The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe
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. you_have nothing to conceal . you_have no reason for concealment . on_the other hand, you_are bound by every principle of honor to confess all you_know . an innocent man is now imprisoned, charged with_that crime of which_you_can point out the perpetrator ."

the sailor had recovered his presence of mind, in a great measure, while Dupin uttered these words; but his original boldness of bearing was all gone .

" so help me god," said he, after a brief pause, " i_will tell you all I_know about_this affair; - but I_do_not expect you to_believe one half I_say - i_would_be a fool indeed if I_did . still, I_am innocent, and_I_will make a clean breast if I die for_it ."

what he stated was, in substance, this . he had lately made a voyage to_the Indian archipelago .a party, of_which he formed one, landed at Borneo, and passed into_the interior on an excursion of pleasure . himself and a companion had captured the Ourang- Outang . this companion dying, the animal fell into his own exclusive possession . after great trouble, occasioned by_the intractable ferocity of_his captive during the home voyage, he at_length succeeded in lodging it safely at his own residence in Paris, where, not to attract toward himself the unpleasant curiosity of_his neighbors, he kept it carefully secluded, until such time as it should recover from a wound in_the foot, received from a splinter on board ship . his ultimate design was to_sell it .

Returning home from some sailors' frolic the night, or rather in_the morning of_the murder, he_found the beast occupying his own bed- room, into which it had broken from a closet adjoining, where it had_been, as was thought, securely confined . razor in hand, and fully lathered, it_was sitting before a looking- glass, attempting the operation of shaving, in_which it had no_doubt previously watched its master through_the key- hole of_the closet . terrified at_the sight of so dangerous a weapon in_the possession of an animal so ferocious, and so_well able to use it, the man, for some moments, was at a loss what to_do . he had_been accustomed, however, to quiet the creature, even in its fiercest moods, by_the use of a whip, and to_this he now resorted . upon sight of it, the Ourang-Outang sprang at once through_the door of_the chamber, down the stairs, and thence, through a window, unfortunately open, into_the street .

the Frenchman followed in despair; the ape, razor still in hand, occasionally stopping to look back and gesticulate at its pursuer, until the latter had nearly come up with it . it then again made off . in_this manner the chase continued for_a_long_time . the streets were profoundly quiet, as it_was nearly three o'clock in_the morning . in passing down an alley in_the rear of_the rue morgue, the fugitive's attention was arrested by a light gleaming from_the open window of Madame L'Espanaye's chamber, in_the fourth story of her house .Rushing to_the building, it perceived the lightning rod, clambered up with inconceivable agility, grasped the shutter, which_was thrown fully back against the wall, and, by its means, swung itself directly upon_the headboard of_the bed . the whole feat did_not occupy a minute . the shutter was kicked open again by_the Ourang-Outang as it entered the room .

the sailor, in_the meantime, was both rejoiced and perplexed . he had strong hopes of now recapturing the brute, as it could scarcely escape from_the trap into which it had ventured, except by_the rod, where it might_be intercepted as it came down . on_the other hand, there_was much cause for anxiety as_to what it might do in_the house . this latter reflection urged the man still to_follow the fugitive .a lightning rod is ascended without difficulty, especially by a sailor; but, when he had arrived as high as_the window, which lay far to_his left, his career was stopped; the most that he_could accomplish was to reach over so as_to obtain a glimpse of_the interior of_the room . at_this glimpse he nearly fell from_his hold through excess of horror . now it_was that_those hideous shrieks arose upon_the night, which had startled from slumber the inmates of_the rue morgue .Madame L'Espanaye and her daughter, habited in their night clothes, had apparently been occupied in arranging some papers in_the iron chest already mentioned, which had_been wheeled into_the middle of_the room . it_was open, and its contents lay beside it on_the floor . the victims must_have been sitting with their backs toward the window; and, from_the time elapsing between_the ingress of_the beast and_the screams, it seems probable that_it_was not immediately perceived . the flapping- to of_the shutter would naturally have_been attributed to_the wind .

as_the sailor looked in, the gigantic animal had seized Madame L'Espanaye by_the hair, ( which_was loose, as she had_been combing it,) and was flourishing the razor about her face, in imitation of_the motions of a barber . the daughter lay prostrate and motionless; she had swooned . the screams and struggles of_the old lady ( during which the hair was torn from her head) had the effect of changing the probably pacific purposes of_the Ourang-Outang into those of wrath . with one determined sweep of_its muscular arm it nearly severed her head from her body . the sight of blood inflamed its anger into phrenzy .Gnashing its teeth, and flashing fire from its eyes, it flew upon_the body of_the girl, and imbedded its fearful talons in her throat, retaining its grasp until she expired . its wandering and wild glances fell at_this moment upon_the head of_the bed, over which the face of_its master, rigid with horror, was just discernible . the fury of_the beast, who no_doubt bore still in mind the dreaded whip, was instantly converted into fear . conscious of having deserved punishment, it seemed desirous of concealing its bloody deeds, and skipped about_the chamber in an agony of nervous agitation; throwing down and breaking the furniture as it moved, and dragging the bed from_the bedstead . in conclusion, it seized first the corpse of_the daughter, and thrust it up the chimney, as it_was found; then that of_the old lady, which it immediately hurled through_the window headlong .

as_the ape approached the casement with its mutilated burden, the sailor shrank aghast to_the rod, and, rather gliding than clambering down it, hurried at once home - dreading the consequences of_the butchery, and gladly abandoning, in_his terror, all solicitude about_the fate of_the Ourang-Outang . the words heard by_the party upon_the staircase were the Frenchman's exclamations of horror and affright, commingled with_the fiendish jabberings of_the brute .

I_have scarcely anything to add . the Ourang-Outang must_have escaped from_the chamber, by_the rod, just before_the break of_the door . it must_have closed the window as it passed through it . it_was subsequently caught by_the owner himself, who obtained for_it a very large sum at_the Jardin des Plantes .Le Don was instantly released, upon our narration of_the circumstances ( with some comments from Dupin) at_the bureau of_the prefect of police . this functionary, however well disposed to my friend, could_not altogether conceal his chagrin at_the turn which affairs had taken, and was fain to indulge in a sarcasm or two, about_the propriety of every person minding his own business .

" let him talk," said Dupin, who had_not thought it necessary to reply ." let him discourse; it_will ease his conscience, I_am satisfied with having defeated him in_his own castle . nevertheless, that he failed in_the solution of_this mystery, is by no means that matter for wonder which he supposes it; for, in truth, our friend the prefect is somewhat too cunning to_be profound . in_his wisdom is no _stamen . it_is all head and no body, like the pictures of_the goddess Laverna, -- or, at best, all head and shoulders, like a codfish . but he_is a good creature after all .I like him especially for_one master stroke of cant, by_which he has attained his reputation for ingenuity .I mean the way he has '_de nier ce qui EST, et d'expliquer ce qui n' EST pas .' " *

* Rousseau - Nouvelle Heloise .

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