the works of edgar allan poe-1-第33节

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at　a　large　back　chamber　in　the　fourth　story；　（the　door　of　which；　
being　found　locked；　with　the　key　inside；　was　forced　open；）　a　
spectacle　presented　itself　which　struck　every　one　present　not　less　
with　horror　than　with　astonishment。

〃The　apartment　was　in　the　wildest　disorder　…　the　furniture　broken　and　
thrown　about　in　all　directions。　There　was　only　one　bedstead；　and　from　
this　the　bed　had　been　removed；　and　thrown　into　the　middle　of　the　
floor。　On　a　chair　lay　a　razor；　besmeared　with　blood。　On　the　hearth　
were　two　or　three　long　and　thick　tresses　of　grey　human　hair；　also　
dabbled　in　blood；　and　seeming　to　have　been　pulled　out　by　the　roots。　
Upon　the　floor　were　found　four　Napoleons；　an　ear…ring　of　topaz；　three　
large　silver　spoons；　three　smaller　of_　m閠al　d'Alger_；　and　two　bags；　
containing　nearly　four　thousand　francs　in　gold。　The　drawers　of　a　
_bureau_；　which　stood　in　one　corner　were　open；　and　had　been；　
apparently；　rifled；　although　many　articles　still　remained　in　them。　A　
small　iron　safe　was　discovered　under　the　_bed_　（not　under　the　
bedstead）。　It　was　open；　with　the　key　still　in　the　door。　It　had　no　
contents　beyond　a　few　old　letters；　and　other　papers　of　little　
consequence。

〃Of　Madame　L'Espanaye　no　traces　were　here　seen；　but　an　unusual　
quantity　of　soot　being　observed　in　the　fire…place；　a　search　was　made　
in　the　chimney；　and　（horrible　to　relate！）　the；　corpse　of　the　
daughter；　head　downward；　was　dragged　therefrom；　it　having　been　thus　
forced　up　the　narrow　aperture　for　a　considerable　distance。　The　body　
was　quite　warm。　Upon　examining　it；　many　excoriations　were　perceived；　
no　doubt　occasioned　by　the　violence　with　which　it　had　been　thrust　up　
and　disengaged。　Upon　the　face　were　many　severe　scratches；　and；　upon　
the　throat；　dark　bruises；　and　deep　indentations　of　finger　nails；　as　
if　the　deceased　had　been　throttled　to　death。

〃After　a　thorough　investigation　of　every　portion　of　the　house；　
without　farther　discovery；　the　party　made　its　way　into　a　small　paved　
yard　in　the　rear　of　the　building；　where　lay　the　corpse　of　the　old　
lady；　with　her　throat　so　entirely　cut　that；　upon　an　attempt　to　raise　
her；　the　head　fell　off。　The　body；　as　well　as　the　head；　was　fearfully　
mutilated　…　the　former　so　much　so　as　scarcely　to　retain　any　semblance　
of　humanity。

〃To　this　horrible　mystery　there　is　not　as　yet；　we　believe；　the　
slightest　clew。〃

The　next　day's　paper　had　these　additional　particulars。

〃_The　Tragedy　in　the　Rue　Morgue。_　Many　individuals　have　been　examined　
in　relation　to　this　most　extraordinary　and　frightful　affair。　＇The　
word　'affaire'　has　not　yet；　in　France；　that　levity　of　import　which　it　
conveys　with　us；＇　〃but　nothing　whatever　has　transpired　to　throw　light　
upon　it。　We　give　below　all　the　material　testimony　elicited。

〃_Pauline　Dubourg_；　laundress；　deposes　that　she　has　known　both　the　
deceased　for　three　years；　having　washed　for　them　during　that　period。　
The　old　lady　and　her　daughter　seemed　on　good　terms　…　very　
affectionate　towards　each　other。　They　were　excellent　pay。　Could　not　
speak　in　regard　to　their　mode　or　means　of　living。　Believed　that　
Madame　L。　told　fortunes　for　a　living。　Was　reputed　to　have　money　put　
by。　Never　met　any　persons　in　the　house　when　she　called　for　the　
clothes　or　took　them　home。　Was　sure　that　they　had　no　servant　in　
employ。　There　appeared　to　be　no　furniture　in　any　part　of　the　building　
except　in　the　fourth　story。

〃_Pierre　Moreau_；　tobacconist；　deposes　that　he　has　been　in　the　habit　
of　selling　small　quantities　of　tobacco　and　snuff　to　Madame　L'Espanaye　
for　nearly　four　years。　Was　born　in　the　neighborhood；　and　has　always　
resided　there。　The　deceased　and　her　daughter　had　occupied　the　house　
in　which　the　corpses　were　found；　for　more　than　six　years。　It　was　
formerly　occupied　by　a　jeweller；　who　under…let　the　upper　rooms　to　
various　persons。　The　house　was　the　property　of　Madame　L。　She　became　
dissatisfied　with　the　abuse　of　the　premises　by　her　tenant；　and　moved　
into　them　herself；　refusing　to　let　any　portion。　The　old　lady　was　
childish。　Witness　had　seen　the　daughter　some　five　or　six　times　during　
the　six　years。　The　two　lived　an　exceedingly　retired　life　…　were　
reputed　to　have　money。　Had　heard　it　said　among　the　neighbors　that　
Madame　L。　told　fortunes　…　did　not　believe　it。　Had　never　seen　any　
person　enter　the　door　except　the　old　lady　and　her　daughter；　a　porter　
once　or　twice；　and　a　physician　some　eight　or　ten　times。

〃Many　other　persons；　neighbors；　gave　evidence　to　the　same　effect。　No　
one　was　spoken　of　as　frequenting　the　house。　It　was　not　known　whether　
there　were　any　living　connexions　of　Madame　L。　and　her　daughter。　The　
shutters　of　the　front　windows　were　seldom　opened。　Those　in　the　rear　
were　always　closed；　with　the　exception　of　the　large　back　room；　fourth　
story。　The　house　was　a　good　house　…　not　very　old。

〃_Isidore　Muset_；　_gendarme_；　deposes　that　he　was　called　to　the　house　
about　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　found　some　twenty　or　thirty　
persons　at　the　gateway；　endeavoring　to　gain　admittance。　Forced　it　
open；　at　length；　with　a　bayonet　…　not　with　a　crowbar。　Had　but　little　
difficulty　in　getting　it　open；　on　account　of　its　being　a　double　or　
folding　gate；　and　bolted　neither　at　bottom　not　top。　The　shrieks　were　
continued　until　the　gate　was　forced　…　and　then　suddenly　ceased。　They　
seemed　to　be　screams　of　some　person　（or　persons）　in　great　agony　…　
were　loud　and　drawn　out；　not　short　and　quick。　Witness　led　the　way　up　
stairs。　Upon　reaching　the　first　landing；　heard　two　voices　in　loud　and　
angry　contention　…　the　one　a　gruff　voice；　the　other　much　shriller　…　a　
very　strange　voice。　Could　distinguish　some　words　of　the　former；　which　
was　that　of　a　Frenchman。　Was　positive　that　it　was　not　a　woman's　
voice。　Could　distinguish　the　words　'_sacr開'　and　'_diable。_'　The　
shrill　voice　was　that　of　a　foreigner。　Could　not　be　sure　whether　it　
was　the　voice　of　a　man　or　of　a　woman。　Could　not　make　out　what　was　
said；　but　believed　the　language　to　be　Spanish。　The　state　of　the　room　
and　of　the　bodies　was　described　by　this　witness　as　we　described　them　
yesterday。

〃_Henri　Duval_；　a　neighbor；　and　by　trade　a　silver…smith；　deposes　that　
he　was　one　of　the　party　who　first　entered　the　house。　Corroborates　the　
testimony　of　Mus鑤　in　general。　As　soon　as　they　forced　an　entrance；　
they　reclosed　the　door；　to　keep　out　the　crowd；　which　collected　very　
fast；　notwithstanding　the　lateness　of　the　hour。　The　shrill　voice；　
this　witness　thinks；　was　that　of　an　Italian。　Was　certain　it　was　not　
French。　Could　not　be　sure　that　it　was　a　man's　voice。　It　might　have　
been　a　woman's。　Was　not　acquainted　with　the　Italian　language。　Could　
not　distinguish　the　words；　but　was　convinced　by　the　intonation　that　
the　speaker　was　an　Italian。　Knew　Madame　L。　and　her　daughter。　Had　
conversed　with　both　frequently。　Was　sure　that　the　shrill　voice　was　
not　that　of　either　of　the　deceased。

〃　_Odenheimer；　restaurateur。_　This　witness　volunteered　his　
testimony。　Not　speaking　French；　was　examined　through　an　interpreter。　
Is　a　native　of　Amsterdam。　Was　passing　the　house　at　the　time　of　the　
shrieks。　They　lasted　for　several　minutes　…　probably　ten。　They　were　
long　and　loud　…　very　awful　and　distressing。　Was　one　of　those　who　
entered　the　building。　Corroborated　the　previous　evidence　in　every　
respect　but　one。　Was　sure　that　the　shrill　voice　was　that　of　a　man　…　
of　a　Frenchman。　Could　not　distinguish　the　words　uttered。　They　were　
loud　and　quick　…　unequal　…　spoken　apparently　in　fear　as　well　as　in　
anger。　The　voice　was　harsh　…　not　so　much　shrill　as　harsh。　Could　not　
call　it　a　shrill　voice。　The　gruff　voice　said　repeatedly　'_sacr開；'　
'_diable_；'　and　once　'_mon　Dieu。_'

〃_Jules　Mignaud_；　banker；　of　the　firm　of　Mignaud　et　Fils；　Rue　
Deloraine。　Is　the　elder　Mignaud。　Madame　L'Espanaye　had　some　property。　
Had　opened　an　account　with　his　banking　house　in　the　spring　of　the　
year　…　（eight　years　previously）。　Made　frequent　deposits　in　small　
sums。　Had　checked　for　nothing　until　the　third　day　before　her　death；　
when　she　took　out　in　person　the　sum　of　4000　francs。　This　sum　was　paid　
in　gold；　and　a　clerk　went　home　with　the　money。

〃_Adolphe　Le　Bon_；　clerk　to　Mignaud　et　Fils；　deposes　that　on　the　day　
in　question；　about　noon；　he　accompanied　Madame　L'Espanaye　to　her　
residence　with　the　4000　francs；　put　up　in　two　bags。　Upon　the　door　
being　opened；　Mademoiselle　L。　appeared　and　took　from　his　hands　one　of　
the　bags；　while　the　old　lady　relieved　him　of　the　other。　He　then　bowed　
and　departed。　Did　not　see　any　person　in　the　street　at　the　time。　It　is　
a　bye…street　…　very　lonely。

〃_William　Bird_；　tailor　deposes　that　he　was　one　of　the　party　who　
entered　the　house。　Is　an　Englishman。　Has　lived　in　Paris　two　years。　
Was　one　of　the　first　to　ascend　the　stairs。　Heard　the　voices　in　
contention。　The　gruff　voice　was　that　of　a　Frenchman。　Could　make　out　
several　words；　but　cannot　now　remember　all。　Heard　distinctly　
'_sacr開'　and　'_mon　Dieu。_'　There　was　a　sound　at　the　moment　as　if　of　
several　persons　struggling　…　a　scraping　and　scuffling　sound。　The　
shrill　voice　was　very　loud　…　louder　than　the　gruff　one。　Is　sure　that　
it　was　not　the　voice　of　an　Englishman。　Appeared　to　be　that　of　a　
German。　Might　have　been　a　woman's　voice。　D