Убийство на улице Морг

           Themodesandsourcesofthiskindoferrorarewelltypifiedinthecontemplationoftheheavenlybodies.Tolookatastarbyglances—toviewitinaside-longway,byturningtowardittheexteriorportionsoftheretina(moresusceptibleoffeebleimpressionsoflightthantheinterior),istobeholdthestardistinctly—istohavethebestappreciationofitslustre—alustrewhichgrowsdimjustinproportionasweturnourvisionfullyuponit.Agreaternumberofraysactuallyfallupontheeyeinthelattercase,but,intheformer,thereisthemorerefinedcapacityforcomprehension.Byundueprofundityweperplexandenfeeblethought;anditispossibletomakeevenVenusherselfvanishfromthefirmamentbyascrutinytoosustained,tooconcentrated,ortoodirect. 

           “Asforthesemurders,letusenterintosomeexaminationsforourselves,beforewemakeupanopinionrespectingthem.Aninquirywillaffordusamusement,”(Ithoughtthisanoddterm,soapplied,butsaidnothing)“and,besides,LeBononcerenderedmeaserviceforwhichIamnotungrateful.Wewillgoandseethepremiseswithourowneyes.IknowG—thePrefectofPolice,andshallhavenodifficultyinobtainingthenecessarypermission.” 

           Thepermissionwasobtained,andweproceededatoncetotheRueMorgue.ThisisoneofthosemiserablethoroughfareswhichintervenebetweentheRueRichelieuandtheRueSt.Roch.Itwaslateintheafternoonwhenwereachedit;asthisquarterisatagreatdistancefromthatinwhichweresided.