the works of edgar allan poe-1-第39节

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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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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　MYSTERY　OF　MARIE　ROGET。｛*1｝　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　SEQUEL　TO　〃THE　MURDERS　IN　THE　RUE　MORGUE。〃　
　

Es　giebt　eine　Reihe　idealischer　Begebenheiten；　die　der　Wirklichkeit　　
parallel　lauft。　Selten　fallen　sie　zusammen。　Menschen　und　zufalle　　
modifieiren　gewohulich　die　idealische　Begebenheit；　so　dass　sie　
unvollkommen　erscheint；　und　ihre　Folgen　gleichfalls　unvollkommen　
sind。　So　bei　der　Reformation；　statt　des　Protestantismus　kam　das　
Lutherthum　hervor。　

There　are　ideal　series　of　events　which　run　parallel　with　the　real　
ones。　They　rarely　coincide。　Men　and　circumstances　generally　modify　
the　ideal　train　of　events；　so　that　it　seems　imperfect；　and　its　
consequences　are　equally　imperfect。　Thus　with　the　Reformation；　
instead　of　Protestantism　came　Lutheranism。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…　Novalis。　｛*2｝　Moral　Ansichten。　

THERE　are　few　persons；　even　among　the　calmest　thinkers；　who　have　not　
occasionally　been　startled　into　a　vague　yet　thrilling　half…credence　
in　the　supernatural；　by　coincidences　of　so　seemingly　marvellous　a　
character　that；　as　mere　coincidences；　the　intellect　has　been　unable　
to　receive　them。　Such　sentiments　…　for　the　half…credences　of　which　I　
speak　have　never　the　full　force　of　thought　…　such　sentiments　are　
seldom　thoroughly　stifled　unless　by　reference　to　the　doctrine　of　
chance；　or；　as　it　is　technically　termed；　the　Calculus　of　
Probabilities。　Now　this　Calculus　is；　in　its　essence；　purely　
mathematical；　and　thus　we　have　the　anomaly　of　the　most　rigidly　exact　
in　science　applied　to　the　shadow　and　spirituality　of　the　most　
intangible　in　speculation。　

The　extraordinary　details　which　I　am　now　called　upon　to　make　public；　
will　be　found　to　form；　as　regards　sequence　of　time；　the　primary　
branch　of　a　series　of　scarcely　intelligible　coincidences；　whose　
secondary　or　concluding　branch　will　be　recognized　by　all　readers　in　
the　late　murder　of　Mary　Cecila　Rogers；　at　New　York。　

When；　in　an　article　entitled　〃The　Murders　in　the　Rue　Morgue；〃　I　
endeavored；　about　a　year　ago；　to　depict　some　very　remarkable　features　
in　the　mental　character　of　my　friend；　the　Chevalier　C。　Auguste　Dupin；　
it　did　not　occur　to　me　that　I　should　ever　resume　the　subject。　This　
depicting　of　character　constituted　my　design；　and　this　design　was　
thor