the works of edgar allan poe-1-第34节

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it　was　not　the　voice　of　an　Englishman。　Appeared　to　be　that　of　a　
German。　Might　have　been　a　woman's　voice。　Does　not　understand　German。

〃Four　of　the　above…named　witnesses；　being　recalled；　deposed　that　the　
door　of　the　chamber　in　which　was　found　the　body　of　Mademoiselle　L。　
was　locked　on　the　inside　when　the　party　reached　it。　Every　thing　was　
perfectly　silent　…　no　groans　or　noises　of　any　kind。　Upon　forcing　the　
door　no　person　was　seen。　The　windows；　both　of　the　back　and　front　
room；　were　down　and　firmly　fastened　from　within。　A　door　between　the　
two　rooms　was　closed；　but　not　locked。　The　door　leading　from　the　front　
room　into　the　passage　was　locked；　with　the　key　on　the　inside。　A　small　
room　in　the　front　of　the　house；　on　the　fourth　story；　at　the　head　of　
the　passage　was　open；　the　door　being　ajar。　This　room　was　crowded　with　
old　beds；　boxes；　and　so　forth。　These　were　carefully　removed　and　
searched。　There　was　not　an　inch　of　any　portion　of　the　house　which　was　
not　carefully　searched。　Sweeps　were　sent　up　and　down　the　chimneys。　
The　house　was　a　four　story　one；　with　garrets　（_mansardes。_）　A　
trap…door　on　the　roof　was　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　a　Frenchman。　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　a　Frenchman。　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　a　knee。　
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　a　persevering　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　…　a　
lustre　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　a　sliding　panel　in　the　window；　indicating　a　
_loge　de　concierge。_　Before　going　in　we　walked　u