“Thematerialworld。”continuedDupin，“aboundswithverystrictanalogiestotheimmaterial；andthussomecoloroftruthhasbeengiventotherhetoricaldogma，thatmetaphor，orsimile，maybemadetostrengthenanargument，aswellastoembellishadescription。Theprincipleofthevisinerti？forexample，seemstobeidenticalinphysicsandmetaphysics。Itisnotmoretrueintheformer，thatalargebodyiswithmoredifficultysetinmotionthanasmallerone，andthatitssubsequentmomentumiscommensuratewiththisdifficulty，thanitis，inthelatter，thatintellectsofthevastercapacity，whilemoreforcible，moreconstant，andmoreeventfulintheirmovementsthanthoseofinferiorgrade，areyetthelessreadilymoved，andmoreembarrassedandfullofhesitationinthefirstfewstepsoftheirprogress。Again：haveyouevernoticedwhichofthestreetsigns，overtheshop-doors，arethemostattractiveofattention？”
“Ihavenevergiventhematterathought。”Isaid。
“Thereisagameofpuzzles。”heresumed，“whichisplayeduponamap。Onepartyplayingrequiresanothertofindagivenword-thenameoftown，river，stateorempire-anyword，inshort，uponthemotleyandperplexedsurfaceofthechart。Anoviceinthegamegenerallyseekstoembarrasshisopponentsbygivingthemthemostminutelyletterednames；buttheadeptselectssuchwordsasstretch，inlargecharacters，fromoneendofthecharttotheother。These，liketheover-largelyletteredsignsandplacardsofthestreet，escapeobservationbydintofbeingexcessivelyobvious；andherethephysicaloversightispreciselyanalogouswiththemoralinapprehensionbywhichtheintellectsufferstopassunnoticedthoseconsiderationswhicharetooobtrusivelyandtoopalpablyself-evident。Butthisisapoint，itappears，somewhataboveorbeneaththeunderstandingofthePrefect。Heneveroncethoughtitprobable，orpossible，thattheMinisterhaddepositedtheletterimmediatelybeneaththenoseofthewholeworld，bywayofbestpreventinganyportionofthatworldfromperceivingit。
“ButthemoreIreflecteduponthedaring，dashing，anddiscriminatingingenuityofD；uponthefactthatthedocumentmustalwayshavebeenathand，ifheintendedtouseittogoodpurpose；
anduponthedecisiveevidence，obtainedbythePrefect，thatitwasnothiddenwithinthelimitsofthatdignitary’sordinarysearch-
themoresatisfiedIbecamethat，toconcealthisletter，theMinisterhadresortedtothecomprehensiveandsagaciousexpedientofnotattemptingtoconcealitatall。
“Fulloftheseideas，Ipreparedmyselfwithapairofgreenspectacles，andcalledonefinemorning，quitebyaccident，attheMinisterialhotel。IfoundDathome，yawning，lounging，anddawdling，asusual，andpretendingtobeinthelastextremityofennui。Heis，perhaps，themostreallyenergetichumanbeingnowalive-butthatisonlywhennobodyseeshim。
“Tobeevenwithhim，Icomplainedofmyweakeyes，andlamentedthenecessityofthespectacles，undercoverofwhichIcautiouslyandthoroughlysurveyedthewholeapartment，whileseeminglyintentonlyupontheconversationofmyhost。
“Ipaidespecialattentiontoalargewriting-tablenearwhichhesat，anduponwhichlayconfusedly，somemiscellaneouslettersandotherpapers，withoneortwomusicalinstrumentsandafewbooks。
Here，however，afteralongandverydeliberatescrutiny，Isawnothingtoexciteparticularsuspicion。
“Atlengthmyeyes，ingoingthecircuitoftheroom，felluponatrumperyfillagreecard-rackofpasteboard，thathungdanglingbyadirtyblueribbon，fromalittlebrassknobjustbeneaththemiddleofthemantel-piece。Inthisrack，whichhadthreeorfourcompartments，werefiveorsixvisitingcardsandasolitaryletter。
Thislastwasmuchsoiledandcrumpled。Itwastornnearlyintwo，acrossthemiddle-asifadesign，inthefirstinstance，totearitentirelyupasworthless，hadbeenaltered，orstayed，inthesecond。
Ithadalargeblackseal，bearingtheDcipherveryconspicuously，andwasaddressed，inadiminutivefemalehand，toD，theminister，himself。Itwasthrustcarelessly，andeven，asitseemed，contemptuously，intooneoftheuppermostdivisionsoftherack。
“NosoonerhadIglancedatthisletter，thanIconcludedittobethatofwhichIwasinsearch。Tobesure，itwas，toallappearance，radicallydifferentfromtheoneofwhichthePrefecthadreadussominuteadescription。Herethesealwaslargeandblack，withtheD
cipher；thereitwassmallandred，withtheducalarmsoftheS
family。Here，theaddress，totheMinister，diminutiveandfeminine；
therethesuperscription，toacertainroyalpersonage，wasmarkedlyboldanddecided；thesizealoneformedapointofcorrespondence。
But，then，theradicalnessofthesedifferences，whichwasexcessive；
thedirt；thesoiledandtornconditionofthepaper，soinconsistentwiththetruemethodicalhabitsofD，andsosuggestiveofadesigntodeludethebeholderintoanideaoftheworthlessnessofthedocument；thesethings，togetherwiththehyper-obtrusivesituationofthisdocument，fullintheviewofeveryvisiter，andthusexactlyinaccordancewiththeconclusionstowhichIhadpreviouslyarrived；
thesethings，Isay，werestronglycorroborativeofsuspicion，inonewhocamewiththeintentiontosuspect。
“Iprotractedmyvisitaslongaspossible，and，whileImaintainedamostanimateddiscussionwiththeMinisteruponatopicwhichIknewwellhadneverfailedtointerestandexcitehim，Ikeptmyattentionreallyrivetedupontheletter。Inthisexamination，Icommittedtomemoryitsexternalappearanceandarrangementintherack；andalsofell，atlength，uponadiscoverywhichsetatrestwhatevertrivialdoubtImighthaveentertained。Inscrutinizingtheedgesofthepaper，Iobservedthemtobemorechafedthanseemednecessary。Theypresentedthebrokenappearancewhichismanifestedwhenastiffpaper，havingbeenoncefoldedandpressedwithafolder，isrefoldedinareverseddirection，inthesamecreasesoredgeswhichhadformedtheoriginalfold。Thisdiscoverywassufficient。Itwascleartomethattheletterhadbeenturned，asaglove，insideout，re-directed，andre-sealed。IbadetheMinistergoodmorning，andtookmydepartureatonce，leavingagoldsnuff-boxuponthetable。
“ThenextmorningIcalledforthesnuff-box，whenweresumed，quiteeagerly，theconversationoftheprecedingday。Whilethusengaged，however，aloudreport，asifofapistol，washeardimmediatelybeneaththewindowsofthehotel，andwassucceededbyaseriesoffearfulscreams，andtheshoutingsofaterrifiedmob。Drushedtoacasement，threwitopen，andlookedout。Inthemeantime，Isteppedtothecard-racktooktheletter，putitinmypocket，andreplaceditbyafac-simile，sofarasregardsexternals，whichIhadcarefullypreparedatmylodgings-imitatingtheDcipher，veryreadily，bymeansofasealformedofbread。
“Thedisturbanceinthestreethadbeenoccasionedbythefranticbehaviorofamanwithamusket。Hehadfireditamongacrowdofwomenandchildren。Itproved，however，tohavebeenwithoutball，andthefellowwassufferedtogohiswayasalunaticoradrunkard。
Whenhehadgone，Dcamefromthewindow，whitherIhadfollowedhimimmediatelyuponsecuringtheobjectinview。SoonafterwardsI
badehimfarewell。Thepretendedlunaticwasamaninmyownpay。”
“Butwhatpurposehadyou。”Iasked，“inreplacingtheletterbyafac-simile？Woulditnothavebeenbetter，atthefirstvisit，tohaveseizeditopenly，anddeparted？”
“D。”repliedDupin，“isadesperateman，andamanofnerve。Hishotel，too，isnotwithoutattendantsdevotedtohisinterests。HadI
madethewildattemptyousuggest，ImightneverhavelefttheMinisterialpresencealive。ThegoodpeopleofParismighthaveheardofmenomore。ButIhadanobjectapartfromtheseconsiderations。
Youknowmypoliticalprepossessions。Inthismatter，Iactasapartisanoftheladyconcerned。ForeighteenmonthstheMinisterhashadherinhispower。Shehasnowhiminhers-since，beingunawarethattheletterisnotinhispossession，hewillproceedwithhisexactionsasifitwas。Thuswillheinevitablycommithimself，atonce，tohispoliticaldestruction。Hisdownfall，too，willnotbemoreprecipitatethanawkward。ItisallverywelltotalkaboutthefacilisdescensusAverni；butinallkindsofclimbing，asCatalanisaidofsinging，itisfarmoreeasytogetupthantocomedown。InthepresentinstanceIhavenosympathy-atleastnopity-forhimwhodescends。Heisthatmonstrumhorrendum，anunprincipledmanofgenius。Iconfess，however，thatIshouldlikeverywelltoknowtheprecisecharacterofhisthoughts，when，beingdefiedbyherwhomthePrefectterms’acertainpersonage’heisreducedtoopeningtheletterwhichIleftforhiminthecard-rack。”
“How？didyouputanythingparticularinit？”
“Why-itdidnotseemaltogetherrighttoleavetheinteriorblank-
thatwouldhavebeeninsulting。D，atViennaonce，didmeanevilturn，whichItoldhim，quitegood-humoredly，thatIshouldremember。
So，asIknewhewouldfeelsomecuriosityinregardtotheidentityofthepersonwhohadoutwittedhim，Ithoughtitapitynottogivehimaclue。HeiswellacquaintedwithmyMS。，andIjustcopiedintothemiddleoftheblanksheetthewords-
“’Undesseinsifuneste，S’iln’estdigned’Atr閑，estdignedeThyeste。
TheyaretobefoundinCrebillon’s’Atr閑。’“
HAVINGhadoccasion，lately，inthecourseofsomeOrientalinvestigations，toconsulttheTellmenowIsitsoornot，aworkwhichliketheZoharofSimeonJochaidesisscarcelyknownatall，eveninEurope；andwhichhasneverbeenquoted，tomyknowledge，byanyAmericanifweexcept，perhaps，theauthorofthe“CuriositiesofAmericanLiterature“；havinghadoccasion，Isay，toturnoversomepagesofthefirstmentionedveryremarkablework，Iwasnotalittleastonishedtodiscoverthattheliteraryworldhashithertobeenstrangelyinerrorrespectingthefateofthevizier’sdaughter，Scheherazade，asthatfateisdepictedinthe“ArabianNights“；andthatthedenouementtheregiven，ifnotaltogetherinaccurate，asfarasitgoes，isatleasttoblameinnothavinggoneverymuchfarther。
Forfullinformationonthisinterestingtopic，Imustrefertheinquisitivereadertothe“Isitsoornot“itself，butinthemeantime，IshallbepardonedforgivingasummaryofwhatItherediscovered。
Itwillberemembered，that，intheusualversionofthetales，acertainmonarchhavinggoodcausetobejealousofhisqueen，notonlyputshertodeath，butmakesavow，byhisbeardandtheprophet，toespouseeachnightthemostbeautifulmaideninhisdominions，andthenextmorningtodeliverheruptotheexecutioner。
Havingfulfilledthisvowformanyyearstotheletter，andwithareligiouspunctualityandmethodthatconferredgreatcredituponhimasamanofdevoutfeelingandexcellentsense，hewasinterruptedoneafternoonnodoubtathisprayersbyavisitfromhisgrandvizier，towhosedaughter，itappears，therehadoccurredanidea。
HernamewasScheherazade，andherideawas，thatshewouldeitherredeemthelandfromthedepopulatingtaxuponitsbeauty，orperish，aftertheapprovedfashionofallheroines，intheattempt。
Accordingly，andalthoughwedonotfindittobeleap-yearwhichmakesthesacrificemoremeritorious，shedeputesherfather，thegrandvizier，tomakeanoffertothekingofherhand。Thishandthekingeagerlyacceptshehadintendedtotakeitatallevents，andhadputoffthematterfromdaytoday，onlythroughfearofthevizier，but，inacceptingitnow，hegivesallpartiesverydistinctlytounderstand，that，grandvizierornograndvizier，hehasnottheslightestdesignofgivinguponeiotaofhisvoworofhisprivileges。When，therefore，thefairScheherazadeinsisteduponmarryingtheking，anddidactuallymarryhimdespiteherfather’sexcellentadvicenottodoanythingofthekindwhenshewouldanddidmarryhim，Isay，willI，nillI，itwaswithherbeautifulblackeyesasthoroughlyopenasthenatureofthecasewouldallow。