The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe
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nailed down very securely - did_not appear to_have_been opened for years . the time elapsing between_the hearing of_the voices in contention and_the breaking open of_the room door, was variously stated by_the witnesses . some made it as short as three minutes - some as long as five . the door was opened with difficulty .

"_Alfonzo Garcio_, undertaker, deposes that he resides in_the rue morgue . is a native of Spain . was one_of_the party who entered the house . did_not proceed up stairs . is nervous, and was apprehensive of_the consequences of agitation . heard the voices in contention . the gruff voice was_that of aFrenchman . could_not distinguish what_was said . the shrill voice was_that of an Englishman - is sure of_this . does_not understand the English language, but judges by_the intonation .

"_Alberto Montani_, confectioner, deposes that he_was among_the first to ascend the stairs . heard the voices in_question . the gruff voice was_that of aFrenchman . distinguished several words . the speaker appeared to_be expostulating . could_not make out the words of_the shrill voice . spoke quick and unevenly . thinks it the voice of a Russian .Corroborates the general testimony . is an Italian . never conversed with a native of Russia .

" several witnesses, recalled, here testified that_the chimneys of all the rooms on_the fourth story were too narrow to admit the passage of a human being . by 'sweeps' were meant cylindrical sweeping brushes, such as are employed by_those who clean chimneys . these brushes were passed up and down every flue in_the house . there_is no back passage by_which any_one could_have descended while the party proceeded up stairs . the body of Mademoiselle L'Espanaye was so firmly wedged in_the chimney that_it could_not_be got down until four or five of_the party united their strength .

"_Paul Dumas_, physician, deposes that he_was called to view the bodies about day- break . they were both then lying on_the sacking of_the bedstead in_the chamber where Mademoiselle L . was found . the corpse of_the young lady was much bruised and excoriated . the fact that_it had_been thrust up the chimney would sufficiently account for_these appearances . the throat was greatly chafed . there were several deep scratches just below the chin, together with a series of livid spots which were evidently the impression of fingers . the face was fearfully discolored, and_the eye-balls protruded . the tongue had_been partially bitten through .a large bruise was discovered upon_the pit of_the stomach, produced, apparently, by_the pressure of aknee . in_the opinion of M .Dumas, Mademoiselle L'Espanaye had_been throttled to death by some person or persons unknown . the corpse of_the mother was horribly mutilated . all the bones of_the right leg and arm were more or less shattered . the left tibia much splintered, as_well as all the ribs of_the left side . whole body dreadfully bruised and discolored . it_was not possible to_say how the injuries had_been inflicted .a heavy club of wood, or a broad bar of iron - a chair - any large, heavy, and obtuse weapon would_have produced such results, if wielded by_the hands of a very powerful man . no woman could_have inflicted the blows with any weapon . the head of_the deceased, when seen by witness, was entirely separated from_the body, and was also greatly shattered . the throat had evidently been cut with some very sharp instrument - probably with a razor .

"_Alexandre Etienne_, surgeon, was called with M .Dumas to view the bodies .Corroborated the testimony, and_the opinions of M .Dumas .

" nothing farther of importance was elicited, although several_other persons were examined .a murder so mysterious, and so perplexing in all its particulars, was never before committed in Paris - if indeed a murder has_been committed at all . the police are entirely at fault - an unusual occurrence in affairs of_this nature . there_is not, however, the shadow of a clew apparent ."

the evening edition of_the paper stated that_the greatest excitement still continued in_the Quartier St .Roch - that_the premises in_question had_been carefully re- searched, and fresh examinations of witnesses instituted, but all to no purpose .a postscript, however, mentioned that Adolphe Le Bon had_been arrested and imprisoned - although nothing appeared to criminate him, beyond the facts already detailed .

Dupin seemed singularly interested in_the progress of_this affair -- at_least so I judged from_his manner, for he_made no comments . it_was only after_the announcement that Le Bon had_been imprisoned, that he asked me my opinion respecting the murders .

I_could merely agree with all Paris in considering them an insoluble mystery . I_saw no means by_which it would_be possible to trace the murderer .

" we_must not judge of_the means," said Dupin, " by_this shell of an examination . the Parisian police, so_much extolled for acumen_, are cunning, but no more . there_is no method in their proceedings, beyond the method of_the moment . they make a vast parade of measures; but, not unfrequently, these are so ill adapted to_the objects proposed, as to_put us in mind of Monsieur Jourdain's calling for_his _robe-de-chambre - pour mieux entendre la musique . the results attained by_them are_not unfrequently surprising, but, for_the most part, are brought about by simple diligence and activity . when these qualities are unavailing, their schemes fail .Vidocq, for example, was a good guesser and apersevering man . but, without educated thought, he erred continually by_the very intensity of_his investigations . he impaired his vision by holding the object too close . he might see, perhaps, one_or_two points with unusual clearness, but in so doing he, necessarily, lost sight of_the matter as a whole . thus there_is such a thing as being too profound . truth is_not always in a well . in_fact, as regards the more important knowledge, I_do believe that she_is invariably superficial . the depth lies in_the valleys where we seek her, and not upon_the mountain-tops where she_is found . the modes and sources of_this kind of error are well typified in_the contemplation of_the heavenly bodies . to look at a star by glances - to view it in a side- long way, by turning toward it the exterior portions of_the retina ( more susceptible of feeble impressions of light than_the interior), is to behold the star distinctly - is to_have the best appreciation of_its lustre - alustre which grows dim just in proportion as_we turn our vision _fully upon it .a greater number of rays actually fall upon_the eye in_the latter case, but, in_the former, there_is the more refined capacity for comprehension . by undue profundity we perplex and enfeeble thought; and it_is possible to_make even Venus herself vanish from_the firmanent by a scrutiny too sustained, too concentrated, or too direct .

" as for_these murders, let_us enter into some examinations for ourselves, before we_make up an opinion respecting them . an inquiry will afford us amusement," [ i_thought this an odd term, so applied, but said nothing] " and, besides, Le Bon once rendered me a service for_which I_am not ungrateful . we_will go and_see the premises with_our own eyes . I_know G----, the prefect of police, and shall_have no difficulty in obtaining the necessary permission ."

the permission was obtained, and we proceeded at once to_the rue morgue . this_is one of_those miserable thoroughfares which intervene between_the rue Richelieu and_the rue St .Roch . it_was late in_the afternoon when we reached it; as_this quarter is at a great distance from_that in_which we resided . the house was readily found; for there were still many persons gazing up at_the closed shutters, with an objectless curiosity, from_the opposite side of_the way . it_was an ordinary Parisian house, with a gateway, on one side of which_was a glazed watch- box, with asliding panel in_the window, indicating a_loge de concierge . before going in we walked up the street, turned down an alley, and then, again turning, passed in_the rear of_the building - Dupin, meanwhile examining the whole neighborhood, as_well as_the house, with a minuteness of attention for_which I could_see no possible object .

Retracing our steps, we came again to_the front of_the dwelling, rang, and, having shown our credentials, were admitted by_the agents in charge . we went up stairs - into_the chamber where the body of Mademoiselle L'Espanaye had_been found, and where both the deceased still lay . the disorders of_the room had, as usual, been suffered to exist . I_saw nothing beyond what had_been stated in_the " gazette des Tribunaux ." Dupin scrutinized every thing - not excepting the bodies of_the victims . we then went into_the other rooms, and into_the yard; agendarme accompanying us throughout . the examination occupied us until dark, when we took our departure . on_our way home my companion stepped in for a moment at_the office of one_of_the daily papers .

I_have said that_the whims of_my friend were manifold, and_that Je les mnagais_: - for_this phrase there_is no English equivalent . it_was his humor, now, to decline all conversation on_the_subject of_the murder, until about noon the next_day . he then asked me, suddenly, if I had observed any thing peculiar at_the scene of_the atrocity .

there_was something in_his manner of emphasizing the word " peculiar," which caused me to shudder, without knowing why .

" no, nothing peculiar_," I_said; " nothing more, at_least, than we both saw stated in_the paper ."

" the ' gazette,' " he replied, " has_not entered, I_fear, into_the unusual horror of_the thing . but dismiss the idle opinions of_this print . it appears to_me that_this mystery is considered insoluble, for_the very reason which should cause it to_be regarded as easy of solution - I mean for_the outr character of_its features . the police are confounded by_the seeming absence of motive - not for_the murder itself - but for_the atrocity of_the murder . they_are puzzled, too, by_the seeming impossibility of reconciling the voices heard in contention, with_the facts that no one was discovered up stairs but the assassinated Mademoiselle L'Espanaye, and_that there were no means of egress without the notice of_the party ascending . the wild disorder of_the room; the corpse thrust, with_the head downward, up the chimney; the frightful mutilation of_the body of_the old lady; these considerations, with those just mentioned, and others which I_need not mention, have sufficed to paralyze the powers, by putting completely at fault the boasted acumen_, of_the government agents . they_have fallen into_the gross but common error of confounding the unusual with_the abstruse . but it_is by_these deviations from_the plane of_the ordinary, that reason feels its way, if at all, in its search for_the true . in investigations such as_we_are now pursuing, it should_not_be so_much asked ' what has occurred,' as ' what has occurred that has never occurred before .' in_fact, the facility with_which I_shall arrive, or have arrived, at_the solution of_this mystery, is in_the direct ratio of_its apparent insolubility in_the eyes of_the police ."

I stared at_the speaker in mute astonishment .

" I_am now awaiting," continued he, looking toward the door of_our apartment - " I_am now awaiting a person who, although perhaps not the perpetrator of_these butcheries, must_have been in some measure implicated in their perpetration . of_the worst portion of_the crimes committed, it_is probable that he_is innocent . I_hope_that I_am right in_this supposition; for upon it I build my expectation of reading the entire riddle .I look for_the man here - in_this room - every moment . it_is true that he_may not arrive; but the probability is_that he_will . should he come, it_will_be necessary to detain him . here are pistols; and we both know how to use them when occasion demands their use ."

i_took the pistols, scarcely knowing what I_did, or believing what I heard, while Dupin went on, very_much as_if in a soliloquy . I_have already spoken of_his abstract manner at such times . his discourse was addressed to myself; but his voice, although by no means loud, had that intonation which_is commonly employed in speaking to some one at a great distance . his eyes, vacant in expression, regarded only the wall .

" that_the voices heard in contention," he_said, " by_the party upon_the stairs, were_not the voices of_the women themselves, was fully proved by_the evidence . this relieves us of all doubt upon_the question whether the old lady could_have first destroyed the daughter and afterward have committed suicide .I speak of_this point chiefly for_the sake of method; for_the strength of Madame L'Espanaye would_have_been utterly unequal to_the task of thrusting her daughter's corpse up the chimney as it_was found; and_the nature of_the wounds upon her own person entirely preclude the idea of self- destruction . murder, then, has_been committed by some third party; and_the voices of_this third party were those heard in contention . let me now advert - not to_the whole testimony respecting these voices - but to what_was peculiar in_that testimony . did you observe any thing peculiar about_it ? "

I remarked that, while all the witnesses agreed in supposing the gruff voice to_be that of aFrenchman, there_was much disagreement in regard to_the shrill, or, as one individual termed it, the harsh voice .

" that was_the evidence itself," said Dupin, " but it_was not the peculiarity of_the evidence . you_have observed nothing distinctive . yet there_was something to_be observed . the witnesses, as_you remark, agreed about_the gruff voice; they were here unanimous . but in regard to_the shrill voice, the peculiarity is - not that_they disagreed - but that, while an Italian, an Englishman, a Spaniard, aHollander, and aFrenchman attempted to describe it, each_one spoke of it as_that of a foreigner . each is sure that_it_was not the voice of one of_his own countrymen . each likens it - not to_the voice of an individual of any nation with whose language he_is conversant - but the converse . the Frenchman supposes it the voice of a Spaniard, and ' might_have distinguished some words had he been acquainted with_the Spanish .' the Dutchman maintains it to_have_been that of aFrenchman; but we_find

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