The Purloined Letter

By Edgar Allan Poe

Nil sapientiae odiosius acumine nimio. years. We had been sitting in the dark, and
Seneca. Dupin now arose for the purpose of light-
At Paris, just after dark one gusty eve- ing a lamp, but sat down again, without do-
ning in the autumn of 18—, I was enjoying ing so, upon G.’s saying that he had called to
the twofold luxury of med- consult us, or rather to ask
itation and a meerschaum, the opinion of my friend,
in company with my friend about some official busi-
C. Auguste Dupin, in his ness which had occasioned
little back library, or book- a great deal of trouble. “If
closet, au troisiême, No. it is any point requiring re-
33, Rue Dunôt, Faubourg flection,” observed Dupin,
St. Germain. For one hour as he forebore to enkindle
at least we had maintained the wick, “we shall exam-
a profound silence; while ine it to better purpose in
each, to any casual ob- the dark.”
server, might have seemed intently and ex- “That is another of your odd notions,”
clusively occupied with the curling eddies of said the Prefect, who had a fashion of calling
smoke that oppressed the atmosphere of the every thing “odd” that was beyond his com-
chamber. For myself, however, I was men- prehension, and thus lived amid an absolute
tally discussing certain topics which had legion of “oddities.” “Very true,” said Dupin,
formed matter for conversation between us as he supplied his visiter with a pipe, and
at an earlier period of the evening; I mean rolled towards him a comfortable chair.
the affair of the Rue Morgue, and the mys- “And what is the difficulty now?” I asked.
tery attending the murder of Marie Rogêt. “Nothing more in the assassination way, I
I looked upon it, therefore, as something of hope?”
a coincidence, when the door of our apart- “Oh no; nothing of that nature. The fact
ment was thrown open and admitted our old is, the business is very simple indeed, and I
acquaintance, Monsieur G—, the Prefect of make no doubt that we can manage it suf-
the Parisian police. We gave him a hearty ficiently well ourselves; but then I thought
welcome; for there was nearly half as much of Dupin would like to hear the details of it,
the entertaining as of the contemptible about because it is so excessively odd.” “Simple and
the man, and we had not seen him for several odd,” said Dupin. “Why, yes; and not exact-
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 The Purloined Letter By Edgar Allan Poe

ly that, either. The fact is, we have all been the non-appearance of certain results which
a good deal puzzled because the affair is so would at once arise from its passing out of
simple, and yet baffles us altogether.” the robber’s possession; that is to say, from
“Perhaps it is the very simplicity of his employing it as he must design in the end
the thing which puts you at fault,” said my to employ it.”
friend. “Be a little more explicit,” I said. “Well,
“What nonsense you do talk!” replied I may venture so far as to say that the paper
the Prefect, laughing heartily. “Perhaps the gives its holder a certain power in a certain
mystery is a little too plain,” said Dupin. quarter where such power is immensely valu-
“Oh, good heavens! who ever heard of such able.” The Prefect was fond of the cant of di-
an idea?” “A little too self-evident.” “Ha! ha! plomacy. “Still I do not quite understand,”
ha—ha! ha! ha!—ho! ho! ho!” roared our vis- said Dupin. “No? Well; the disclosure of the
iter, profoundly amused, “oh, Dupin, you document to a third person, who shall be
will be the death of me yet!” “And what, after nameless, would bring in question the honor
all, is the matter on hand?” I asked. “Why, I of a personage of most exalted station; and
will tell you,” replied the Prefect, as he gave this fact gives the holder of the document
a long, steady and contemplative puff, and an ascendancy over the illustrious personage
settled himself in his chair. “I will tell you whose honor and peace are so jeopardized.”
in a few words; but, before I begin, let me “But this ascendancy,” I interposed,
caution you that this is an affair demanding “would depend upon the robber’s knowledge
the greatest secrecy, and that I should most of the loser’s knowledge of the robber. Who
probably lose the position I now hold, were it would dare—” “The thief,” said G., “is the
known that I confided it to any one.” Minister D—, who dares all things, those un-
“Proceed,” said I. becoming as well as those becoming a man.
“Or not,” said Dupin. The method of the theft was not less ingenious
“Well, then; I have received personal in- than bold. The document in question—a let-
formation, from a very high quarter, that a ter, to be frank—had been received by the
certain document of the last importance, has personage robbed while alone in the royal
been purloined from the royal apartments. boudoir. During its perusal she was suddenly
The individual who purloined it is known; interrupted by the entrance of the other ex-
this beyond a doubt; he was seen to take it. It alted personage from whom especially it was
is known, also, that it still remains in his pos- her wish to conceal it. After a hurried and
session.” “How is this known?” asked Dupin. vain endeavor to thrust it in a drawer, she
“It is clearly inferred,” replied the Prefect, was forced to place it, open as it was, upon a
“from the nature of the document, and from table. The address, however, was uppermost,

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 The Purloined Letter By Edgar Allan Poe

and, the contents thus unexposed, the letter imagined.” “You flatter me,” replied the Pre-
escaped notice. At this juncture enters the fect; “but it is possible that some such opin-
Minister D—. His lynx eye immediately per- ion may have been entertained.” “It is clear,”
ceives the paper, recognises the handwriting said I, “as you observe, that the letter is still
of the address, observes the confusion of the in possession of the minister; since it is this
personage addressed, and fathoms her secret. possession, and not any employment of the
After some business transactions, hurried letter, which bestows the power. With the
through in his ordinary manner, he produces employment the power departs.”
a letter somewhat similar to the one in ques- “True,” said G.; “and upon this convic-
tion, opens it, pretends to read it, and then tion I proceeded. My first care was to make
places it in close juxtaposition to the other. thorough search of the minister’s hotel; and
Again he converses, for some fifteen minutes, here my chief embarrassment lay in the ne-
upon the public affairs. At length, in taking cessity of searching without his knowledge.
leave, he takes also from the table the letter Beyond all things, I have been warned of the
to which he had no claim. Its rightful owner danger which would result from giving him
saw, but, of course, dared not call attention reason to suspect our design.” “But,” said I,
to the act, in the presence of the third per- “you are quite au fait in these investigations.
sonage who stood at her elbow. The minister The Parisian police have done this thing of-
decamped; leaving his own letter—one of no ten before.” “O yes; and for this reason I did
importance—upon the table.” “Here, then,” not despair. The habits of the minister gave
said Dupin to me, “you have precisely what me, too, a great advantage. He is frequent-
you demand to make the ascendancy com- ly absent from home all night. His servants
plete—the robber’s knowledge of the loser’s are by no means numerous. They sleep at a
knowledge of the robber.” “Yes,” replied the distance from their master’s apartment, and,
Prefect; “and the power thus attained has, for being chiefly Neapolitans, are readily made
some months past, been wielded, for politi- drunk. I have keys, as you know, with which
cal purposes, to a very dangerous extent. The I can open any chamber or cabinet in Paris.
personage robbed is more thoroughly con- For three months a night has not passed, dur-
vinced, every day, of the necessity of reclaim- ing the greater part of which I have not been
ing her letter. But this, of course, cannot be engaged, personally, in ransacking the D—
done openly. In fine, driven to despair, she Hotel. My honor is interested, and, to men-
has committed the matter to me.” tion a great secret, the reward is enormous.
“Than whom,” said Dupin, amid a per- So I did not abandon the search until I had
fect whirlwind of smoke, “no more sagacious become fully satisfied that the thief is a more
agent could, I suppose, be desired, or even astute man than myself. I fancy that I have

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 The Purloined Letter By Edgar Allan Poe

investigated every nook and corner of the “Suppose you detail,” said I, “the par-
premises in which it is possible that the paper ticulars of your search.”
can be concealed.” “But is it not possible,” I “Why the fact is, we took our time, and
suggested, “that although the letter may be in we searched every where. I have had long
possession of the minister, as it unquestion- experience in these affairs. I took the en-
ably is, he may have concealed it elsewhere tire building, room by room; devoting the
than upon his own premises?” “This is barely nights of a whole week to each. We exam-
possible,” said Dupin. “The present peculiar ined, first, the furniture of each apartment.
condition of affairs at court, and especially of We opened every possible drawer; and I pre-
those intrigues in which D— is known to be sume you know that, to a properly trained
involved, would render the instant availabil- police agent, such a thing as a secret drawer
ity of the document—its susceptibility of be- is impossible. Any man is a dolt who permits
ing produced at a moment’s notice—a point a ‘secret’ drawer to escape him in a search
of nearly equal importance with its posses- of this kind. The thing is so plain. There is
sion.” a certain amount of bulk—of space—to be
“Its susceptibility of being produced?” accounted for in every cabinet. Then we have
said I. “That is to say, of being destroyed,” accurate rules. The fiftieth part of a line could
said Dupin. “True,” I observed; “the paper is not escape us. After the cabinets we took the
clearly then upon the premises. As for its be- chairs. The cushions we probed with the fine
ing upon the person of the minister, we may long needles you have seen me employ. From
consider that as out of the question.” the tables we removed the tops.”
“Entirely,” said the Prefect. “He has been “Why so?”
twice waylaid, as if by footpads, and his per- “Sometimes the top of a table, or other
son rigorously searched under my own in- similarly arranged piece of furniture, is re-
spection.” moved by the person wishing to conceal an
“You might have spared yourself this article; then the leg is excavated, the article
trouble,” said Dupin. “D—, I presume, is deposited within the cavity, and the top re-
not altogether a fool, and, if not, must have placed. The bottoms and tops of bedposts are
anticipated these waylayings, as a matter of employed in the same way.”
course.” “Not altogether a fool,” said G., “But could not the cavity be detected by
“but then he’s a poet, which I take to be only sounding?” I asked. “By no means, if, when
one remove from a fool.” “True,” said Dupin, the article is deposited, a sufficient wadding
after a long and thoughtful whiff from his of cotton be placed around it. Besides, in our
meerschaum, “although I have been guilty of case, we were obliged to proceed without
certain doggrel myself.” noise.”

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 The Purloined Letter By Edgar Allan Poe

“But you could not have removed—you “The two houses adjoining!” I ex-
could not have taken to pieces all articles of claimed; “you must have had a great deal of
furniture in which it would have been pos- trouble.”
sible to make a deposit in the manner you “We had; but the reward offered is pro-
mention. A letter may be compressed into a digious!” “You include the grounds about
thin spiral roll, not differing much in shape the houses?” “All the grounds are paved
or bulk from a large knitting-needle, and in with brick. They gave us comparatively little
this form it might be inserted into the rung trouble. We examined the moss between the
of a chair, for example. You did not take to bricks, and found it undisturbed.”
pieces all the chairs?” “You looked among D—’s papers, of
“Certainly not; but we did better—we course, and into the books of the library?”
examined the rungs of every chair in the ho- “Certainly; we opened every package and
tel, and, indeed the jointings of every descrip- parcel; we not only opened every book, but
tion of furniture, by the aid of a most pow- we turned over every leaf in each volume, not
erful microscope. Had there been any traces contenting ourselves with a mere shake, ac-
of recent disturbance we should not have cording to the fashion of some of our police
failed to detect it instantly. A single grain of officers. We also measured the thickness of
gimlet-dust, for example, would have been every book-cover, with the most accurate ad-
as obvious as an apple. Any disorder in the measurement, and applied to each the most
glueing—any unusual gaping in the joints— jealous scrutiny of the microscope. Had any
would have sufficed to insure detection.” “I of the bindings been recently meddled with,
presume you looked to the mirrors, between it would have been utterly impossible that
the boards and the plates, and you probed the fact should have escaped observation.
the beds and the bed-clothes, as well as the Some five or six volumes, just from the hands
curtains and carpets.” of the binder, we carefully probed, longitudi-
“That of course; and when we had abso- nally, with the needles.”
lutely completed every particle of the furni- “You explored the floors beneath the car-
ture in this way, then we examined the house pets?”
itself. We divided its entire surface into “Beyond doubt. We removed every car-
compartments, which we numbered, so that pet, and examined the boards with the mi-
none might be missed; then we scrutinized croscope.”
each individual square inch throughout the “And the paper on the walls?” “Yes.”
premises, including the two houses imme- “You looked into the cellars?” “We did.”
diately adjoining, with the microscope, as
before.”

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 The Purloined Letter By Edgar Allan Poe

“Then,” I said, “you have been making a gested—but it was all labor lost, as I knew it
miscalculation, and the letter is not upon the would be.”
premises, as you suppose.” “How much was the reward offered, did
“I fear you are right there,” said the Pre- you say?” asked Dupin.
fect. “Why, a very great deal—a very liberal
“And now, Dupin, what would you ad- reward—I don’t like to say how much, pre-
vise me to do?” cisely; but one thing I will say, that I wouldn’t
“To make a thorough re-search of the mind giving my individual check for fifty
premises.” thousand francs to any one who could ob-
“That is absolutely needless,” replied tain me that letter. The fact is, it is becoming
G—. of more and more importance every day; and
“I am not more sure that I breathe than I the reward has been lately doubled. If it were
am that the letter is not at the Hotel.” trebled, however, I could do no more than I
“I have no better advice to give you,” said have done.”
Dupin. “You have, of course, an accurate de- “Why, yes,” said Dupin, drawlingly,
scription of the letter?” between the whiffs of his meerschaum, “I
“Oh yes!”—And here the Prefect, pro- really—think, G—, you have not exerted
ducing a memorandum-book proceeded to yourself—to the utmost in this matter. You
read aloud a minute account of the internal, might—do a little more, I think, eh?”
and especially of the external appearance of “How?—in what way?’
the missing document. Soon after finishing “Why—puff, puff—you might—puff,
the perusal of this description, he took his puff—employ counsel in the matter, eh?—
departure, more entirely depressed in spirits puff, puff, puff. Do you remember the story
than I had ever known the good gentleman they tell of Abernethy?”
before. In about a month afterwards he paid “No; hang Abernethy!”
us another visit, and found us occupied very “To be sure! hang him and welcome.
nearly as before. He took a pipe and a chair But, once upon a time, a certain rich miser
and entered into some ordinary conversation. conceived the design of spunging upon this
At length I said,— Abernethy for a medical opinion. Getting up,
“Well, but G—, what of the purloined for this purpose, an ordinary conversation in
letter? I presume you have at last made up a private company, he insinuated his case to
your mind that there is no such thing as over- the physician, as that of an imaginary indi-
reaching the Minister?” vidual. “ ‘We will suppose,’ said the miser,
“Confound him, say I—yes; I made ‘that his symptoms are such and such; now,
the re-examination, however, as Dupin sug- doctor, what would you have directed him

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 The Purloined Letter By Edgar Allan Poe

to take?’ “ ‘Take!’ said Abernethy, ‘why, take ning, and thoroughly versed in the knowledge
advice, to be sure.’ “ “But,” said the Prefect, which their duties seem chiefly to demand.
a little discomposed, “I am perfectly willing Thus, when G— detailed to us his made of
to take advice, and to pay for it. I would re- searching the premises at the Hotel D—, I
ally give fifty thousand francs to any one who felt entire confidence in his having made a
would aid me in the matter.” “In that case,” satisfactory investigation—so far as his la-
replied Dupin, opening a drawer, and pro- bors extended.” “So far as his labors extend-
ducing a check-book, “you may as well fill me ed?” said I. “Yes,” said Dupin. “The measures
up a check for the amount mentioned. When adopted were not only the best of their kind,
you have signed it, I will hand you the letter.” but carried out to absolute perfection. Had
I was astounded. The Prefect appeared abso- the letter been deposited within the range of
lutely thunder-stricken. For some minutes he their search, these fellows would, beyond a
remained speechless and motionless, looking question, have found it.” I merely laughed—
incredulously at my friend with open mouth, but he seemed quite serious in all that he
and eyes that seemed starting from their sock- said. “The measures, then,” he continued,
ets; then, apparently recovering himself in “were good in their kind, and well executed;
some measure, he seized a pen, and after sev- their defect lay in their being inapplicable
eral pauses and vacant stares, finally filled up to the case, and to the man. A certain set of
and signed a check for fifty thousand francs, highly ingenious resources are, with the Pre-
and handed it across the table to Dupin. The fect, a sort of Procrustean bed, to which he
latter examined it carefully and deposited it forcibly adapts his designs. But he perpetu-
in his pocket-book; then, unlocking an escri- ally errs by being too deep or too shallow, for
toire, took thence a letter and gave it to the the matter in hand; and many a schoolboy is
Prefect. This functionary grasped it in a per- a better reasoner than he. I knew one about
fect agony of joy, opened it with a trembling eight years of age, whose success at guessing
hand, cast a rapid glance at its contents, and in the game of ‘even and odd’ attracted uni-
then, scrambling and struggling to the door, versal admiration. This game is simple, and is
rushed at length unceremoniously from the played with marbles. One player holds in his
room and from the house, without having hand a number of these toys, and demands
uttered a syllable since Dupin had requested of another whether that number is even or
him to fill up the check. odd. If the guess is right, the guesser wins
When he had gone, my friend entered one; if wrong, he loses one. The boy to whom
into some explanations. “The Parisian po- I allude won all the marbles of the school.
lice,” he said, “are exceedingly able in their Of course he had some principle of guessing;
way. They are persevering, ingenious, cun- and this lay in mere observation and admea-

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 The Purloined Letter By Edgar Allan Poe

surement of the astuteness of his opponents. thoughts or sentiments arise in my mind or

For example, an arrant simpleton is his op- heart, as if to match or correspond with the
ponent, and, holding up his closed hand, expression.’ This response of the schoolboy
asks, ‘are they even or odd?’ Our schoolboy lies at the bottom of all the spurious pro-
replies, ‘odd,’ and loses; but upon the second fundity which has been attributed to Roche-
trial he wins, for he then says to himself, ‘the foucault, to La Bougive, to Machiavelli, and
simpleton had them even upon the first trial, to Campanella.” “And the identification,” I
and his amount of cunning is just sufficient said, “of the reasoner’s intellect with that of
to make him have them odd upon the sec- his opponent, depends, if I understand you
ond; I will therefore guess odd;’—he guesses aright, upon the accuracy with which the
odd, and wins. Now, with a simpleton a de- opponent’s intellect is admeasured.” “For its
gree above the first, he would have reasoned practical value it depends upon this,” replied
thus: ‘This fellow finds that in the first in- Dupin; “and the Prefect and his cohort fail so
stance I guessed odd, and, in the second, he frequently, first, by default of this identifica-
will propose to himself, upon the first im- tion, and, secondly, by ill-admeasurement, or
pulse, a simple variation from even to odd, rather through non-admeasurement, of the
as did the first simpleton; but then a second intellect with which they are engaged. They
thought will suggest that this is too simple consider only their own ideas of ingenuity;
a variation, and finally he will decide upon and, in searching for anything hidden, advert
putting it even as before. I will therefore guess only to the modes in which they would have
even;’—he guesses even, and wins. Now this hidden it. They are right in this much—that
mode of reasoning in the schoolboy, whom their own ingenuity is a faithful representa-
his fellows termed ‘lucky,’—what, in its last tive of that of the mass; but when the cun-
analysis, is it?” “It is merely,” I said, “an iden- ning of the individual felon is diverse in char-
tification of the reasoner’s intellect with that acter from their own, the felon foils them, of
of his opponent.” “It is,” said Dupin; “and, course. This always happens when it is above
upon inquiring, of the boy by what means he their own, and very usually when it is below.
effected the thorough identification in which They have no variation of principle in their
his success consisted, I received answer as fol- investigations; at best, when urged by some
lows: ‘When I wish to find out how wise, or unusual emergency—by some extraordinary
how stupid, or how good, or how wicked is reward—they extend or exaggerate their old
any one, or what are his thoughts at the mo- modes of practice, without touching their
ment, I fashion the expression of my face, as principles. What, for example, in this case
accurately as possible, in accordance with the of D—, has been done to vary the principle
expression of his, and then wait to see what of action? What is all this boring, and prob-

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 The Purloined Letter By Edgar Allan Poe

ing, and sounding, and scrutinizing with the comprehended within the principles of the
microscope and dividing the surface of the Prefect—its discovery would have been a
building into registered square inches—what matter altogether beyond question. This
is it all but an exaggeration of the application functionary, however, has been thorough-
of the one principle or set of principles of ly mystified; and the remote source of
search, which are based upon the one set of his defeat lies in the supposition that the
notions regarding human ingenuity, to which Minister is a fool, because he has acquired
the Prefect, in the long routine of his duty, has renown as a poet. All fools are poets; this
been accustomed? Do you not see he has taken the Prefect feels; and he is merely guilty of
it for granted that all men proceed to conceal a non distributio medii in thence inferring
a letter,—not exactly in a gimlet hole bored that all poets are fools.”
in a chair-leg—but, at least, in some out-of- “But is this really the poet?” I asked.
the-way hole or corner suggested by the same “There are two brothers, I know; and both
tenor of thought which would urge a man have attained reputation in letters. The Min-
to secrete a letter in a gimlet-hole bored in a ister I believe has written learnedly on the
chair-leg? And do you not see also, that such Differential Calculus. He is a mathemati-
recherchès nooks for concealment are adapt- cian, and no poet.”
ed only for ordinary occasions, and would be “You are mistaken; I know him well; he is
adopted only by ordinary intellects; for, in all both. As poet and mathematician, he would
cases of concealment, a disposal of the article reason well; as mere mathematician, he could
concealed—a disposal of it in this recherchè not have reasoned at all, and thus would have
manner,—is, in the very first instance, pre- been at the mercy of the Prefect.”
sumable and presumed; and thus its discov- “You surprise me,” I said, “by these
ery depends, not at all upon the acumen, but opinions, which have been contradicted by
altogether upon the mere care, patience, and the voice of the world. You do not mean to
determination of the seekers; and where the set at naught the well-digested idea of centu-
case is of importance—or, what amounts to ries. The mathematical reason has long been
the same thing in the policial eyes, when the regarded as the reason par excellence.” “ ‘Il
reward is of magnitude,—the qualities in y a à parièr,’ “ replied Dupin, quoting from
question have never been known to fail. You Chamfort, “ ‘que toute idèe publique, toute
will now understand what I meant in sug- convention reçue est une sottise, car elle a con-
gesting that, had the purloined letter been venue au plus grand nombre.’ The mathema-
hidden any where within the limits of the ticians, I grant you, have done their best to
Prefect’s examination—in other words, promulgate the popular error to which you
had the principle of its concealment been allude, and which is none the less an error for

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 The Purloined Letter By Edgar Allan Poe

its promulgation as truth. With an art wor- numerous other mathematical truths which
thy a better cause, for example, they have in- are only truths within the limits of relation.
sinuated the term ‘analysis’ into application But the mathematician argues, from his fi-
to algebra. The French are the originators of nite truths, through habit, as if they were of
this particular deception; but if a term is of an absolutely general applicability—as the
any importance—if words derive any value world indeed imagines them to be. Bryant,
from applicability—then ‘analysis’ conveys in his very learned ‘Mythology,’ mentions an
‘algebra’ about as much as, in Latin, ‘ambitus’ analogous source of error, when he says that
implies ‘ambition,’ ‘religio’ ‘religion,’ or ‘ho- ‘although the Pagan fables are not believed,
mines honesti,’ a set of honorablemen.” “You yet we forget ourselves continually, and make
have a quarrel on hand, I see,” said I, “with inferences from them as existing realities.’
some of the algebraists of Paris; but proceed.” With the algebraists, however, who are Pagans
“I dispute the availability, and thus the value, themselves, the ‘Pagan fables’ are believed,
of that reason which is cultivated in any es- and the inferences are made, not so much
pecial form other than the abstractly logical. through lapse of memory, as through an un-
I dispute, in particular, the reason educed by accountable addling of the brains. In short, I
mathematical study. The mathematics are the never yet encountered the mere mathemati-
science of form and quantity; mathematical cian who could be trusted out of equal roots,
reasoning is merely logic applied to observa- or one who did not clandestinely hold it as a
tion upon form and quantity. The great er- point of his faith that x2+px was absolutely
ror lies in supposing that even the truths of and unconditionally equal to q. Say to one
what is called pure algebra, are abstract or of these gentlemen, by way of experiment,
general truths. And this error is so egregious if you please, that you believe occasions may
that I am confounded at the universality with occur where x2+px is not altogether equal to
which it has been received. Mathematical ax- q, and, having made him understand what
ioms are not axioms of general truth. What you mean, get out of his reach as speedily as
is true of relation—of form and quantity—is convenient, for, beyond doubt, he will en-
often grossly false in regard to morals, for ex- deavor to knock you down.
ample. In this latter science it is very usually “I mean to say,” continued Dupin, while
untrue that the aggregated parts are equal I merely laughed at his last observations,
to the whole. In chemistry also the axiom “that if the Minister had been no more than
fails. In the consideration of motive it fails; a mathematician, the Prefect would have
for two motives, each of a given value, have been under no necessity of giving me this
not, necessarily, a value when united, equal check. I know him, however, as both math-
to the sum of their values apart. There are ematician and poet, and my measures were

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 The Purloined Letter By Edgar Allan Poe

adapted to his capacity, with reference to the perately the Prefect laughed when I suggest-
circumstances by which he was surrounded. ed, upon our first interview, that it was just
I knew him as a courtier, too, and as a bold possible this mystery troubled him so much
intriguant. Such a man, I considered, could on account of its being so very self-evident.”
not fail to be aware of the ordinary policial “Yes,” said I, “I remember his merriment
modes of action. He could not have failed well. I really thought he would have fallen
to anticipate—and events have proved that into convulsions.” “The material world,”
he did not fail to anticipate—the waylayings continued Dupin, “abounds with very strict
to which he was subjected. He must have analogies to the immaterial; and thus some
foreseen, I reflected, the secret investigations color of truth has been given to the rhetori-
of his premises. His frequent absences from cal dogma, that metaphor, or simile, may be
home at night, which were hailed by the Pre- made to strengthen an argument, as well as to
fect as certain aids to his success, I regard- embellish a description. The principle of the
ed only as ruses, to afford opportunity for vis inertiæ, for example, seems to be identical
thorough search to the police, and thus the in physics and metaphysics. It is not more
sooner to impress them with the conviction true in the former, that a large body is with
to which G—, in fact, did finally arrive—the more difficulty set in motion than a smaller
conviction that the letter was not upon the one, and that its subsequent momentum is
premises. I felt, also, that the whole train of commensurate with this difficulty, than it is,
thought, which I was at some pains in detail- in the latter, that intellects of the vaster ca-
ing to you just now, concerning the invariable pacity, while more forcible, more constant,
principle of policial action in searches for ar- and more eventful in their movements than
ticles concealed—I felt that this whole train those of inferior grade, are yet the less read-
of thought would necessarily pass through the ily moved, and more embarrassed and full of
mind of the Minister. It would imperatively hesitation in the first few steps of their prog-
lead him to despise all the ordinary nooks of ress. Again: have you ever noticed which of
concealment. He could not, I reflected, be so the street signs, over the shop-doors, are the
weak as not to see that the most intricate and most attractive of attention?”
remote recess of his hotel would be as open “I have never given the matter a thought,”
as his commonest closets to the eyes, to the I said. “There is a game of puzzles,” he re-
probes, to the gimlets, and to the microscopes sumed, “which is played upon a map. One
of the Prefect. I saw, in fine, that he would be party playing requires another to find a given
driven, as a matter of course, to simplicity, if word—the name of town, river, state or em-
not deliberately induced to it as a matter of pire—any word, in short, upon the motley
choice. You will remember, perhaps, how des- and perplexed surface of the chart. A novice

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 The Purloined Letter By Edgar Allan Poe

in the game generally seeks to embarrass his lounging, and dawdling, as usual, and pre-
opponents by giving them the most minute- tending to be in the last extremity of ennui.
ly lettered names; but the adept selects such He is, perhaps, the most really energetic hu-
words as stretch, in large characters, from man being now alive—but that is only when
one end of the chart to the other. These, like nobody sees him. “To be even with him, I
the over-largely lettered signs and placards of complained of my weak eyes, and lamented
the street, escape observation by dint of be- the necessity of the spectacles, under cover of
ing excessively obvious; and here the physi- which I cautiously and thoroughly surveyed
cal oversight is precisely analogous with the the whole apartment, while seemingly intent
moral inapprehension by which the intellect only upon the conversation of my host.
suffers to pass unnoticed those considerations “I paid especial attention to a large writ-
which are too obtrusively and too palpably ing-table near which he sat, and upon which
self-evident. But this is a point, it appears, lay confusedly, some miscellaneous letters
somewhat above or beneath the understand- and other papers, with one or two musical
ing of the Prefect. He never once thought it instruments and a few books. Here, however,
probable, or possible, that the Minister had after a long and very deliberate scrutiny, I
deposited the letter immediately beneath the saw nothing to excite particular suspicion.
nose of the whole world, by way of best pre- “At length my eyes, in going the circuit
venting any portion of that world from per- of the room, fell upon a trumpery fillagree
ceiving it. “But the more I reflected upon the card-rack of pasteboard, that hung dangling
daring, dashing, and discriminating ingenu- by a dirty blue ribbon, from a little brass
ity of D—; upon the fact that the document knob just beneath the middle of the mantel-
must always have been at hand, if he intended piece. In this rack, which had three or four
to use it to good purpose; and upon the de- compartments, were five or six visiting cards
cisive evidence, obtained by the Prefect, that and a solitary letter. This last was much soiled
it was not hidden within the limits of that and crumpled. It was torn nearly in two,
dignitary’s ordinary search—the more satis- across the middle—as if a design, in the first
fied I became that, to conceal this letter, the instance, to tear it entirely up as worthless,
Minister had resorted to the comprehensive had been altered, or stayed, in the second.
and sagacious expedient of not attempting to It had a large black seal, bearing the D— ci-
conceal it at all. pher very conspicuously, and was addressed,
“Full of these ideas, I prepared myself in a diminutive female hand, to D—, the
with a pair of green spectacles, and called one minister, himself. It was thrust carelessly,
fine morning, quite by accident, at the Min- and even, as it seemed, contemptuously, into
isterial hotel. I found D— at home, yawning, one of the uppermost divisions of the rack.

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 The Purloined Letter By Edgar Allan Poe

“No sooner had I glanced at this letter, than rest whatever trivial doubt I might have en-
I concluded it to be that of which I was in tertained. In scrutinizing the edges of the pa-
search. To be sure, it was, to all appearance, per, I observed them to be more chafed than
radically different from the one of which the seemed necessary. They presented the broken
Prefect had read us so minute a description. appearance which is manifested when a stiff
Here the seal was large and black, with the paper, having been once folded and pressed
D— cipher; there it was small and red, with with a folder, is refolded in a reversed direc-
the ducal arms of the S— family. Here, the tion, in the same creases or edges which had
address, to the Minister, diminutive and fem- formed the original fold. This discovery was
inine; there the superscription, to a certain sufficient. It was clear to me that the letter
royal personage, was markedly bold and de- had been turned, as a glove, inside out, re-
cided; the size alone formed a point of corre- directed, and re-sealed. I bade the Minister
spondence. But, then, the radicalness of these good morning, and took my departure at
differences, which was excessive; the dirt; the once, leaving a gold snuff-box upon the table.
soiled and torn condition of the paper, so in- “The next morning I called for the snuff-box,
consistent with the true methodical habits of when we resumed, quite eagerly, the conver-
D—, and so suggestive of a design to delude sation of the preceding day. While thus en-
the beholder into an idea of the worthlessness gaged, however, a loud report, as if of a pistol,
of the document; these things, together with was heard immediately beneath the windows
the hyper-obtrusive situation of this docu- of the hotel, and was succeeded by a series of
ment, full in the view of every visiter, and fearful screams, and the shoutings of a terri-
thus exactly in accordance with the conclu- fied mob. D— rushed to a casement, threw
sions to which I had previously arrived; these it open, and looked out. In the meantime, I
things, I say, were strongly corroborative of stepped to the card-rack took the letter, put
suspicion, in one who came with the inten- it in my pocket, and replaced it by a fac-sim-
tion to suspect. ile, (so far as regards externals,) which I had
“I protracted my visit as long as possible, carefully prepared at my lodgings—imitating
and, while I maintained a most animated the D— cipher, very readily, by means of a
discussion with the Minister upon a topic seal formed of bread. “The disturbance in the
which I knew well had never failed to inter- street had been occasioned by the frantic be-
est and excite him, I kept my attention really havior of a man with a musket. He had fired
riveted upon the letter. In this examination, it among a crowd of women and children. It
I committed to memory its external appear- proved, however, to have been without ball,
ance and arrangement in the rack; and also and the fellow was suffered to go his way as
fell, at length, upon a discovery which set at a lunatic or a drunkard. When he had gone,

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 The Purloined Letter By Edgar Allan Poe

D— came from the window, whither I had by her whom the Prefect terms ‘a certain per-
followed him immediately upon securing the sonage’ he is reduced to opening the letter
object in view. Soon afterwards I bade him which I left for him in the card-rack.”
farewell. The pretended lunatic was a man in “How? did you put any thing particular
my own pay.” “But what purpose had you,” I in it?”
asked, “in replacing the letter by a fac-simile? “Why—it did not seem altogether right
Would it not have been better, at the first to leave the interior blank—that would have
visit, to have seized it openly, and departed?” been insulting. D—, at Vienna once, did me
“D—,” replied Dupin, “is a desperate man, an evil turn, which I told him, quite good-
and a man of nerve. His hotel, too, is not humoredly, that I should remember. So, as I
without attendants devoted to his interests. knew he would feel some curiosity in regard
Had I made the wild attempt you suggest, I to the identity of the person who had out-
might never have left the Ministerial presence witted him, I thought it a pity not to give
alive. The good people of Paris might have him a clue. He is well acquainted with my
heard of me no more. But I had an object MS., and I just copied into the middle of the
apart from these considerations. You know blank sheet the words—“ ‘——Un dessein
my political prepossessions. In this matter, I si funeste, S’il n’est digne d’Atrèe, est digne de
act as a partisan of the lady concerned. For Thyeste.
eighteen months the Minister has had her in They are to be found in Crebillon’s
his power. She has now him in hers—since, ‘Atrèe.’”
being unaware that the letter is not in his pos-
session, he will proceed with his exactions as
if it was. Thus will he inevitably commit him-
self, 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
is that monstrum horrendum, an unprinci-
pled man of genius. I confess, however, that
I should like very well to know the precise
character of his thoughts, when, being defied

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