Project 's The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, by Edgar Allan Poe
Title: The Works of Edgar Allan Poe
Volume 2 (of 5) of the Raven Edition
Author: Edgar Allan Poe
Release Date: May 19, 2008 [EBook #2148] Language: English
*** THE WORKS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE ***
Produced by David Widger
THE WORKS OF EDGAR ALLEN POE VOLUME II
The Raven Edition
[Redactor's Note--Some endnotes are by Poe and some
were added by Griswold. In this volume the notes are at the end.]
Contents
THE PURLOINED LETTER
THE THOUSAND-AND-SECOND TALE OF SCHEHERAZADE A DESCENT INTO THE MAELSTROM.
VON KEMPELEN AND HIS DISCOVERY MESMERIC REVELATION
THE FACTS IN THE CASE OF M. VALDEMAR THE BLACK CAT.
THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER SILENCE--A FABLE
THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH. THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO.
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THE IMP OF THE PERVERSE THE ISLAND OF THE FAY THE ASSIGNATION
THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM THE PREMATURE BURIAL
THE DOMAIN OF ARNHEIM LANDOR'S COTTAGE WILLIAM WILSON
THE TELL-TALE HEART. BERENICE
ELEONORA
NOTES TO THIS VOLUME Notes -- Scherezade Notes--Maelstrom Notes--Island of the Fay Notes -- Domain of Arnheim Notes--Berenice
THE PURLOINED LETTER
Nil sapientiae odiosius acumine nimio.
Seneca.
At Paris, just after dark one gusty evening in the autumn of 18-, I was enjoying the twofold luxury of meditation and a meerschaum, in company with my friend C. Auguste Dupin, in his little back library, or book-closet, au troisieme, No. 33, Rue Dunot, Faubourg St. Germain. For one hour at least we had maintained a profound silence; while each, to any casual observer, might have seemed intently and exclusively occupied with the curling eddies of smoke that oppressed the atmosphere of the chamber. For myself, however, I
was mentally discussing certain topics which had formed matter for conversation between us at an earlier period of the evening; I mean the affair of the Rue Morgue, and the mystery attending the murder of Marie Roget. I looked upon it, therefore, as something of a coincidence, when the door of our apartment was thrown open and admitted our old acquaintance, Monsieur G--, the Prefect of the Parisian police.
We gave him a hearty welcome; for there was nearly half as much of the entertaining as of the contemptible about the man, and we had not seen him for several years. We had been sitting in the dark, and Dupin now arose for the purpose of lighting a lamp, but
sat down again, without doing so, upon G.'s saying that he had called to consult us, or rather to ask the opinion of my friend, about
some official business which had occasioned a great deal of trouble.
"If it is any point requiring reflection," observed Dupin, as he forebore to enkindle the wick, "we shall examine it to better purpose in the dark."
"That is another of your odd notions," said the Prefect, who had a fashion of calling every thing "odd" that was beyond his compre-
hension, and thus lived amid an absolute legion of "oddities."
"Very true," said Dupin, as he supplied his visiter with a pipe, and rolled towards him a comfortable chair. "And what is the difficulty now?" I asked. "Nothing more in the assassination way, I hope?"
"Oh no; nothing of that nature. The fact is, the business is very simple indeed, and I make no doubt that we can manage it suffi-
ciently well ourselves; but then I thought Dupin would like to hear the details of it, because it is so excessively odd." "Simple and odd," said Dupin.
"Why, yes; and not exactly that, either. The fact is, we have all been a good deal puzzled because the affair is so simple, and yet baf-
fles us altogether."
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"Perhaps it is the very simplicity of the thing which puts you at fault," said my friend. "What nonsense you do talk!" replied the Prefect, laughing heartily.
"Perhaps the mystery is a little too plain," said Dupin. "Oh, good heavens! who ever heard of such an idea?" "A little too self-evident."
"Ha! ha! ha--ha! ha! ha!--ho! ho! ho!" roared our visiter, profoundly amused, "oh, Dupin, you will be the death of me yet!" "And what, after all, is the matter on hand?" I asked.
"Why, I will tell you," replied the Prefect, as he gave a long, steady and contemplative puff, and settled himself in his chair. "I will
tell you in a few words; but, before I begin, let me caution you that this is an affair demanding the greatest secrecy, and that I should
most probably lose the position I now hold, were it known that I confided it to any one." "Proceed," said I.
"Or not," said Dupin.
"Well, then; I have received personal information, from a very high quarter, that a certain document of the last importance, has been purloined from the royal apartments. The individual who purloined it is known; this beyond a doubt; he was seen to take it. It is known, also, that it still remains in his possession."
"How is this known?" asked Dupin.
"It is clearly inferred," replied the Prefect, "from the nature of the document, and from the non-appearance of certain results which would at once arise from its passing out of the robber's possession; that is to say, from his employing it as he must design in the end to employ it."
"Be a little more explicit," I said.
"Well, I may venture so far as to say that the paper gives its holder a certain power in a certain quarter where such power is immense-
ly valuable." The Prefect was fond of the cant of diplomacy. "Still I do not quite understand," said Dupin.
"No? Well; the disclosure of the document to a third person, who shall be nameless, would bring in question the honor of a personage of most exalted station; and this fact gives the holder of the document an ascendancy over the illustrious personage whose honor and peace are so jeopardized."
"But this ascendancy," I interposed, "would depend upon the robber's knowledge of the loser's knowledge of the robber. Who would dare--"
"The thief," said G., "is the Minister D--, who dares all things, those unbecoming as well as those becoming a man. The method of the theft was not less ingenious than bold. The document in question--a letter, to be frank--had been received by the personage robbed while alone in the royal boudoir. During its perusal she was
