“Wearepersuadedthatpursuithashithertobeenonafalsescent，sofarasithasbeendirectedtotheBarri鑢eduRoule。Itisimpossiblethatapersonsowellknowntothousandsasthisyoungwomanwas，shouldhavepassedthreeblockswithoutsomeonehavingseenher；andanyonewhosawherwouldhaverememberedit，forsheinterestedallwhoknewher。Itwaswhenthestreetswerefullofpeople，whenshewentout……ItisimpossiblethatshecouldhavegonetotheBarri鑢eduRoule，ortotheRuedesDr鬽es，withoutbeingrecognizedbyadozenpersons；yetnoonehascomeforwardwhosawheroutsideofhermother’sdoor，andthereisnoevidence，exceptthetestimonyconcerningherexpressedintentions，thatshedidgooutatall。Hergownwastorn，boundroundher，andtied；andbythatthebodywascarriedasabundle。IfthemurderhadbeencommittedattheBarri鑢eduRoule，therewouldhavebeennonecessityforanysucharrangement。ThefactthatthebodywasfoundfloatingneartheBarri鑢e，isnoproofastowhereitwasthrownintothewater……Apieceofoneoftheunfortunategirl’spetticoats，twofeetlongandonefootwide，wastornoutandtiedunderherchinaroundthebackofherhead，probablytopreventscreams。Thiswasdonebyfellowswhohadnopocket-handkerchief。”
AdayortwobeforethePrefectcalleduponus，however，someimportantinformationreachedthepolice，whichseemedtooverthrow，atleast，thechiefportionofLeCommerciel’sargument。Twosmallboys，sonsofaMadameDeluc，whileroamingamongthewoodsneartheBarri鑢eduRoule，chancedtopenetrateaclosethicket，withinwhichwerethreeorfourlargestones，formingakindofseat，withabackandfootstool。Ontheupperstonelayawhitepetticoat；onthesecondasilkscarf。Aparasol，gloves，andapocket-handkerchiefwerealsoherefound。Thehandkerchiefborethename“MarieRog阾。”
Fragmentsofdresswerediscoveredonthebramblesaround。Theearthwastrampled，thebusheswerebroken，andtherewaseveryevidenceofastruggle。Betweenthethicketandtheriver，thefenceswerefoundtakendown，andthegroundboreevidenceofsomeheavyburthenhavingbeendraggedalongit。
Aweeklypaper，LeSoleil，{*12}hadthefollowingcommentsuponthisdiscoverycommentswhichmerelyechoedthesentimentofthewholeParisianpress：
“Thethingshadallevidentlybeenthereatleastthreeorfourweeks；theywereallmildeweddownhardwiththeactionoftherainandstucktogetherfrommildew。Thegrasshadgrownaroundandoversomeofthem。Thesilkontheparasolwasstrong，butthethreadsofitwereruntogetherwithin。Theupperpart，whereithadbeendoubledandfolded，wasallmildewedandrotten，andtoreonitsbeingopened……Thepiecesofherfrocktornoutbythebusheswereaboutthreeincheswideandsixincheslong。Onepartwasthehemofthefrock，andithadbeenmended；theotherpiecewaspartoftheskirt，notthehem。Theylookedlikestripstornoff，andwereonthethornbush，aboutafootfromtheground……Therecanbenodoubt，therefore，thatthespotofthisappallingoutragehasbeendiscovered。”
Consequentuponthisdiscovery，newevidenceappeared。MadameDeluctestifiedthatshekeepsaroadsideinnnotfarfromthebankoftheriver，oppositetheBarri鑢eduRoule。Theneighborhoodissecludedparticularlyso。ItistheusualSundayresortofblackguardsfromthecity，whocrosstheriverinboats。Aboutthreeo’clock，intheafternoonoftheSundayinquestion，ayounggirlarrivedattheinn，accompaniedbyayoungmanofdarkcomplexion。Thetworemainedhereforsometime。Ontheirdeparture，theytooktheroadtosomethickwoodsinthevicinity。MadameDeluc’sattentionwascalledtothedresswornbythegirl，onaccountofitsresemblancetoonewornbyadeceasedrelative。Ascarfwasparticularlynoticed。Soonafterthedepartureofthecouple，agangofmiscreantsmadetheirappearance，behavedboisterously，ateanddrankwithoutmakingpayment，followedintherouteoftheyoungmanandgirl，returnedtotheinnaboutdusk，andre-crossedtheriverasifingreathaste。
Itwassoonafterdark，uponthissameevening，thatMadameDeluc，aswellashereldestson，heardthescreamsofafemaleinthevicinityoftheinn。Thescreamswereviolentbutbrief。MadameD。recognizednotonlythescarfwhichwasfoundinthethicket，butthedresswhichwasdiscovereduponthecorpse。Anomnibusdriver，Valence，{*13}nowalsotestifiedthathesawMarieRog阾crossaferryontheSeine，ontheSundayinquestion，incompanywithayoungmanofdarkcomplexion。He，Valence，knewMarie，andcouldnotbemistakeninheridentity。ThearticlesfoundinthethicketwerefullyidentifiedbytherelativesofMarie。
Theitemsofevidenceandinformationthuscollectedbymyself，fromthenewspapers，atthesuggestionofDupin，embracedonlyonemorepointbutthiswasapointofseeminglyvastconsequence。Itappearsthat，immediatelyafterthediscoveryoftheclothesasabovedescribed，thelifeless，ornearlylifelessbodyofSt。Eustache，Marie’sbetrothed，wasfoundinthevicinityofwhatallnowsupposedthesceneoftheoutrage。Aphiallabelled“laudanum。”andemptied，wasfoundnearhim。Hisbreathgaveevidenceofthepoison。Hediedwithoutspeaking。Uponhispersonwasfoundaletter，brieflystatinghisloveforMarie，withhisdesignofself-destruction。
“Ineedscarcelytellyou。”saidDupin，ashefinishedtheperusalofmynotes，“thatthisisafarmoreintricatecasethanthatoftheRueMorgue；fromwhichitdiffersinoneimportantrespect。Thisisanordinary，althoughanatrociousinstanceofcrime。Thereisnothingpeculiarlyoutr？aboutit。Youwillobservethat，forthisreason，themysteryhasbeenconsideredeasy，when，forthisreason，itshouldhavebeenconsidereddifficult，ofsolution。Thus；atfirst，itwasthoughtunnecessarytoofferareward。ThemyrmidonsofG-wereableatoncetocomprehendhowandwhysuchanatrocitymighthavebeencommitted。Theycouldpicturetotheirimaginationsamode-manymodes-andamotive-manymotives；andbecauseitwasnotimpossiblethateitherofthesenumerousmodesandmotivescouldhavebeentheactualone，theyhavetakenitforgrantedthatoneofthemmust。Butthecasewithwhichthesevariablefancieswereentertained，andtheveryplausibilitywhicheachassumed，shouldhavebeenunderstoodasindicativeratherofthedifficultiesthanofthefacilitieswhichmustattendelucidation。Ihavebeforeobservedthatitisbyprominencesabovetheplaneoftheordinary，thatreasonfeelsherway，ifatall，inhersearchforthetrue，andthattheproperquestionincasessuchasthis，isnotsomuch’whathasoccurred？’as’whathasoccurredthathasneveroccurredbefore？’IntheinvestigationsatthehouseofMadameL’Espanaye，{*14}theagentsofGwerediscouragedandconfoundedbythatveryunusualnesswhich，toaproperlyregulatedintellect，wouldhaveaffordedthesurestomenofsuccess；whilethissameintellectmighthavebeenplungedindespairattheordinarycharacterofallthatmettheeyeinthecaseoftheperfumery-girl，andyettoldofnothingbuteasytriumphtothefunctionariesofthePrefecture。
“InthecaseofMadameL’Espanayeandherdaughtertherewas，evenatthebeginningofourinvestigation，nodoubtthatmurderhadbeencommitted。Theideaofsuicidewasexcludedatonce。Here，too，wearefreed，atthecommencement，fromallsuppositionofself-murder。
ThebodyfoundattheBarri鑢eduRoule，wasfoundundersuchcircumstancesastoleaveusnoroomforembarrassmentuponthisimportantpoint。Butithasbeensuggestedthatthecorpsediscovered，isnotthatoftheMarieRog阾fortheconvictionofwhoseassassin，orassassins，therewardisoffered，andrespectingwhom，solely，ouragreementhasbeenarrangedwiththePrefect。Webothknowthisgentlemanwell。Itwillnotdototrusthimtoofar。
If，datingourinquiriesfromthebodyfound，andthencetracingamurderer，weyetdiscoverthisbodytobethatofsomeotherindividualthanMarie；or，ifstartingfromthelivingMarie，wefindher，yetfindherunassassinatedineithercaseweloseourlabor；
sinceitisMonsieurGwithwhomwehavetodeal。Forourownpurpose，therefore，ifnotforthepurposeofjustice，itisindispensablethatourfirststepshouldbethedeterminationoftheidentityofthecorpsewiththeMarieRog阾whoismissing。
“WiththepublictheargumentsofL’Etoilehavehadweight；andthatthejournalitselfisconvincedoftheirimportancewouldappearfromthemannerinwhichitcommencesoneofitsessaysuponthesubject-
’Severalofthemorningpapersoftheday，’itsays，’speakofthe_conclusive_articleinMonday’sEtoile。’Tome，thisarticleappearsconclusiveoflittlebeyondthezealofitsinditer。Weshouldbearinmindthat，ingeneral，itistheobjectofournewspapersrathertocreateasensationtomakeapoint-thantofurtherthecauseoftruth。Thelatterendisonlypursuedwhenitseemscoincidentwiththeformer。Theprintwhichmerelyfallsinwithordinaryopinionhoweverwellfoundedthisopinionmaybeearnsforitselfnocreditwiththemob。Themassofthepeopleregardasprofoundonlyhimwhosuggests_pungentcontradictions_ofthegeneralidea。
Inratiocination，notlessthaninliterature，itistheepigramwhichisthemostimmediatelyandthemostuniversallyappreciated。
Inboth，itisofthelowestorderofmerit。
“WhatImeantosayis，thatitisthemingledepigramandmelodrameoftheidea，thatMarieRog阾stilllives，ratherthananytrueplausibilityinthisidea，whichhavesuggestedittoL’Etoile，andsecureditafavorablereceptionwiththepublic。Letusexaminetheheadsofthisjournal’sargument；endeavoringtoavoidtheincoherencewithwhichitisoriginallysetforth。
“Thefirstaimofthewriteristoshow，fromthebrevityoftheintervalbetweenMarie’sdisappearanceandthefindingofthefloatingcorpse，thatthiscorpsecannotbethatofMarie。Thereductionofthisintervaltoitssmallestpossibledimension，becomesthus，atonce，anobjectwiththereasoner。Intherashpursuitofthisobject，herushesintomereassumptionattheoutset。
’Itisfollytosuppose，’hesays，’thatthemurder，ifmurderwascommittedonherbody，couldhavebeenconsummatedsoonenoughtohaveenabledhermurdererstothrowthebodyintotheriverbeforemidnight。’Wedemandatonce，andverynaturally，why？Whyisitfollytosupposethatthemurderwascommitted_withinfiveminutes_
afterthegirl’squittinghermother’shouse？Whyisitfollytosupposethatthemurderwascommittedatanygivenperiodoftheday？
Therehavebeenassassinationsatallhours。But，hadthemurdertakenplaceatanymomentbetweennineo’clockinthemorningofSunday，andaquarterbeforemidnight，therewouldstillhavebeentimeenough’’tothrowthebodyintotheriverbeforemidnight。’Thisassumption，then，amountspreciselytothis-thatthemurderwasnotcommittedonSundayatall-and，ifweallowL’Etoiletoassumethis，wemaypermititanylibertieswhatever。Theparagraphbeginning’Itisfollytosupposethatthemurder，etc。，’howeveritappearsasprintedinL’Etoile，maybeimaginedtohaveexistedactuallythusinthebrainofitsinditer-’Itisfollytosupposethatthemurder，ifmurderwascommittedonthebody，couldhavebeencommittedsoonenoughtohaveenabledhermurdererstothrowthebodyintotheriverbeforemidnight；itisfolly，wesay，tosupposeallthis，andtosupposeatthesametime，asweareresolvedtosuppose，thatthebodywasnotthrowninuntilaftermidnight’asentencesufficientlyinconsequentialinitself，butnotsoutterlypreposterousastheoneprinted。
“Wereitmypurpose。”continuedDupin，“merelyto_makeoutacase_
againstthispassageofL’Etoile’sargument，Imightsafelyleaveitwhereitis。Itisnot，however，withL’Etoilethatwehavetodo，butwiththetruth。Thesentenceinquestionhasbutonemeaning，asitstands；andthismeaningIhavefairlystated：butitismaterialthatwegobehindthemerewords，foranideawhichthesewordshaveobviouslyintended，andfailedtoconvey。Itwasthedesignofthejournalisttosaythat，atwhateverperiodofthedayornightofSundaythismurderwascommitted，itwasimprobablethattheassassinswouldhaveventuredtobearthecorpsetotheriverbeforemidnight。Andhereinlies，really，theassumptionofwhichI
complain。Itisassumedthatthemurderwascommittedatsuchaposition，andundersuchcircumstances，thatthebearingittotheriverbecamenecessary。Now，theassassinationmighthavetakenplaceupontheriver’sbrink，orontheriveritself；and，thus，thethrowingthecorpseinthewatermighthavebeenresortedto，atanyperiodofthedayornight，asthemostobviousandmostimmediatemodeofdisposal。YouwillunderstandthatIsuggestnothinghereasprobable，orasc鰅ncidentwithmyownopinion。Mydesign，sofar，hasnoreferencetothefactsofthecase。IwishmerelytocautionyouagainstthewholetoneofL’Etoile’ssuggestion，bycallingyourattentiontoitsexpartecharacterattheoutset。
“Havingprescribedthusalimittosuititsownpreconceivednotions；
havingassumedthat，ifthiswerethebodyofMarie，itcouldhavebeeninthewaterbutaverybrieftime；thejournalgoesontosay：
’Allexperiencehasshownthatdrownedbodies，orbodiesthrownintothewaterimmediatelyafterdeathbyviolence，requirefromsixtotendaysforsufficientdecompositiontotakeplacetobringthemtothetopofthewater。Evenwhenacannonisfiredoveracorpse，anditrisesbeforeatleastfiveorsixdays’immersion，itsinksagainifletalone。’
“TheseassertionshavebeentacitlyreceivedbyeverypaperinParis，withtheexceptionofLeMoniteur。{*15}Thislatterprintendeavorstocombatthatportionoftheparagraphwhichhasreferenceto’drownedbodies’only，bycitingsomefiveorsixinstancesinwhichthebodiesofindividualsknowntobedrownedwerefoundfloatingafterthelapseoflesstimethanisinsisteduponbyL’Etoile。ButthereissomethingexcessivelyunphilosophicalintheattemptonthepartofLeMoniteur，torebutthegeneralassertionofL’Etoile，byacitationofparticularinstancesmilitatingagainstthatassertion。