circumstance of_the first elopement, as mentioned by Le Mercurie, tends to blend the idea of_this seaman with_that of_the ' naval officer' who_is first known to_have led the unfortunate into crime .

" and here, most fitly, comes the consideration of_the continued absence of him of_the dark complexion . let me pause to observe that_the complexion of_this man is dark and swarthy; it_was no common swarthiness which constituted the sole point of remembrance, both as regards valence and Madame Deluc . but why is_this man absent ? was he murdered by_the gang ? if_so, why are there only traces of_the assassinated girl ? the scene of_the two outrages will naturally be supposed identical . and where is his corpse ? the assassins would most probably have disposed of both in_the same way . but it may_be said that_this man lives, and_is deterred from making himself known, through dread of being charged with_the murder . this consideration might_be supposed to operate upon him now - at_this late period - since it_has_been given in evidence that he_was seen with Marie - but it would_have had no force at_the period of_the deed . the first impulse of an innocent man would_have_been to announce the outrage, and to aid in identifying the ruffians . this policy would_have suggested . he had_been seen with_the girl . he had crossed the river with her in an open ferry- boat . the denouncing of_the assassins would_have appeared, even to an idiot, the surest and sole means of relieving himself from suspicion . we_cannot suppose him, on_the night of_the fatal Sunday, both innocent himself and incognizant of an outrage committed . yet only under such circumstances is_it possible to imagine that he_would_have failed, if alive, in_the denouncement of_the assassins .

" and what means are ours, of attaining the truth ? we_shall find these means multiplying and gathering distinctness as_we proceed . let_us sift to_the bottom this affair of_the first elopement . let_us_know the full history of ' the officer,' with_his present circumstances, and_his whereabouts at_the precise period of_the murder . let_us carefully compare with each_other the various communications sent to_the evening paper, in_which_the object was to inculpate a gang . this done, let_us compare these communications, both as regards style and MS ., with those sent to_the morning paper, at a previous period, and insisting so vehemently upon_the guilt of Mennais . and, all this done, let_us again compare these various communications with_the known MSS . of_the officer . let_us endeavor to ascertain, by repeated questionings of Madame Deluc and her boys, as_well as of_the omnibus driver, valence, something more of_the personal appearance and bearing of_the ' man of dark complexion .' Queries, skilfully directed, will not fail to elicit, from some_of_these parties, information on_this particular point ( or upon others) - information which the parties themselves may not even be aware of possessing . and_let_us now trace the boatpicked up by_the bargeman on_the morning of Monday the twenty- third of June, and which_was removed from_the barge- office, without the cognizance of_the officer in attendance, and without the rudder, at some period prior to_the discovery of_the corpse . with a proper caution and perseverance we_shall infallibly trace this boat; for not_only can the bargeman who picked it up identify it, but the rudder is at hand . the rudder of a sail- boat would_not_have_been abandoned, without inquiry, by one altogether at ease in heart . and here let me pause to insinuate a question . there_was no advertisement of_the picking up of_this boat . it_was silently taken to_the barge- office, and as silently removed . but its owner or employer - how happened he, at so early a period as Tuesday morning, to_be informed, without the agency of advertisement, of_the locality of_the boat taken up on Monday, unless we imagine some connexion with_the navy - some personal permanent connexion leading to cognizance of_its minute in interests - its petty local news ?

" in speaking of_the lonely assassin dragging his burden to_the shore, I_have already suggested the probability of_his availing himself of a boat . now we_are to understand that Marie Rogt was precipitated from a boat . this_would naturally have_been the case . the corpse could_not have_been trusted to_the shallow waters of_the shore . the peculiar marks on_the back and shoulders of_the victim tell of_the bottom ribs of a boat . that_the body was found without weight is also corroborative of_the idea . if thrown from_the shore a weight would_have_been attached . we_can only account for its absence by supposing the murderer to_have neglected the precaution of supplying himself with it before pushing off . in_the act of consigning the corpse to_the water, he_would unquestionably have noticed his oversight; but then no remedy would_have_been at hand . any risk would_have_been preferred to a return to_that accursed shore .Having rid himself of_his ghastly charge, the murderer would_have hastened to_the city . there, at some obscure wharf, he_would_have leaped on land . but the boat - would he have secured it ? he would_have_been in too great haste for such things as securing a boat . moreover, in fastening it to_the wharf, he_would_have felt as_if securing evidence against himself . his natural thought would_have_been to cast from_him, as far as possible, all that had held connection with_his crime . he_would_not only have fled from_the wharf, but he_would_not have permitted the boat to remain . assuredly he_would_have cast it adrift . let_us pursue our fancies .- in_the morning, the wretch is stricken with unutterable horror at finding that_the boat has_been picked up and detained at a locality which he_is in_the daily habit of frequenting - at a locality, perhaps, which his duty compels him to frequent . the next night, without daring to ask for_the rudder, he removes it . now where is_that rudderless boat ? let it be one_of_our first purposes to discover . with_the first glimpse we obtain of it, the dawn of_our success shall begin . this boat shall guide us, with a rapidity which will surprise even ourselves, to him who employed it in_the midnight of_the fatal Sabbath . corroboration will rise upon corroboration, and_the murderer will_be traced ."

[ for reasons which we_shall_not specify, but which to many readers will appear obvious, we_have taken the liberty of here omitting, from_the MSS .placed in_our hands, such portion as details the following up of_the apparently slight clew obtained by Dupin . we_feel it advisable only to state, in brief, that_the result desired was brought to_pass; and_that the prefect fulfilled punctually, although with reluctance, the terms of_his compact with_the Chevalier .Mr Poe's article concludes with_the following words .- Eds .{*23}]

it_will_be understood that I speak of coincidences and no more . what I_have said above upon_this topic must suffice . in my own heart there dwells no faith in prter- nature . that nature and its god are two, no man who thinks, will deny . that_the latter, creating the former, can, at will, control or modify it, is also unquestionable . I_say " at will;" for_the question is of will, and not, as_the insanity of logic has assumed, of power . it_is_not that_the deity cannot modify his laws, but that we insult him in imagining a possible necessity for modification . in their origin these laws were fashioned to embrace all contingencies which could lie in_the_future . with god all is now .

I repeat, then, that I speak of_these things only as of coincidences . and farther: in what I relate it_will_be seen that between_the fate of_the unhappy Mary Cecilia Rogers, so_far as_that fate is known, and_the fate of one Marie Rogt up_to a certain epoch in her history, there has existed a parallel in_the contemplation of whose wonderful exactitude the reason becomes embarrassed . I_say all this_will_be seen . but let it not for a moment be supposed that, in proceeding with_the sad narrative of Marie from_the epoch just mentioned, and in tracing to its dnouement the mystery which enshrouded her, it_is my covert design to hint at an extension of_the parallel, or even to suggest_that the measures adopted in Paris for_the discovery of_the assassin of agrisette, or measures founded in any similar ratiocination, would produce any similar result .

for, in respect to_the latter branch of_the supposition, it should_be considered that_the most trifling variation in_the facts of_the two cases might give rise to_the most important miscalculations, by diverting thoroughly the two courses of events; very_much as, in arithmetic, an error which, in its own individuality, may_be inappreciable, produces, at_length, by dint of multiplication at all points of_the process, a result enormously at variance with truth . and, in regard to_the former branch, we_must not fail to hold in view that_the very Calculus of Probabilities to_which I_have referred, forbids all idea of_the extension of_the parallel: - forbids it with apositiveness strong and decided just in proportion as_this parallel has already been long- drawn and exact . this_is one of_those anomalous propositions which, seemingly appealing to thought altogether apart from_the mathematical, is yet one which only the mathematician can fully entertain . nothing, for example, is more difficult than to_convince the merely general reader that_the fact of sixes having been thrown twice in succession by a player at dice, is sufficient cause for betting the largest odds that sixes will_not_be thrown in_the third attempt .a suggestion to_this effect is usually rejected by_the intellect at once . it does_not appear that_the two throws which_have been completed, and which lie now absolutely in_the_past, can_have influence upon_the throw which exists only in_the_future . the chance for throwing sixes seems_to_be precisely as it_was at any ordinary time - that_is_to_say, subject only to_the influence of_the various other throws which_may_be made by_the dice . and this_is a reflection which appears so exceedingly obvious that attempts to controvert it are received more frequently with a derisive smile than with anything like respectful attention . the error here involved - a gross error redolent of mischief - I_cannot pretend to expose within_the limits assigned me at present; and with_the philosophical it needs no exposure . it may_be sufficient here to_say that_it forms one of an infinite series of mistakes which arise in_the path or reason through her propensity for seeking truth in detail .

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FOOTNOTES--Marie Rogt

{*1} upon_the original publication of "Marie Roget," the foot-notes now appended were considered unnecessary; but the lapse of several years since_the tragedy upon_which the tale is based, renders it expedient to_give them, and also to_say a few words in explanation of_the general design .a young girl, Mary Cecilia Rogers, was murdered in_the vicinity of New_York; and, although her death occasioned an intense and long-enduring excitement, the mystery attending it had remained unsolved at_the period when_the present paper was written and published ( November, 1842) .Herein, under pretence of relating the fate of aParisian grisette, the author has followed in minute detail, the essential, while merely paralleling the inessential facts of_the real murder of Mary Rogers . thus all argument founded upon_the fiction is applicable to_the truth: and_the investigation of_the truth was_the object . the " mystery of Marie Roget" was composed at a distance from_the scene of_the atrocity, and with no other means of investigation than_the newspapers afforded . thus much escaped the writer of_which he could_have availed himself had he been upon_the spot, and visited the localities . it may not be improper to record, nevertheless, that_the confessions of two persons, ( one_of_them the Madame Deluc of_the narrative) made, at different periods, long subsequent to_the publication, confirmed, in full, not_only the general conclusion, but absolutely all the chief hypothetical details by_which that conclusion was attained .

{*2} the nom de plume of Von Hardenburg .

{*3} Nassau street .

{*4} Anderson .

{*5} the Hudson .

{*6} Weehawken .

{*7} Payne .

{*8} Crommelin .

{*9} the New_York " mercury ."

(*10} the New_York " brother Jonathan," edited by H .Hastings weld, Esq .

{*11} New_York " journal of commerce ."

{*12} Philadelphia " Saturday evening post," edited by C .I . Peterson, Esq .

{*13} Adam

{*14} see "Murders in_the rue morgue ."

{*15} the New_York " commercial advertiser," edited by Col . stone .

{*16} "A theory based on_the qualities of an object, will prevent its being unfolded according to its objects; and he who arranges topics in reference to_their causes, will cease to value them according to_their results . thus the jurisprudence of every nation will show that, when law becomes a science and a system, it ceases to_be justice . the errors into which a blind devotion to principles of classification has led the common law, will_be seen by observing how often the legislature has_been obliged to_come forward to restore the equity its scheme had lost ." - Landor .

{*17} New_York " express"

{*18} NewYork " herald ."

{*19} New_York " courier and inquirer ."

{*20} Mennais was one_of_the parties originally suspected and arrested, but discharged through total lack of evidence .

{*21} New_York " courier and inquirer ."

{*22} New_York " evening post ."

{*23} of_the magazine in_which_the article was originally published .

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