the works of edgar allan poe-2-第4部分

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night；　which　were　hailed　by　the　Prefect　as　certain　aids　to　his
success；　I　regarded　only　as　ruses；　to　afford　opportunity　for　thorough
search　to　the　police；　and　thus　the　sooner　to　impress　them　with　the
conviction　to　which　G；　in　fact；　did　finally　arrive　…　the　conviction
that　the　letter　was　not　upon　the　premises。　I　felt；　also；　that　the
whole　train　of　thought；　which　I　was　at　some　pains　in　detailing　to　you
just　now；　concerning　the　invariable　principle　of　policial　action　in
searches　for　articles　concealed　…　I　felt　that　this　whole　train　of
thought　would　necessarily　pass　through　the　mind　of　the　Minister。　It
would　imperatively　lead　him　to　despise　all　the　ordinary　nooks　of
concealment。　He　could　not；　I　reflected；　be　so　weak　as　not　to　see　that
the　most　intricate　and　remote　recess　of　his　hotel　would　be　as　open　as
his　commonest　closets　to　the　eyes；　to　the　probes；　to　the　gimlets；　and
to　the　microscopes　of　the　Prefect。　I　saw；　in　fine；　that　he　would　be
driven；　as　a　matter　of　course；　to　simplicity；　if　not　deliberately
induced　to　it　as　a　matter　of　choice。　You　will　remember；　perhaps；　how
desperately　the　Prefect　laughed　when　I　suggested；　upon　our　first
interview；　that　it　was　just　possible　this　mystery　troubled　him　so
much　on　account　of　its　being　so　very　self…evident。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃I　remember　his　merriment　well。　I　really　thought　he
would　have　fallen　into　convulsions。〃

〃The　material　world；〃　continued　Dupin；　〃abounds　with　very　strict
analogies　to　the　immaterial；　and　thus　some　color　of　truth　has　been
given　to　the　rhetorical　dogma；　that　metaphor；　or　simile；　may　be　made
to　strengthen　an　argument；　as　well　as　to　embellish　a　description。　The
principle　of　the　vis　inerti？　for　example；　seems　to　be　identical　in
physics　and　metaphysics。　It　is　not　more　true　in　the　former；　that　a
large　body　is　with　more　difficulty　set　in　motion　than　a　smaller　one；
and　that　its　subsequent　momentum　is　commensurate　with　this
difficulty；　than　it　is；　in　the　latter；　that　intellects　of　the　vaster
capacity；　while　more　forcible；　more　constant；　and　more　eventful　in
their　movements　than　those　of　inferior　grade；　are　yet　the　less
readily　moved；　and　more　embarrassed　and　full　of　hesitation　in　the
first　few　steps　of　their　progress。　Again：　have　you　ever　noticed　which
of　the　street　signs；　over　the　shop…　doors；　are　the　most　attractive　of
attention？〃

〃I　have　never　given　the　matter　a　thought；〃　I　said。

〃There　is　a　game　of　puzzles；〃　he　resumed；　〃which　is　played　upon　a
map。　One　party　playing　requires　another　to　find　a　given　word　…　the
name　of　town；　river；　state　or　empire　…　any　word；　in　short；　upon　the
motley　and　perplexed　surface　of　the　chart。　A　novice　in　the　game
generally　seeks　to　embarrass　his　opponents　by　giving　them　the　most
minutely　lettered　names；　but　the　adept　selects　such　words　as　stretch；
in　large　characters；　from　one　end　of　the　chart　to　the　other。　These；
like　the　over…largely　lettered　signs　and　placards　of　the　street；
escape　observation　by　dint　of　being　excessively　obvious；　and　here　the
physical　oversight　is　precisely　analogous　with　the　moral
inapprehension　by　which　the　intellect　suffers　to　pass　unnoticed　those
considerations　which　are　too　obtrusively　and　too　palpably
self…evident。　But　this　is　a　point；　it　appears；　somewhat　above　or
beneath　the　understanding　of　the　Prefect。　He　never　once　thought　it
probable；　or　possible；　that　the　Minister　had　deposited　the　letter
immediately　beneath　the　nose　of　the　whole　world；　by　way　of　best
preventing　any　portion　of　that　world　from　perceiving　it。

〃But　the　more　I　reflected　upon　the　daring；　dashing；　and
discriminating　ingenuity　of　D；　upon　the　fact　that　the　document　must
always　have　been　at　hand；　if　he　intended　to　use　it　to　good　purpose；
and　upon　the　decisive　evidence；　obtained　by　the　Prefect；　that　it　was
not　hidden　within　the　limits　of　that　dignitary's　ordinary　search　…
the　more　satisfied　I　became　that；　to　conceal　this　letter；　the
Minister　had　resorted　to　the　comprehensive　and　sagacious　expedient　of
not　attempting　to　conceal　it　at　all。

〃Full　of　these　ideas；　I　prepared　myself　with　a　pair　of　green
spectacles；　and　called　one　fine　morning；　quite　by　accident；　at　the
Ministerial　hotel。　I　found　D　at　home；　yawning；　lounging；　and
dawdling；　as　usual；　and　pretending　to　be　in　the　last　extremity　of
ennui。　He　is；　perhaps；　the　most　really　energetic　human　being　now
alive　…　but　that　is　only　when　nobody　sees　him。

〃To　be　even　with　him；　I　complained　of　my　weak　eyes；　and　lamented　the
necessity　of　the　spectacles；　under　cover　of　which　I　cautiously　and
thoroughly　surveyed　the　whole　apartment；　while　seemingly　intent　only
upon　the　conversation　of　my　host。

〃I　paid　especial　attention　to　a　large　writing…table　near　which　he
sat；　and　upon　which　lay　confusedly；　some　miscellaneous　letters　and
other　papers；　with　one　or　two　musical　instruments　and　a　few　books。
Here；　however；　after　a　long　and　very　deliberate　scrutiny；　I　saw
nothing　to　excite　particular　suspicion。

〃At　length　my　eyes；　in　going　the　circuit　of　the　room；　fell　upon　a
trumpery　fillagree　card…rack　of　pasteboard；　that　hung　dangling　by　a
dirty　blue　ribbon；　from　a　little　brass　knob　just　beneath　the　middle
of　the　mantel…piece。　In　this　rack；　which　had　three　or　four
compartments；　were　five　or　six　visiting　cards　and　a　solitary　letter。
This　last　was　much　soiled　and　crumpled。　It　was　torn　nearly　in　two；
across　the　middle　…　as　if　a　design；　in　the　first　instance；　to　tear　it
entirely　up　as　worthless；　had　been　altered；　or　stayed；　in　the　second。
It　had　a　large　black　seal；　bearing　the　D　cipher　very　conspicuously；
and　was　addressed；　in　a　diminutive　female　hand；　to　D；　the　minister；
himself。　It　was　thrust　carelessly；　and　even；　as　it　seemed；
contemptuously；　into　one　of　the　uppermost　divisions　of　the　rack。

〃No　sooner　had　I　glanced　at　this　letter；　than　I　concluded　it　to　be
that　of　which　I　was　in　search。　To　be　sure；　it　was；　to　all　appearance；
radically　different　from　the　one　of　which　the　Prefect　had　read　us　so
minute　a　description。　Here　the　seal　was　large　and　black；　with　the　D
cipher；　there　it　was　small　and　red；　with　the　ducal　arms　of　the　S
family。　Here；　the　address；　to　the　Minister；　diminutive　and　feminine；
there　the　superscription；　to　a　certain　royal　personage；　was　markedly
bold　and　decided；　the　size　alone　formed　a　point　of　correspondence。
But；　then；　the　radicalness　of　these　differences；　which　was　excessive；
the　dirt；　the　soiled　and　torn　condition　of　the　paper；　so　inconsistent
with　the　true　methodical　habits　of　D；　and　so　suggestive　of　a　design
to　delude　the　beholder　into　an　idea　of　the　worthlessness　of　the
document；　these　things；　together　with　the　hyper…obtrusive　situation
of　this　document；　full　in　the　view　of　every　visiter；　and　thus　exactly
in　accordance　with　the　conclusions　to　which　I　had　previously　arrived；
these　things；　I　say；　were　strongly　corroborative　of　suspicion；　in　one
who　came　with　the　intention　to　suspect。

〃I　protracted　my　visit　as　long　as　possible；　and；　while　I　maintained　a
most　animated　discussion　with　the　Minister　upon　a　topic　which　I　knew
well　had　never　failed　to　interest　and　excite　him；　I　kept　my　attention
really　riveted　upon　the　letter。　In　this　examination；　I　committed　to
memory　its　external　appearance　and　arrangement　in　the　rack；　and　also
fell；　at　length；　upon　a　discovery　which　set　at　rest　whatever　trivial
doubt　I　might　have　entertained。　In　scrutinizing　the　edges　of　the
paper；　I　observed　them　to　be　more　chafed　than　seemed　necessary。　They
presented　the　broken　appearance　which　is　manifested　when　a　stiff
paper；　having　been　once　folded　and　pressed　with　a　folder；　is　refolded
in　a　reversed　direction；　in　the　same　creases　or　edges　which　had
formed　the　original　fold。　This　discovery　was　sufficient。　It　was　clear
to　me　that　the　letter　had　been　turned；　as　a　glove；　inside　out；
re…directed；　and　re…sealed。　I　bade　the　Minister　good　morning；　and
took　my　departure　at　once；　leaving　a　gold　snuff…box　upon　the　table。

〃The　next　morning　I　called　for　the　snuff…box；　when　we　resumed；　quite
eagerly；　the　conversation　of　the　preceding　day。　While　thus　engaged；
however；　a　loud　report；　as　if　of　a　pistol；　was　heard　immediately
beneath　the　windows　of　the　hotel；　and　was　succeeded　by　a　series　of
fearful　screams；　and　the　shoutings　of　a　terrified　mob。　D　rushed　to
a　casement；　threw　it　open；　and　looked　out。　In　the　meantime；　I　stepped
to　the　card…rack　took　the　letter；　put　it　in　my　pocket；　and　replaced
it　by　a　fac…simile；　（so　far　as　regards　externals；）　which　I　had
carefully　prepared　at　my　lodgings　…　imitating　the　D　cipher；　very
readily；　by　means　of　a　seal　formed　of　bread。

〃The　disturbance　in　the　street　had　been　occasioned　by　the　frantic
behavior　of　a　man　with　a　musket。　He　had　fired　it　among　a　crowd　of
women　and　children。　It　proved；　however；　to　have　been　without　ball；
and　the　fellow　was　suffered　to　go　his　way　as　a　lunatic　or　a　drunkard。
When　he　had　gone；　D　came　from　the　window；　whither　I　had　followed
him　immediately　upon　securing　the　object　in　view。　Soon　afterwards　I
bade　him　farewell。　The　pretended　lunatic　was　a　man　in　my　own　pay。〃

〃But　what　purpose　had　you；〃　I　asked；　〃in　replacing　the　letter　by　a
fac…simile？　Would　it　not　have　been　better；　at　the　first　visit；　to
have　seized　it　openly；　and　departed？〃

〃D；〃　replied　Dupin；　〃is　a　desperate　man；　and　a　man　of　nerve。　His
hotel；　too；　is　not　without　attendants　devoted　to　his　interests。　Had　I
made　the　wild　attempt　you　suggest；　I　might　never　have　left　the
Ministerial　presence　alive。　The　good　people　of　Paris　might　have　heard
of　me　no　more。　But　I　had　an　object　apart　from　these　considerations。
You　know　my　political　prepossessions。　In　this　matter；　I　act　as　a
partisan　of　the　lady　concerned。　For　eighteen　months　the　Minister　has
had　her　in　his　power。　She　has　now　him　in　hers　…　since；　being　unaware
that　the　letter　is　not　in　his　possession；　he　will　proceed　with　his
exactions　as　if　it　was。　Thus　will　he　inevitably　commit　himself；　at
once；　to　his　political　destruction。　His　downfall；　too；　will　not　be
more　precipitate　than　awkward。　It　is　all　very　well　to　talk　about　the
facilis　descensus　Averni；　but　in　all　kinds　of　climbing；　as　Catalani
said　of　singing；　it　is　far　more　easy　to　get　up　than　to　come　down。　In
the　present　instance　I　have　no　sympathy　…　at　least　no　pity　…　for　him
who　descends。　He　i