the works of edgar allan poe-1-第44节

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mode　of　disposal。　You　will　understand　that　I　suggest　nothing　here　as　
probable；　or　as　c鰅ncident　with　my　own　opinion。　My　design；　so　far；　
has　no　reference　to　the　facts　of　the　case。　I　wish　merely　to　caution　
you　against　the　whole　tone　of　L'Etoile's　suggestion；　by　calling　your　
attention　to　its　ex　parte　character　at　the　outset。　

〃Having　prescribed　thus　a　limit　to　suit　its　own　preconceived　notions；　
having　assumed　that；　if　this　were　the　body　of　Marie；　it　could　have　
been　in　the　water　but　a　very　brief　time；　the　journal　goes　on　to　say：　

'All　experience　has　shown　that　drowned　bodies；　or　bodies　thrown　into　
the　water　immediately　after　death　by　violence；　require　from　six　to　
ten　days　for　sufficient　decomposition　to　take　place　to　bring　them　to　
the　top　of　the　water。　Even　when　a　cannon　is　fired　over　a　corpse；　and　
it　rises　before　at　least　five　or　six　days'　immersion；　it　sinks　again　
if　let　alone。'　

〃These　assertions　have　been　tacitly　received　by　every　paper　in　Paris；　
with　the　exception　of　Le　Moniteur。　｛*15｝　This　latter　print　endeavors　
to　combat　that　portion　of　the　paragraph　which　has　reference　to　
'drowned　bodies'　only；　by　citing　some　five　or　six　instances　in　which　
the　bodies　of　individuals　known　to　be　drowned　were　found　floating　
after　the　lapse　of　less　time　than　is　insisted　upon　by　L'Etoile。　But　
there　is　something　excessively　unphilosophical　in　the　attempt　on　the　
part　of　Le　Moniteur；　to　rebut　the　general　assertion　of　L'Etoile；　by　a　
citation　of　particular　instances　militating　against　that　assertion。　
Had　it　been　possible　to　adduce　fifty　instead　of　five　examples　of　
bodies　found　floating　at　the　end　of　two　or　three　days；　these　fifty　
examples　could　still　have　been　properly　regarded　only　as　exceptions　
to　L'Etoile's　rule；　until　such　time　as　the　rule　itself　should　be　
confuted。　Admitting　the　rule；　（and　this　Le　Moniteur　does　not　deny；　
insisting　merely　upon　its　exceptions；）　the　argument　of　L'Etoile　is　
suffered　to　remain　in　full　force；　for　this　argument　does　not　pretend　
to　involve　more　than　a　question　of　the　probability　of　the　body　having　
risen　to　the　surface　in　less　than　three　days；　and　this　probability　
will　be　in　favor　of　L'Etoile's　position　until　the　instances　so　
childishly　adduced　shall　be　sufficient　in　number　to　establish　an　
antagonistical　rule。　

〃You　will　see　at　once　that　all　argument　upon　this　head　should　be　
urged；　if　at　all；　against　the　rule　itself；　and　for　this　end　we　must　
examine　the　rationale　of　the　rule。　Now　the　human　body；　in　general；　is　
neither　much　lighter　nor　much　heavier　than　the　water　of　the　Seine；　
that　is　to　say；　the　specific　gravity　of　the　human　body；　in　its　
natural　condition；　is　about　equal　to　the　bulk　of　fresh　water　which　it　
displaces。　The　bodies　of　fat　and　fleshy　persons；　with　small　bones；　
and　of　women　generally；　are　lighter　than　those　of　the　lean　and　
large…boned；　and　of　men；　and　the　specific　gravity　of　the　water　of　a　
river　is　somewhat　influenced　by　the　presence　of　the　tide　from　sea。　
But；　leaving　this　tide　out　of　question；　it　may　be　said　that　very　few　
human　bodies　will　sink　at　all；　even　in　fresh　water；　of　their　own　
accord。　Almost　any　one；　falling　into　a　river；　will　be　enabled　to　
float；　if　he　suffer　the　specific　gravity　of　the　water　fairly　to　be　
adduced　in　comparison　with　his　own　…　that　is　to　say；　if　he　suffer　his　
whole　person　to　be　immersed；　with　as　little　exception　as　possible。　
The　proper　position　for　one　who　cannot　swim；　is　the　upright　position　
of　the　walker　on　land；　with　the　head　thrown　fully　back；　and　immersed；　
the　mouth　and　nostrils　alone　remaining　above　the　surface。　Thus　
circumstanced；　we　shall　find　that　we　float　without　difficulty　and　
without　exertion。　It　is　evident；　however；　that　the　gravities　of　the　
body；　and　of　the　bulk　of　water　displaced；　are　very　nicely　balanced；　
and　that　a　trifle　will　cause　either　to　preponderate。　An　arm；　for　
instance；　uplifted　from　the　water；　and　thus　deprived　of　its　support；　
is　an　additional　weight　sufficient　to　immerse　the　whole　head；　while　
the　accidental　aid　of　the　smallest　piece　of　timber　will　enable　us　to　
elevate　the　head　so　as　to　look　about。　Now；　in　the　struggles　of　one　
unused　to　swimming；　the　arms　are　invariably　thrown　upwards；　while　an　
attempt　is　made　to　keep　the　head　in　its　usual　perpendicular　position。　
The　result　is　the　immersion　of　the　mouth　and　nostrils；　and　the　
inception；　during　efforts　to　breathe　while　beneath　the　surface；　of　
water　into　the　lungs。　Much　is　also　received　into　the　stomach；　and　the　
whole　body　becomes　heavier　by　the　difference　between　the　weight　of　
the　air　originally　distending　these　cavities；　and　that　of　the　fluid　
which　now　fills　them。　This　difference　is　sufficient　to　cause　the　body　
to　sink；　as　a　general　rule；　but　is　insufficient　in　the　cases　of　
individuals　with　small　bones　and　an　abnormal　quantity　of　flaccid　or　
fatty　matter。　Such　individuals　float　even　after　drowning。　

〃The　corpse；　being。　supposed　at　the　bottom　of　the　river；　will　there　
remain　until；　by　some　means；　its　specific　gravity　again　becomes　less　
than　that　of　the　bulk　of　water　which　it　displaces。　This　effect　is　
brought　about　by　decomposition；　or　otherwise。　The　result　of　
decomposition　is　the　generation　of　gas；　distending　the　cellular　
tissues　and　all　the　cavities；　and　giving　the　puffedappearance　which　
is　to　horrible。　When　this　distension　has　so　far　progressed　that　the　
bulk　of　the　corpse　is　materially　increased　with。　out　a　corresponding　
increase　of　mass　or　weight；　its　specific　gravity　becomes　less　than　
that　of　the　water　displaced；　and　it　forthwith　makes　its　appearance　at　
the　surface。　But　decomposition　is　modified　by　innumerable　
circumstances　…　is　hastened　or　retarded　by　innumerable　agencies；　for　
example；　by　the　heat　or　cold　of　the　season；　by　the　mineral　
impregnation　or　purity　of　the　water；　by　its　depth　or　shallowness；　by　
its　currency　or　stagnation；　by　the　temperament　of　the　body；　by　its　
infection　or　freedom　from　disease　before　death。　Thus　it　is　evident　
that　we　can　assign　no　period；　with　any　thing　like　accuracy；　at　which　
the　corpse　shall　rise　through　decomposition。　Under　certain　conditions　
this　result　would　be　brought　about　within　an　hour；　under　others；　it　
might　not　take　place　at　all。　There　are　chemical　infusions　by　which　
the　animal　frame　can　be　preserved　foreverfrom　corruption；　the　
Bi…chloride　of　Mercury　is　one。　But；　apart　from　decomposition；　there　
may　be；　and　very　usually　is；　a　generation　of　gas　within　the　stomach；　
from　the　acetous　fermentation　of　vegetable　matter　（or　within　other　
cavities　from　other　causes）　sufficient　to　induce　a　distension　which　
will　bring　the　body　to　the　surface。　The　effect　produced　by　the　firing　
of　a　cannon　is　that　of　simple　vibration。　This　may　either　loosen　the　
corpse　from　the　soft　mud　or　ooze　in　which　it　is　imbedded；　thus　
permitting　it　to　rise　when　other　agencies　have　already　prepared　it　
for　so　doing；　or　it　may　overcome　the　tenacity　of　some　putrescent　
portions　of　the　cellular　tissue；　allowing　the　cavities　to　distend　
under　the　influence　of　the　gas。　

〃Having　thus　before　us　the　whole　philosophy　of　this　subject；　we　can　
easily　test　by　it　the　assertions　of　L'Etoile。　'All　experience　shows；'　
says　this　paper；　'that　drowned　bodies；　or　bodies　thrown　into　the　
water　immediately　after　death　by　violence；　require　from　six　to　ten　
days　for　sufficient　decomposition　to　take　place　to　bring　them　to　the　
top　of　the　water。　Even　when　a　cannon　is　fired　over　a　corpse；　and　it　
rises　before　at　least　five　or　six　days'　immersion；　it　sinks　again　if　
let　alone。'　

〃The　whole　of　this　paragraph　must　now　appear　a　tissue　of　
inconsequence　and　incoherence。　All　experience　does　not　show　that　
'drowned　bodies'　require　from　six　to　ten　days　for　sufficient　
decomposition　to　take　place　to　bring　them　to　the　surface。　Both　
science　and　experience　show　that　the　period　of　their　rising　is；　and　
necessarily　must　be；　indeterminate。　If；　moreover；　a　body　has　risen　to　
the　surface　through　firing　of　cannon；　it　will　not　'sink　again　if　let　
alone；'　until　decomposition　has　so　far　progressed　as　to　permit　the　
escape　of　the　generated　gas。　But　I　wish　to　call　your　attention　to　the　
distinction　which　is　made　between　'drowned　bodies；'　and　'bodies　
thrown　into　the　water　immediately　after　death　by　violence。'　Although　
the　writer　admits　the　distinction；　he　yet　includes　them　all　in　the　
same　category。　I　have　shown　how　it　is　that　the　body　of　a　drowning　man　
becomes　specifically　heavier　than　its　bulk　of　water；　and　that　he　
would　not　sink　at　all；　except　for　the　struggles　by　which　he　elevates　
his　arms　above　the　surface；　and　his　gasps　for　breath　while　beneath　
the　surface　…　gasps　which　supply　by　water　the　place　of　the　original　
air　in　the　lungs。　But　these　struggles　and　these　gasps　would　not　occur　
in　the　body　'thrown　into　the　water　immediately　after　death　by　
violence。'　Thus；　in　the　latter　instance；　the　body；　as　a　general　rule；　
would　not　sink　at　all　…　a　fact　of　which　L'Etoile　is　evidently　
ignorant。　When　decomposition　had　proceeded　to　a　very　great　extent　…　
when　the　flesh　had　in　a　great　measure　left　the　bones　…　then；　indeed；　
but　not　till　then；　should　we　lose　sight　of　the　corpse。　

〃And　now　what　are　we　to　make　of　the　argument；　that　the