"Reperuse now that portion argument reference identification corpse by Beauvais In regard hair arm, L'Etoile obviously disingenuous M Beauvais, not being an idiot, could never have urged, in identification corpse, simply hair upon its arm No arm is without hair The generality expression of L'Etoile is mere perversion witness' phraseology spoken of some peculiarity hair It must peculiarity of color, of quantity, of length, or of situation

" 'Her foot,' says the journal, 'was small - so are thousands of feet Her garter is no proof whatever - nor is her shoe - for shoes and garters are sold in packages The same said flowers in her hat M Beauvais strongly insists is, clasp garter found, set back it in This amounts to nothing; for most women find it proper pair of garters home and fit them size limbs to encircle, rather than them store where they purchase ' Here difficult to suppose the reasoner in earnest Had M Beauvais, search body of Marie, discovered corpse corresponding in general size and appearance missing girl, he warranted (without reference question of habiliment at all) in forming an opinion that his search successful If, point of general size and contour, he had found arm peculiar hairy appearance which he had observed living Marie, his opinion justly strengthened; increase of positiveness might well ratio peculiarity, or unusualness, hairy mark If, the feet of Marie being small, those corpse were also small, the increase of probability body of Marie an increase in ratio merely arithmetical, but in one highly geometrical, or accumulative Add to all this shoes such as she known to wear day of her disappearance, and, although these shoes 'sold in packages,' you augment the probability verge certain What, of itself, no evidence of identity, becomes corroborative position, proof most sure , then, flowers hat corresponding worn missing girl, and we seek for nothing farther If flower, we seek for nothing farther - what then if , or more ? Each successive one is multiple evidence - proof not added to proof, but multiplied by hundreds or thousands now discover, deceased, garters such living used, and almost folly But these garters are found tightened, setting back of clasp, in just such manner as her own tightened by Marie, shortly previous to her leaving home now madness or hypocrisy to doubt What L'Etoile says in respect abbreviation garter's being an usual occurrence, shows nothing beyond its own pertinacity in error The elastic nature clasp-garter is self-demonstration unusualness abbreviation made to adjust itself, must of necessity require foreign adjustment but rarely It must by an accident, in its strictest sense, garters of Marie needed the tightening described They alone amply established her identity But corpse was found the garters missing girl, or found her shoes, or her bonnet, or the flowers of her bonnet, or her feet, or peculiar mark arm, or her general size and appearance - corpse had each, and all collectively Could it be proved editor of L'Etoile really entertained doubt, under the circumstances, there no need, case, of commission de lunatico inquirendo He has thought it sagacious to echo the small talk lawyers, who, most part, content themselves with echoing the rectangular precepts courts here observe that of rejected as evidence by court, best of evidence intellect court, guiding itself general principles of evidence - the recognized and booked principles - is averse from swerving at particular instances And this steadfast adherence to principle, with rigorous disregard conflicting exception, is sure mode of attaining the maximum of attainable truth, in any long sequence The practice, in mass, is therefore philosophical; but the less certain engenders vast individual error {*16}

"In respect insinuations levelled at Beauvais, willing to dismiss them in breath already fathomed the true character good gentleman busy-body, with much of romance and little of wit so constituted will readily so conduct himself, upon occasion of real excitement, render himself liable to suspicion over acute, or the ill- disposed M Beauvais (as it appears from your notes) had some personal interviews editor of L'Etoile, and offended him by venturing an opinion corpse, notwithstanding the theory editor, was, in sober fact, that of Marie 'He persists,' says the paper, 'in asserting the corpse that of Marie, but cannot give circumstance, which commented upon, others believe ' Now, without re-adverting fact that stronger evidence ' others believe,' could never adduced, it remarked that man may be understood , in case kind, without the ability to advance single reason belief of second party Nothing is more vague than impressions of individual identity Each man recognizes his neighbor, yet few instances is prepared reason recognition The editor of L'Etoile had no right offended at M Beauvais' unreasoning belief

"The suspicious circumstances which invest him, found to tally much better with my hypothesis of romantic busy-bodyism, than reasoner's suggestion of guilt Once adopting the more charitable interpretation, find no difficulty in comprehending the rose key-hole; the 'Marie' slate; the 'elbowing the male relatives way;' the 'aversion to permitting them the body;' the caution given to Madame B----, that hold no conversation gendarme until his return (Beauvais'); and, lastly, his apparent determination 'that nobody anything proceedings except himself ' It seems unquestionable that Beauvais was suitor of Marie's; that she coquetted ; ambitious of being thought to enjoy her fullest intimacy and confidence say nothing more point; and, evidence fully rebuts the assertion of L'Etoile, touching the matter of apathy mother and other relatives - an apathy inconsistent supposition believing the corpse that perfumery- girl - now proceed as question of identity were settled to our perfect satisfaction "

"And what," I here demanded, " opinions of Le Commerciel ? "