the works of edgar allan poe-1-第26章

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the　true　state　of　affairs。　The　first　two　or　three　rounds　having　been　
played；　he　is　in　full　possession　of　the　contents　of　each　hand；　and　
thenceforward　puts　down　his　cards　with　as　absolute　a　precision　of　
purpose　as　if　the　rest　of　the　party　had　turned　outward　the　faces　of　
their　own。

The　analytical　power　should　not　be　confounded　with　ample　ingenuity；　
for　while　the　analyst　is　necessarily　ingenious；　the　ingenious　man　is　
often　remarkably　incapable　of　analysis。　The　constructive　or　combining　
power；　by　which　ingenuity　is　usually　manifested；　and　to　which　the　
phrenologists　（I　believe　erroneously）　have　assigned　a　separate　organ；　
supposing　it　a　primitive　faculty；　has　been　so　frequently　seen　in　
those　whose　intellect　bordered　otherwise　upon　idiocy；　as　to　have　
attracted　general　observation　among　writers　on　morals。　Between　
ingenuity　and　the　analytic　ability　there　exists　a　difference　far　
greater；　indeed；　than　that　between　the　fancy　and　the　imagination；　but　
of　a　character　very　strictly　analogous。　It　will　be　found；　in　fact；　
that　the　ingenious　are　always　fanciful；　and　the　_truly_　imaginative　
never　otherwise　than　analytic。

The　narrative　which　follows　will　appear　to　the　reader　somewhat　in　the　
light　of　a　commentary　upon　the　propositions　just　advanced。

Residing　in　Paris　during　the　spring　and　part　of　the　summer　of　18；　I　
there　became　acquainted　with　a　Monsieur　C。　Auguste　Dupin。　This　young　
gentleman　was　of　an　excellent　…　indeed　of　an　illustrious　family；　but；　
by　a　variety　of　untoward　events；　had　been　reduced　to　such　poverty　
that　the　energy　of　his　character　succumbed　beneath　it；　and　he　ceased　
to　bestir　himself　in　the　world；　or　to　care　for　the　retrieval　of　his　
fortunes。　By　courtesy　of　his　creditors；　there　still　remained　in　his　
possession　a　small　remnant　of　his　patrimony；　and；　upon　the　income　
arising　from　this；　he　managed；　by　means　of　a　rigorous　economy；　to　
procure　the　necessaries　of　life；　without　troubling　himself　about　its　
superfluities。　Books；　indeed；　were　his　sole　luxuries；　and　in　Paris　
these　are　easily　obtained。

Our　first　meeting　was　at　an　obscure　library　in　the　Rue　Montmartre；　
where　the　accident　of　our　both　being　in　search　of　the　same　very　rare　
and　very　remarkable　volume；　brought　us　into　closer　communion。　We　saw　
each　other　again　and　again。　I　was　deeply　interested　in　the　little　
family　history　which　he　detailed　to　me　with　all　that　candor　which　a　
Frenchman　indulges　whenever　mere　self　is　his　theme。　I　was　astonished；　
too；　at　the　vast　extent　of　his　reading；　and；　above　all；　I　felt　my　
soul　enkindled　within　me　by　the　wild　fervor；　and　the　vivid　freshness　
of　his　imagination。　Seeking　in　Paris　the　objects　I　then　sought；　I　
felt　that　the　societyof　such　a　man　would　be　to　me　a　treasure　beyond　
price；　and　this　feeling　I　frankly　confided　to　him。　It　was　at　length　
arranged　that　we　should　live　together　during　my　stay　in　the　city；　and　
as　my　worldly　circumstances　were　somewhat　less　embarrassed　than　his　
own；　I　was　permitted　to　be　at　the　expense　of　renting；　and　furnishing　
in　a　style　which　suited　the　rather　fantastic　gloom　of　our　common　
temper；　a　time…eaten　and　grotesque　mansion；　long　deserted　through　
superstitions　into　which　we　did　not　inquire；　and　tottering　to　its　
fall　in　a　retired　and　desolate　portion　of　the　Faubourg　St。　Germain。

Had　the　routine　of　our　life　at　this　place　been　known　to　the　world；　we　
should　have　been　regarded　as　madmen　…　although；　perhaps；　as　madmen　of　
a　harmless　nature。　Our　seclusion　was　perfect。　We　admitted　no　
visitors。　Indeed　the　locality　of　our　retirement　had　been　carefully　
kept　a　secret　from　my　own　former　associates；　and　it　had　been　many　
years　since　Dupin　had　ceased　to　know　or　be　known　in　Paris。　We　existed　
within　ourselves　alone。

It　was　a　freak　of　fancy　in　my　friend　（for　what　else　shall　I　call　it？）　
to　be　enamored　of　the　Night　for　her　own　sake；　and　into　this　
_bizarrerie_；　as　into　all　his　others；　I　quietly　fell；　giving　myself　
up　to　his　wild　whims　with　a　perfect　_abandon_。　The　sable　divinity　
would　not　herself　dwell　with　us　always；　but　we　could　counterfeit　her　
presence。　At　the　first　dawn　of　the　morning　we　closed　all　the　messy　
shutters　of　our　old　building；　lighting　a　couple　of　tapers　which；　
strongly　perfumed；　threw　out　only　the　ghastliest　and　feeblest　of　
rays。　By　the　aid　of　these　we　then　busied　our　souls　in　dreams　…　
reading；　writing；　or　conversing；　until　warned　by　the　clock　of　the　
advent　of　the　true　Darkness。　Then　we　sallied　forth　into　the　streets　
arm　in　arm；　continuing　the　topics　of　the　day；　or　roaming　far　and　wide　
until　a　late　hour；　seeking；　amid　the　wild　lights　and　shadows　of　the　
populous　city；　that　infinity　of　mental　excitement　which　quiet　
observation　can　afford。

At　such　times　I　could　not　help　remarking　and　admiring　（although　from　
his　rich　ideality　I　had　been　prepared　to　expect　it）　a　peculiar　
analytic　ability　in　Dupin。　He　seemed；　too；　to　take　an　eager　delight　
in　its　exercise　…　if　not　exactly　in　its　display　…　and　did　not　
hesitate　to　confess　the　pleasure　thus　derived。　He　boastedto　me；　with　
a　low　chuckling　laugh；　that　most　men；　in　respect　to　himself；　wore　
windows　in　their　bosoms；　and　was　wont　to　follow　up　such　assertions　by　
direct　and　very　startling　proofs　of　his　intimate　knowledge　of　my　own。　
His　manner　at　these　moments　was　frigid　and　abstract；　his　eyes　were　
vacant　in　expression；　while　his　voice；　usually　a　rich　tenor；　rose　
into　a　treble　which　would　have　sounded　petulantly　but　for　the　
deliberateness　and　entire　distinctness　of　the　enunciation。　Observing　
him　in　these　moods；　I　often　dwelt　meditatively　upon　the　old　
philosophy　of　the　Bi…Part　Soul；　and　amused　myself　with　the　fancy　of　a　
double　Dupin　…　the　creative　and　the　resolvent。

Let　it　not　be　supposed；　from　what　I　have　just　said；　that　I　am　
detailing　any　mystery；　or　penning　any　romance。　What　I　have　described　
in　the　Frenchman；　was　merely　the　result　of　an　excited；　or　perhaps　of　
a　diseased　intelligence。　But　of　the　character　of　his　remarks　at　the　
periods　in　question　an　example　will　best　convey　the　idea。

We　were　strolling　one　night　down　a　long　dirty　street　in　the　vicinity　
of　the　Palais　Royal。　Being　both；　apparently；　occupied　with　thought；　
neither　of　us　had　spoken　a　syllable　for　fifteen　minutes　at　least。　All　
at　once　Dupin　broke　forth　with　these　words：

〃He　is　a　very　little　fellow；　that's　true；　and　would　do　better　for　the　
_Th殁tre　des　Vari閠閟_。〃

〃There　can　be　no　doubt　of　that；〃　I　replied　unwittingly；　and　not　at　
first　observing　（so　much　had　I　been　absorbed　in　reflection）　the　
extraordinary　manner　in　which　the　speaker　had　chimed　in　with　my　
meditations。　In　an　instant　afterward　I　recollected　myself；　and　my　
astonishment　was　profound。

〃Dupin；〃　said　I；　gravely；　〃this　is　beyond　my　comprehension。　I　do　not　
hesitate　to　say　that　I　am　amazed；　and　can　scarcely　credit　my　senses。　
How　was　it　possible　you　should　know　I　was　thinking　of　…　？〃　Here　I　
paused；　to　ascertain　beyond　a　doubt　whether　he　really　knew　of　whom　I　
thought。

　〃of　Chantilly；〃　said　he；　〃why　do　you　pause？　You　were　remarking　to　
yourself　that　his　diminutive　figure　unfitted　him　for　tragedy。〃

This　was　precisely　what　had　formed　the　subject　of　my　reflections。　
Chantilly　was　a　_quondam_　cobbler　of　the　Rue　St。　Denis；　who；　becoming　
stage…mad；　had　attempted　the　_r鬺e_　of　Xerxes；　in　Cr閎illon's　tragedy　
so　called；　and　been　notoriously　Pasquinaded　for　his　pains。

〃Tell　me；　for　Heaven's　sake；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃the　method　…　if　method　
there　is　…　by　which　you　have　been　enabled　to　fathom　my　soul　in　this　
matter。〃　In　fact　I　was　even　more　startled　than　I　would　have　been　
willing　to　express。

〃It　was　the　fruiterer；〃　replied　my　friend；　〃who　brought　you　to　the　
conclusion　that　the　mender　of　soles　was　not　of　sufficient　height　for　
Xerxes　_et　id　genus　omne_。〃

〃The　fruiterer！　…　you　astonish　me　…　I　know　no　fruiterer　whomsoever。〃

〃The　man　who　ran　up　against　you　as　we　entered　the　street　…　it　may　
have　been　fifteen　minutes　ago。〃

I　now　remembered　that；　in　fact；　a　fruiterer；　carrying　upon　his　head　a　
large　basket　of　apples；　had　nearly　thrown　me　down；　by　accident；　as　we　
passed　from　the　Rue　C　　into　the　thoroughfare　where　we　stood；　but　
what　this　had　to　do　with　Chantilly　I　could　not　possibly　understand。

There　was　not　a　particle　of　_charl鈚anerie_　about　Dupin。　〃I　will　
explain；〃　he　said；　〃and　that　you　may　comprehend　all　clearly；　we　will　
first　retrace　the　course　of　your　meditations；　from　the　moment　in　
which　I　spoke　to　you　until　that　of　the　_rencontre_　with　the　fruiterer　
in　question。　The　larger　links　of　the　chain　run　thus　…　Chantilly；　
Orion；　Dr。　Nichols；　Epicurus；　Stereotomy；　the　street　stones；　the　
fruiterer。〃

There　are　few　persons　who　have　not；　at　some　period　of　their　lives；　
amused　themselves　in　retracing　the　steps　by　which　particular　
conclusions　of　their　own　minds　have　been　attained。　The　occupation　is　
often　full　of　interest　and　he　who　attempts　it　for　the　first　time　is　
astonished　by　the　apparently　illimitable　distance　and　incoherence　
between　the　starting…point　and　the　goal。　What；　then；　must　have　been　
my　amazement　when　I　heard　the　Frenchman　speak　what　he　had　just　
spoken；　and　when　I　could　not　help　acknowledging　that　he　had　spoken　
the　truth。　He　continued：

〃We　had　been　talking　of　horses；　if　I　remember　aright；　just　before　
leaving　the　Rue　C　　。　This　was　the　last　subject　we　discussed。　As　
we　crossed　into　this　street；　a　fruiterer；　with　a　large　basket　upon　
his　head；　brushing　quickly　past　us；　thrust　you　upon　a　pile　of　paving　
stones　collected　at　a　spot　where　the　causeway　is　undergoing　repair。　
You　stepped　upon　one　of　the　loose　fragments；　slipped；　slightly　
strained　your　ankle；　appeared　vexed　or　sulky；　muttered　a　few　words；　
turned　to　look　at　the　pile；　and　then　proceeded　in　silence。　I　was　not　
particularly　attentive　to　what　you　did；　but　observation　has　become　
with　me；　of　late；　a　species　of　necessity。

〃You　kept　your　eyes　upon　the　ground　…　glancing；　with　a　petulant　
expression；　at　the　holes　and　ruts　in　the　pavement；　（so　that　I　saw　you　
were　still　thinking　of　the　stones；）　until　we　reached　the　little　alley　
called　Lamartine；　which　has　been　paved；　by　way　of　experiment；　with　
the　overlapping　and　riveted　blocks。　Here　your　countenance　brightened　
up；　and；　perceiving　your　lips　move；　I　could　not　doubt　that　you　
murmured　the　word　'stereotomy；'　a　term　very　affectedly　applied　to　
this　species　of　pavement。　I　knew　that　you　could　not　say　to　yourself　
'stereotomy'　without　being　brought　to　think　of　atomies；　and　thus　of　
the　theories　of　Epicurus；　and　since；　when　we　discussed　this　subject　
not　very　long　ago；　I　mentioned　to　you　how　singularly；　yet　with　how　
little　notice；　the　vague　guesses　of　that　noble　Greek　had　met　with　
confirmation　in　the　late　nebular　cosmogony；　I　felt　that　you　could　not　
avoid　casting　your　eyes　upward　to　the　great　_nebula_　in　Orion；　and　I　
certainly　expected　that　you　would　do　so。　You　did　look　up；　and　I　was　
now　assured　that　I　had　correctly　followed　your　steps。　But　in　that　
bitter　_tirade_　upon　Chantilly；　which　appeared　in　yesterday's　
'_Mus閑_；'　the　satirist；　making　some　disgraceful　allusions　to　the　
cobbler　s　change　of　name　upon　assuming　the　buskin；　quoted　a　Latin　
line　about　which　we　have　often　conversed。　I　mean　the　line