第 40 节
作者:管他三七二十一      更新:2021-04-30 16:21      字数:9313
  depicting of character constituted my design; and this design was
  thoroughly fulfilled in the wild train of circumstances brought to
  instance Dupin's idiosyncrasy。 I might have adduced other examples;
  but I should have proven no more。 Late events; however; in their
  surprising development; have startled me into some farther details;
  which will carry with them the air of extorted confession。 Hearing
  what I have lately heard; it would be indeed strange should I remain
  silent in regard to what I both heard and saw so long ago。
  Upon the winding up of the tragedy involved in the deaths of Madame
  L'Espanaye and her daughter; the Chevalier dismissed the affair at
  once from his attention; and relapsed into his old habits of moody
  reverie。 Prone; at all times; to abstraction; I readily fell in with
  his humor; and; continuing to occupy our chambers in the Faubourg
  Saint Germain; we gave the Future to the winds; and slumbered
  tranquilly in the Present; weaving the dull world around us into
  dreams。
  But these dreams were not altogether uninterrupted。 It may readily be
  supposed that the part played by my friend; in the drama at the Rue
  Morgue; had not failed of its impression upon the fancies of the
  Parisian police。 With its emissaries; the name of Dupin had grown
  into a household word。 The simple character of those inductions by
  which he had disentangled the mystery never having been explained
  even to the Prefect; or to any other individual than myself; of
  course it is not surprising that the affair was regarded as little
  less than miraculous; or that the Chevalier's analytical abilities
  acquired for him the credit of intuition。 His frankness would have
  led him to disabuse every inquirer of such prejudice; but his
  indolent humor forbade all farther agitation of a topic whose
  interest to himself had long ceased。 It thus happened that he found
  himself the cynosure of the policial eyes; and the cases were not few
  in which attempt was made to engage his services at the Prefecture。
  One of the most remarkable instances was that of the murder of a
  young girl named Marie Rog阾。
  This event occurred about two years after the atrocity in the Rue
  Morgue。 Marie; whose Christian and family name will at once arrest
  attention from their resemblance to those of the unfortunate 〃cigar…
  girl;〃 was the only daughter of the widow Estelle Rog阾。 The father
  had died during the child's infancy; and from the period of his
  death; until within eighteen months before the assassination which
  forms the subject of our narrative; the mother and daughter had dwelt
  together in the Rue Pav閑 Saint Andr閑; {*3} Madame there keeping a
  pension; assisted by Marie。 Affairs went on thus until the latter had
  attained her twenty…second year; when her great beauty attracted the
  notice of a perfumer; who occupied one of the shops in the basement
  of the Palais Royal; and whose custom lay chiefly among the desperate
  adventurers infesting that neighborhood。 Monsieur Le Blanc {*4} was
  not unaware of the advantages to be derived from the attendance of
  the fair Marie in his perfumery; and his liberal proposals were
  accepted eagerly by the girl; although with somewhat more of
  hesitation by Madame。
  The anticipations of the shopkeeper were realized; and his rooms soon
  became notorious through the charms of the sprightly grisette。 She
  had been in his employ about a year; when her admirers were thrown
  info confusion by her sudden disappearance from the shop。 Monsieur Le
  Blanc was unable to account for her absence; and Madame Rog阾 was
  distracted with anxiety and terror。 The public papers immediately
  took up the theme; and the police were upon the point of making
  serious investigations; when; one fine morning; after the lapse of a
  week; Marie; in good health; but with a somewhat saddened air; made
  her re…appearance at her usual counter in the perfumery。 All inquiry;
  except that of a private character; was of course immediately hushed。
  Monsieur Le Blanc professed total ignorance; as before。 Marie; with
  Madame; replied to all questions; that the last week had been spent
  at the house of a relation in the country。 Thus the affair died away;
  and was generally forgotten; for the girl; ostensibly to relieve
  herself from the impertinence of curiosity; soon bade a final adieu
  to the perfumer; and sought the shelter of her mother's residence in
  the Rue Pav閑 Saint Andr閑。
  It was about five months after this return home; that her friends
  were alarmed by her sudden disappearance for the second time。 Three
  days elapsed; and nothing was heard of her。 On the fourth her corpse
  was found floating in the Seine; * near the shore which is opposite
  the Quartier of the Rue Saint Andree; and at a point not very far
  distant from the secluded neighborhood of the Barri鑢e du Roule。 {*6}
  The atrocity of this murder; (for it was at once evident that murder
  had been committed;) the youth and beauty of the victim; and; above
  all; her previous notoriety; conspired to produce intense excitement
  in the minds of the sensitive Parisians。 I can call to mind no
  similar occurrence producing so general and so intense an effect。 For
  several weeks; in the discussion of this one absorbing theme; even
  the momentous political topics of the day were forgotten。 The Prefect
  made unusual exertions; and the powers of the whole Parisian police
  were; of course; tasked to the utmost extent。
  Upon the first discovery of the corpse; it was not supposed that the
  murderer would be able to elude; for more than a very brief period;
  the inquisition which was immediately set on foot。 It was not until
  the expiration of a week that it was deemed necessary to offer a
  reward; and even then this reward was limited to a thousand francs。
  In the mean time the investigation proceeded with vigor; if not
  always with judgment; and numerous individuals were examined to no
  purpose; while; owing to the continual absence of all clue to the
  mystery; the popular excitement greatly increased。 At the end of the
  tenth day it was thought advisable to double the sum originally
  proposed; and; at length; the second week having elapsed without
  leading to any discoveries; and the prejudice which always exists in
  Paris against the Police having given vent to itself in several
  serious 閙eutes; the Prefect took it upon himself to offer the sum of
  twenty thousand francs 〃for the conviction of the assassin;〃 or; if
  more than one should prove to have been implicated; 〃for the
  conviction of any one of the assassins。〃 In the proclamation setting
  forth this reward; a full pardon was promised to any accomplice who
  should come forward in evidence against his fellow; and to the whole
  was appended; wherever it appeared; the private placard of a
  committee of citizens; offering ten thousand francs; in addition to
  the amount proposed by the Prefecture。 The entire reward thus stood
  at no less than thirty thousand francs; which will be regarded as an
  extraordinary sum when we consider the humble condition of the girl;
  and the great frequency; in large cities; of such atrocities as the
  one described。
  No one doubted now that the mystery of this murder would be
  immediately brought to light。 But although; in one or two instances;
  arrests were made which promised elucidation; yet nothing was
  elicited which could implicate the parties suspected; and they were
  discharged forthwith。 Strange as it may appear; the third week from
  the discovery of the body had passed; and passed without any light
  being thrown upon the subject; before even a rumor of the events
  which had so agitated the public mind; reached the ears of Dupin and
  myself。 Engaged in researches which absorbed our whole attention; it
  had been nearly a month since either of us had gone abroad; or
  received a visiter; or more than glanced at the leading political
  articles in one of the daily papers。 The first intelligence of the
  murder was brought us by G ; in person。 He called upon us early
  in the afternoon of the thirteenth of July; 18; and remained with
  us until late in the night。 He had been piqued by the failure of all
  his endeavors to ferret out the assassins。 His reputation … so he
  said with a peculiarly Parisian air … was at stake。 Even his honor
  was concerned。 The eyes of the public were upon him; and there was
  really no sacrifice which he would not be willing to make for the
  development of the mystery。 He concluded a somewhat droll speech with
  a compliment upon what he was pleased to term the tact of Dupin; and
  made him a direct; and certainly a liberal proposition; the precise
  nature of which I do not feel myself at liberty to disclose; but
  which has no bearing upon the proper subject of my narrative。
  The compliment my friend rebutted as best he could; but the
  proposition he accepted at once; although its advantages were
  altogether provisional。 This point being settled; the Prefect broke
  forth at once into explanations of his own views; interspersing them
  with long comments upon the evidence; of which latter we were not yet
  in possession。 He discoursed much; and be