ItwasafreakoffancyinmyfriendforwhatelseshallIcallit？
tobeenamoredoftheNightforherownsake；andintothis_bizarrerie_，asintoallhisothers，Iquietlyfell；givingmyselfuptohiswildwhimswithaperfect_abandon_。Thesabledivinitywouldnotherselfdwellwithusalways；butwecouldcounterfeitherpresence。Atthefirstdawnofthemorningweclosedallthemessyshuttersofouroldbuilding；lightingacoupleoftaperswhich，stronglyperfumed，threwoutonlytheghastliestandfeeblestofrays。Bytheaidofthesewethenbusiedoursoulsindreams-
reading，writing，orconversing，untilwarnedbytheclockoftheadventofthetrueDarkness。Thenwesalliedforthintothestreetsarminarm，continuingthetopicsoftheday，orroamingfarandwideuntilalatehour，seeking，amidthewildlightsandshadowsofthepopulouscity，thatinfinityofmentalexcitementwhichquietobservationcanafford。
AtsuchtimesIcouldnothelpremarkingandadmiringalthoughfromhisrichidealityIhadbeenpreparedtoexpectitapeculiaranalyticabilityinDupin。Heseemed，too，totakeaneagerdelightinitsexercise-ifnotexactlyinitsdisplay-anddidnothesitatetoconfessthepleasurethusderived。Heboastedtome，withalowchucklinglaugh，thatmostmen，inrespecttohimself，worewindowsintheirbosoms，andwaswonttofollowupsuchassertionsbydirectandverystartlingproofsofhisintimateknowledgeofmyown。
Hismanneratthesemomentswasfrigidandabstract；hiseyeswerevacantinexpression；whilehisvoice，usuallyarichtenor，roseintoatreblewhichwouldhavesoundedpetulantlybutforthedeliberatenessandentiredistinctnessoftheenunciation。Observinghiminthesemoods，IoftendweltmeditativelyupontheoldphilosophyoftheBi-PartSoul，andamusedmyselfwiththefancyofadoubleDupin-thecreativeandtheresolvent。
Letitnotbesupposed，fromwhatIhavejustsaid，thatIamdetailinganymystery，orpenninganyromance。WhatIhavedescribedintheFrenchman，wasmerelytheresultofanexcited，orperhapsofadiseasedintelligence。Butofthecharacterofhisremarksattheperiodsinquestionanexamplewillbestconveytheidea。
WewerestrollingonenightdownalongdirtystreetinthevicinityofthePalaisRoyal。Beingboth，apparently，occupiedwiththought，neitherofushadspokenasyllableforfifteenminutesatleast。AllatonceDupinbrokeforthwiththesewords：
“Heisaverylittlefellow，that’strue，andwoulddobetterforthe_Th殁tredesVari閠閟_。”
“Therecanbenodoubtofthat。”Irepliedunwittingly，andnotatfirstobservingsomuchhadIbeenabsorbedinreflectiontheextraordinarymannerinwhichthespeakerhadchimedinwithmymeditations。InaninstantafterwardIrecollectedmyself，andmyastonishmentwasprofound。
“Dupin。”saidI，gravely，“thisisbeyondmycomprehension。IdonothesitatetosaythatIamamazed，andcanscarcelycreditmysenses。
HowwasitpossibleyoushouldknowIwasthinkingof-？”HereI
paused，toascertainbeyondadoubtwhetherhereallyknewofwhomI
thought。
“ofChantilly。”saidhe，“whydoyoupause？Youwereremarkingtoyourselfthathisdiminutivefigureunfittedhimfortragedy。”
Thiswaspreciselywhathadformedthesubjectofmyreflections。
Chantillywasa_quondam_cobbleroftheRueSt。Denis，who，becomingstage-mad，hadattemptedthe_r鬺e_ofXerxes，inCr閎illon’stragedysocalled，andbeennotoriouslyPasquinadedforhispains。
“Tellme，forHeaven’ssake。”Iexclaimed，“themethod-ifmethodthereis-bywhichyouhavebeenenabledtofathommysoulinthismatter。”InfactIwasevenmorestartledthanIwouldhavebeenwillingtoexpress。
“Itwasthefruiterer。”repliedmyfriend，“whobroughtyoutotheconclusionthatthemenderofsoleswasnotofsufficientheightforXerxes_etidgenusomne_。”
“Thefruiterer！-youastonishme-Iknownofruitererwhomsoever。”
“Themanwhoranupagainstyouasweenteredthestreet-itmayhavebeenfifteenminutesago。”
Inowrememberedthat，infact，afruiterer，carryinguponhisheadalargebasketofapples，hadnearlythrownmedown，byaccident，aswepassedfromtheRueCintothethoroughfarewherewestood；butwhatthishadtodowithChantillyIcouldnotpossiblyunderstand。
Therewasnotaparticleof_charl鈚anerie_aboutDupin。“Iwillexplain。”hesaid，“andthatyoumaycomprehendallclearly，wewillfirstretracethecourseofyourmeditations，fromthemomentinwhichIspoketoyouuntilthatofthe_rencontre_withthefruitererinquestion。Thelargerlinksofthechainrunthus-Chantilly，Orion，Dr。Nichols，Epicurus，Stereotomy，thestreetstones，thefruiterer。”
Therearefewpersonswhohavenot，atsomeperiodoftheirlives，amusedthemselvesinretracingthestepsbywhichparticularconclusionsoftheirownmindshavebeenattained。Theoccupationisoftenfullofinterestandhewhoattemptsitforthefirsttimeisastonishedbytheapparentlyillimitabledistanceandincoherencebetweenthestarting-pointandthegoal。What，then，musthavebeenmyamazementwhenIheardtheFrenchmanspeakwhathehadjustspoken，andwhenIcouldnothelpacknowledgingthathehadspokenthetruth。Hecontinued：
“Wehadbeentalkingofhorses，ifIrememberaright，justbeforeleavingtheRueC。Thiswasthelastsubjectwediscussed。Aswecrossedintothisstreet，afruiterer，withalargebasketuponhishead，brushingquicklypastus，thrustyouuponapileofpavingstonescollectedataspotwherethecausewayisundergoingrepair。
Yousteppedupononeoftheloosefragments，slipped，slightlystrainedyourankle，appearedvexedorsulky，mutteredafewwords，turnedtolookatthepile，andthenproceededinsilence。Iwasnotparticularlyattentivetowhatyoudid；butobservationhasbecomewithme，oflate，aspeciesofnecessity。
“Youkeptyoureyesupontheground-glancing，withapetulantexpression，attheholesandrutsinthepavement，sothatIsawyouwerestillthinkingofthestones，untilwereachedthelittlealleycalledLamartine，whichhasbeenpaved，bywayofexperiment，withtheoverlappingandrivetedblocks。Hereyourcountenancebrightenedup，and，perceivingyourlipsmove，Icouldnotdoubtthatyoumurmuredtheword’stereotomy，’atermveryaffectedlyappliedtothisspeciesofpavement。Iknewthatyoucouldnotsaytoyourself’stereotomy’withoutbeingbroughttothinkofatomies，andthusofthetheoriesofEpicurus；andsince，whenwediscussedthissubjectnotverylongago，Imentionedtoyouhowsingularly，yetwithhowlittlenotice，thevagueguessesofthatnobleGreekhadmetwithconfirmationinthelatenebularcosmogony，Ifeltthatyoucouldnotavoidcastingyoureyesupwardtothegreat_nebula_inOrion，andI
certainlyexpectedthatyouwoulddoso。Youdidlookup；andIwasnowassuredthatIhadcorrectlyfollowedyoursteps。Butinthatbitter_tirade_uponChantilly，whichappearedinyesterday’s’_Mus閑_，’thesatirist，makingsomedisgracefulallusionstothecobblerschangeofnameuponassumingthebuskin，quotedaLatinlineaboutwhichwehaveoftenconversed。ImeanthelinePerdiditantiquumliterasonum。
IhadtoldyouthatthiswasinreferencetoOrion，formerlywrittenUrion；and，fromcertainpungenciesconnectedwiththisexplanation，Iwasawarethatyoucouldnothaveforgottenit。Itwasclear，therefore，thatyouwouldnotfailtocombinethetwoideasofOrionandChantilly。ThatyoudidcombinethemIsawbythecharacterofthesmilewhichpassedoveryourlips。Youthoughtofthepoorcobbler’simmolation。Sofar，youhadbeenstoopinginyourgait；butnowIsawyoudrawyourselfuptoyourfullheight。IwasthensurethatyoureflecteduponthediminutivefigureofChantilly。AtthispointIinterruptedyourmeditationstoremarkthatas，infact，bewasaverylittlefellow-thatChantilly-hewoulddobetteratthe_Th殁tredesVari閠閟_。”
Notlongafterthis，wewerelookingoveraneveningeditionofthe“GazettedesTribunaux。”whenthefollowingparagraphsarrestedourattention。
“EXTRAORDINARYMURDERS-Thismorning，aboutthreeo’clock，theinhabitantsoftheQuartierSt。Rochwerearousedfromsleepbyasuccessionofterrificshrieks，issuing，apparently，fromthefourthstoryofahouseintheRueMorgue，knowntobeinthesoleoccupancyofoneMadameL’Espanaye，andherdaughterMademoiselleCamilleL’Espanaye。Aftersomedelay，occasionedbyafruitlessattempttoprocureadmissionintheusualmanner，thegatewaywasbrokeninwithacrowbar，andeightortenoftheneighborsenteredaccompaniedbytwo_gendarmes_。Bythistimethecrieshadceased；but，asthepartyrushedupthefirstflightofstairs，twoormoreroughvoicesinangrycontentionweredistinguishedandseemedtoproceedfromtheupperpartofthehouse。Asthesecondlandingwasreached，thesesounds，also，hadceasedandeverythingremainedperfectlyquiet。Thepartyspreadthemselvesandhurriedfromroomtoroom。Uponarrivingatalargebackchamberinthefourthstory，thedoorofwhich，beingfoundlocked，withthekeyinside，wasforcedopen，aspectaclepresenteditselfwhichstruckeveryonepresentnotlesswithhorrorthanwithastonishment。
“Theapartmentwasinthewildestdisorder-thefurniturebrokenandthrownaboutinalldirections。Therewasonlyonebedstead；andfromthisthebedhadbeenremoved，andthrownintothemiddleofthefloor。Onachairlayarazor，besmearedwithblood。Onthehearthweretwoorthreelongandthicktressesofgreyhumanhair，alsodabbledinblood，andseemingtohavebeenpulledoutbytheroots。
UponthefloorwerefoundfourNapoleons，anear-ringoftopaz，threelargesilverspoons，threesmallerof_m閠ald’Alger_，andtwobags，containingnearlyfourthousandfrancsingold。Thedrawersofa_bureau_，whichstoodinonecornerwereopen，andhadbeen，apparently，rifled，althoughmanyarticlesstillremainedinthem。A
smallironsafewasdiscoveredunderthe_bed_notunderthebedstead。Itwasopen，withthekeystillinthedoor。Ithadnocontentsbeyondafewoldletters，andotherpapersoflittleconsequence。
“OfMadameL’Espanayenotraceswerehereseen；butanunusualquantityofsootbeingobservedinthefire-place，asearchwasmadeinthechimney，andhorribletorelate！the；corpseofthedaughter，headdownward，wasdraggedtherefrom；ithavingbeenthusforcedupthenarrowapertureforaconsiderabledistance。Thebodywasquitewarm。Uponexaminingit，manyexcoriationswereperceived，nodoubtoccasionedbytheviolencewithwhichithadbeenthrustupanddisengaged。Uponthefaceweremanyseverescratches，and，uponthethroat，darkbruises，anddeepindentationsoffingernails，asifthedeceasedhadbeenthrottledtodeath。
“Afterathoroughinvestigationofeveryportionofthehouse，withoutfartherdiscovery，thepartymadeitswayintoasmallpavedyardintherearofthebuilding，wherelaythecorpseoftheoldlady，withherthroatsoentirelycutthat，uponanattempttoraiseher，theheadfelloff。Thebody，aswellasthehead，wasfearfullymutilated-theformersomuchsoasscarcelytoretainanysemblanceofhumanity。
“Tothishorriblemysterythereisnotasyet，webelieve，theslightestclew。”
Thenextday’spaperhadtheseadditionalparticulars。
“_TheTragedyintheRueMorgue。_Manyindividualshavebeenexaminedinrelationtothismostextraordinaryandfrightfulaffair。[Theword’affaire’hasnotyet，inFrance，thatlevityofimportwhichitconveyswithus，]“butnothingwhateverhastranspiredtothrowlightuponit。Wegivebelowallthematerialtestimonyelicited。
“_PaulineDubourg_，laundress，deposesthatshehasknownboththedeceasedforthreeyears，havingwashedforthemduringthatperiod。
Theoldladyandherdaughterseemedongoodterms-veryaffectionatetowardseachother。Theywereexcellentpay。Couldnotspeakinregardtotheirmodeormeansofliving。BelievedthatMadameL。toldfortunesforaliving。Wasreputedtohavemoneyputby。Nevermetanypersonsinthehousewhenshecalledfortheclothesortookthemhome。Wassurethattheyhadnoservantinemploy。Thereappearedtobenofurnitureinanypartofthebuildingexceptinthefourthstory。
“_PierreMoreau_，tobacconist，deposesthathehasbeeninthehabitofsellingsmallquantitiesoftobaccoandsnufftoMadameL’Espanayefornearlyfouryears。Wasbornintheneighborhood，andhasalwaysresidedthere。Thedeceasedandherdaughterhadoccupiedthehouseinwhichthecorpseswerefound，formorethansixyears。Itwasformerlyoccupiedbyajeweller，whounder-lettheupperroomstovariouspersons。ThehousewasthepropertyofMadameL。Shebecamedissatisfiedwiththeabuseofthepremisesbyhertenant，andmovedintothemherself，refusingtoletanyportion。Theoldladywaschildish。Witnesshadseenthedaughtersomefiveorsixtimesduringthesixyears。Thetwolivedanexceedinglyretiredlife-werereputedtohavemoney。HadhearditsaidamongtheneighborsthatMadameL。toldfortunes-didnotbelieveit。Hadneverseenanypersonenterthedoorexcepttheoldladyandherdaughter，aporteronceortwice，andaphysiciansomeeightortentimes。
“Manyotherpersons，neighbors，gaveevidencetothesameeffect。Noonewasspokenofasfrequentingthehouse。ItwasnotknownwhethertherewereanylivingconnexionsofMadameL。andherdaughter。Theshuttersofthefrontwindowswereseldomopened。Thoseintherearwerealwaysclosed，withtheexceptionofthelargebackroom，fourthstory。Thehousewasagoodhouse-notveryold。