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seen her; and any one who saw her would have remembered it; for she 
interested all who knew her。 It was when the streets were full of 
people; when she went out。 。 。 。 It is impossible that she could have 
gone to the Barri鑢e du Roule; or to the Rue des Dr鬽es; without 
being recognized by a dozen persons; yet no one has come forward who 
saw her outside of her mother's door; and there is no evidence; 
except the testimony concerning her expressed intentions; that she 
did go out at all。 Her gown was torn; bound round her; and tied; and 
by that the body was carried as a bundle。 If the murder had been 
committed at the Barri鑢e du Roule; there would have been no 
necessity for any such arrangement。 The fact that the body was found 
floating near the Barri鑢e; is no proof as to where it was thrown 
into the water。 。 。 。 。 A piece of one of the unfortunate girl's 
petticoats; two feet long and one foot wide; was torn out and tied 
under her chin around the back of her head; probably to prevent 
screams。 This was done by fellows who had no pocket…handkerchief。〃 

A day or two before the Prefect called upon us; however; some 
important information reached the police; which seemed to overthrow; 
at least; the chief portion of Le Commerciel's argument。 Two small 
boys; sons of a Madame Deluc; while roaming among the woods near the 
Barri鑢e du Roule; chanced to penetrate a close thicket; within which 
were three or four large stones; forming a kind of seat; with a back 
and footstool。 On the upper stone lay a white petticoat; on the 
second a silk scarf。 A parasol; gloves; and a pocket…handkerchief 
were also here found。 The handkerchief bore the name 〃Marie Rog阾。〃 
Fragments of dress were discovered on the brambles around。 The earth 
was trampled; the bushes were broken; and there was every evidence of 
a struggle。 Between the thicket and the river; the fences were found 
taken down; and the ground bore evidence of some heavy burthen having 
been dragged along it。 

A weekly paper; Le Soleil;{*12} had the following comments upon this 
discovery  comments which merely echoed the sentiment of the whole 
Parisian press: 

〃The things had all evidently been there at least three or four 
weeks; they were all mildewed down hard with the action of the rain 
and stuck together from mildew。 The grass had grown around and over 
some of them。 The silk on the parasol was strong; but the threads of 
it were run together within。 The upper part; where it had been 
doubled and folded; was all mildewed and rotten; and tore on its 
being opened。 。 。 。 。 The pieces of her frock torn out by the bushes 
were about three inches wide and six inches long。 One part was the 
hem of the frock; and it had been mended; the other piece was part of 
the skirt; not the hem。 They looked like strips torn off; and were on 
the thorn bush; about a foot from the ground。 。 。 。 。 There can be no 
doubt; therefore; that the spot of this appalling outrage has been 
discovered。〃 

Consequent upon this discovery; new evidence appeared。 Madame Deluc 
testified that she keeps a roadside inn not far from the bank of the 
river; opposite the Barri鑢e du Roule。 The neighborhood is secluded 
 particularly so。 It is the usual Sunday resort of blackguards from 
the city; who cross the river in boats。 About three o'clock; in the 
afternoon of the Sunday in question; a young girl arrived at the inn; 
accompanied by a young man of dark complexion。 The two remained here 
for some time。 On their departure; they took the road to some thick 
woods in the vicinity。 Madame Deluc's attention was called to the 
dress worn by the girl; on account of its resemblance to one worn by 
a deceased relative。 A scarf was particularly noticed。 Soon after the 
departure of the couple; a gang of miscreants made their appearance; 
behaved boisterously; ate and drank without making payment; followed 
in the route of the young man and girl; returned to the inn about 
dusk; and re…crossed the river as if in great haste。 

It was soon after dark; upon this same evening; that Madame Deluc; as 
well as her eldest son; heard the screams of a female in the vicinity 
of the inn。 The screams were violent but brief。 Madame D。 recognized 
not only the scarf which was found in the thicket; but the dress 
which was discovered upon the corpse。 An omnibus driver; Valence; 
{*13} now also testified that he saw Marie Rog阾 cross a ferry on the 
Seine; on the Sunday in question; in company with a young man of dark 
complexion。 He; Valence; knew Marie; and could not be mistaken in her 
identity。 The articles found in the thicket were fully identified by 
the relatives of Marie。 

The items of evidence and information thus collected by myself; from 
the newspapers; at the suggestion of Dupin; embraced only one more 
point  but this was a point of seemingly vast consequence。 It 
appears that; immediately after the discovery of the clothes as above 
described; the lifeless; or nearly lifeless body of St。 Eustache; 
Marie's betrothed; was found in the vicinity of what all now supposed 
the scene of the outrage。 A phial labelled 〃laudanum;〃 and emptied; 
was found near him。 His breath gave evidence of the poison。 He died 
without speaking。 Upon his person was found a letter; briefly stating 
his love for Marie; with his design of self… destruction。 

〃I need scarcely tell you;〃 said Dupin; as he finished the perusal of 
my notes; 〃that this is a far more intricate case than that of the 
Rue Morgue; from which it differs in one important respect。 This is 
an ordinary; although an atrocious instance of crime。 There is 
nothing peculiarly outr?about it。 You will observe that; for this 
reason; the mystery has been considered easy; when; for this reason; 
it should have been considered difficult; of solution。 Thus; at 
first; it was thought unnecessary to offer a reward。 The myrmidons of 
G… were able at once to comprehend how and why such an atrocity 
might have been committed。 They could picture to their imaginations a 
mode … many modes … and a motive … many motives; and because it was 
not impossible that either of these numerous modes and motives could 
have been the actual one; they have taken it for granted that one of 
them must。 But the case with which these variable fancies were 
entertained; and the very plausibility which each assumed; should 
have been understood as indicative rather of the difficulties than of 
the facilities which must attend elucidation。 I have before observed 
that it is by prominences above the plane of the ordinary; that 
reason feels her way; if at all; in her search for the true; and that 
the proper question in cases such as this; is not so much 'what has 
occurred?' as 'what has occurred that has never occurred before?' In 
the investigations at the house of Madame L'Espanaye; {*14} the 
agents of G were discouraged and confounded by that very 
unusualness which; to a properly regulated intellect; would have 
afforded the surest omen of success; while this same intellect might 
have been plunged in despair at the ordinary character of all that 
met the eye in the case of the perfumery…girl; and yet told of 
nothing but easy triumph to the functionaries of the Prefecture。 

〃In the case of Madame L'Espanaye and her daughter there was; even at 
the beginning of our investigation; no doubt that murder had been 
committed。 The idea of suicide was excluded at once。 Here; too; we 
are freed; at the commencement; from all supposition of self… murder。 
The body found at the Barri鑢e du Roule; was found under such 
circumstances as to leave us no room for embarrassment upon this 
important point。 But it has been suggested that the corpse 
discovered; is not that of the Marie Rog阾 for the conviction of 
whose assassin; or assassins; the reward is offered; and respecting 
whom; solely; our agreement has been arranged with the Prefect。 We 
both know this gentleman well。 It will not do to trust him too far。 
If; dating our inquiries from the body found; and thence tracing a 
murderer; we yet discover this body to be that of some other 
individual than Marie; or; if starting from the living Marie; we find 
her; yet find her unassassinated  in either case we lose our labor; 
since it is Monsieur G with whom we have to deal。 For our own 
purpose; therefore; if not for the purpose of justice; it is 
indispensable that our first step should be the determination of the 
identity of the corpse with the Marie Rog阾 who is missing。 

〃With the public the arguments of L'Etoile have had weight; and that 
the journal itself is convinced of their importance would appear from 
the manner in which it commences one of its essays upon the subject … 
'Several of the morning papers of the day;' it says; 'speak of the 
_conclusive_ article in Monday's Etoile。' To me; this article appears 
conclusive of little beyond the zeal of its inditer。 We should bear 
in mind that; in general; it is the object of our newspapers rather 
to create a sensation  to make a point … than to further the cause 
of truth。 The latter end is only pursued when it seems coincident 
with the former。 The print which merely falls in with ordinary 
opinion (however well founded this opinion may be) earns for itself 
no credit with the mob。 The mass of the people regard as profound 
only him who suggests _pungent contradictions_ of the general idea。 
In ratiocination; not less than in literature; it is the epigram 
which is the most immediately and the most universally appreciated。 
In both; it is of the lowest order of merit。 

〃What I mean to say is; that it is the mingled epigram and melodrame 
of the idea; that Marie Rog阾 still lives; rather than any true 
plausibility in this idea; which have suggested it to L'Etoile; and 
secured it a favorable reception with the public。 Let us examine the 
heads of this journal's argument; endeavoring to avoid the 
incoherence with which it is originally set forth。 

〃The first aim of the writer is to show; from the brevity of the 
interval between Marie's disappearance and the finding of the 
floating corpse; that this corpse cannot be that of Marie。 The 
reduction of this interval to its smallest possible dimension; 
becomes thus; at once; an object with the reasoner。 In the rash 
pursuit of this object; he rushes into mere assumption at the outset。 
'It is folly to suppose;' he says; 'that the murder; if murder was 
committed on her body; could have been consummated soon enough to 
have enabled her murderers to throw the body into the river before 
midnight。' We demand at once; and very naturally; why? Why is it 
folly to suppose that the murder was committed _within five minutes_ 
after the girl's quitting her mother's house? Why is it folly to 
suppose that the murder was committed at any given period of the day? 
There have been assassinations at all hours。 But; had the murder 
taken place at any moment between nine o'clock in the morning of 
Sunday; and a quarter before midnight; there would still have been 
time enough ''to throw the body into the river before midnight。' This 
assumption; then; amounts precisely to this … that the murder was not 
c

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