Убийство на улице Морг

           Thisidea,howeversimpleitmaynowseem,escapedthepoliceforthesamereasonthatthebreadthoftheshuttersescapedthem—because,bytheaffairofthenails,theirperceptionshadbeenhermeticallysealedagainstthepossibilityofthewindowshaveeverbeenopenedatall. 

           Ifnow,inadditiontoallthesethings,youhaveproperlyreflectedupontheodddisorderofthechamber,wehavegonesofarastocombinetheideasofanagilityastounding,astrengthsuperhuman,aferocitybrutal,abutcherywithoutmotive,agrotesquerieinhorrorabsolutelyalienfromhumanity,andavoiceforeignintonetotheearsofmenofmanynations,anddevoidofalldistinctorintelligiblesyllabification.Whatresult,then,hasensued?WhatimpressionhaveImadeuponyourfancy?” 

           IfeltacreepingofthefleshasDupinaskedmethequestion.“Amadman,”Isaid,“hasdonethisdeed—someravingmaniac,escapedfromaneighboringMaisondeSante.” 

           “Insomerespects,”hereplied,“yourideaisnotirrelevant.Butthevoicesofmadmen,evenintheirwildestparoxysms,areneverfoundtotallywiththatpeculiarvoicehearduponthestairs.Madmenareofsomenation,andtheirlanguage,howeverincoherentinitswords,hasalwaysthecoherenceofsyllabification.Besides,thehairofamadmanisnotsuchasInowholdinmyhand.IdisentangledthislittletuftfromtherigidlyclutchedfingersofMadameL’Espanaye.Tellmewhatyoucanmakeofit.”