havemainlybuiltmyhopesofafullsolutionoftheriddle。A
　　Frenchmanwascognizantofthemurder。Itispossible-indeeditisfarmorethanprobable-thathewasinnocentofallparticipationinthebloodytransactionswhichtookplace。TheOurang-Outangmayhaveescapedfromhim。Hemayhavetracedittothechamber；but，undertheagitatingcircumstanceswhichensued，hecouldneverhavere-capturedit。Itisstillatlarge。Iwillnotpursuetheseguesses-forIhavenorighttocallthemmore-sincetheshadesofreflectionuponwhichtheyarebasedarescarcelyofsufficientdepthtobeappreciablebymyownintellect，andsinceIcouldnotpretendtomakethemintelligibletotheunderstandingofanother。Wewillcallthemguessesthen，andspeakofthemassuch。IftheFrenchmaninquestionisindeed，asIsuppose，innocentofthisatrocity，thisadvertisementwhichIleftlastnight，uponourreturnhome，attheofficeof’LeMonde，’apaperdevotedtotheshippinginterest，andmuchsoughtbysailors，willbringhimtoourresidence。”
　　Hehandedmeapaper，andIreadthus：
　　CAUGHT-_IntheBoisdeBoulogne，earlyinthemorningofthe-
　　inst。，_themorningofthemurder，_averylarge，tawnyOurang-OutangoftheBornesespecies。Theowner，whoisascertainedtobeasailor，belongingtoaMaltesevessel，mayhavetheanimalagain，uponidentifyingitsatisfactorily，andpayingafewchargesarisingfromitscaptureandkeeping。CallatNo。，Rue，FaubourgSt。Germain-autroisi阭e。_
　　“Howwasitpossible。”Iasked，“thatyoushouldknowthemantobeasailor，andbelongingtoaMaltesevessel？”
　　“Ido_not_knowit。”saidDupin。“Iamnot_sure_ofit。Here，however，isasmallpieceofribbon，whichfromitsform，andfromitsgreasyappearance，hasevidentlybeenusedintyingthehairinoneofthoselong_queues_ofwhichsailorsaresofond。Moreover，thisknotisonewhichfewbesidessailorscantie，andispeculiartotheMaltese。Ipickedtheribbonupatthefootofthelightning-rod。Itcouldnothavebelongedtoeitherofthedeceased。
　　Nowif，afterall，Iamwronginmyinductionfromthisribbon，thattheFrenchmanwasasailorbelongingtoaMaltesevessel，stillIcanhavedonenoharminsayingwhatIdidintheadvertisement。IfIaminerror，hewillmerelysupposethatIhavebeenmisledbysomecircumstanceintowhichhewillnottakethetroubletoinquire。ButifIamright，agreatpointisgained。Cognizantalthoughinnocentofthemurder，theFrenchmanwillnaturallyhesitateaboutreplyingtotheadvertisement-aboutdemandingtheOurang-Outang。Hewillreasonthus：-’Iaminnocent；Iampoor；myOurang-Outangisofgreatvalue-tooneinmycircumstancesafortuneofitself-whyshouldIloseitthroughidleapprehensionsofdanger？Hereitis，withinmygrasp。ItwasfoundintheBoisdeBoulogne-atavastdistancefromthesceneofthatbutchery。Howcaniteverbesuspectedthatabrutebeastshouldhavedonethedeed？Thepoliceareatfault-theyhavefailedtoprocuretheslightestclew。Shouldtheyeventracetheanimal，itwouldbeimpossibletoprovemecognizantofthemurder，ortoimplicatemeinguiltonaccountofthatcognizance。Aboveall，_Iamknown。_Theadvertiserdesignatesmeasthepossessorofthebeast。Iamnotsuretowhatlimithisknowledgemayextend。ShouldIavoidclaimingapropertyofsogreatvalue，whichitisknownthatIpossess，Iwillrendertheanimalatleast，liabletosuspicion。Itisnotmypolicytoattractattentioneithertomyselfortothebeast。Iwillanswertheadvertisement，gettheOurang-Outang，andkeepitcloseuntilthismatterhasblownover。’“
　　Atthismomentweheardastepuponthestairs。
　　“Beready。”saidDupin，“withyourpistols，butneitherusethemnorshowthemuntilatasignalfrommyself。”
　　Thefrontdoorofthehousehadbeenleftopen，andthevisiterhadentered，withoutringing，andadvancedseveralstepsuponthestaircase。Now，however，heseemedtohesitate。Presentlyweheardhimdescending。Dupinwasmovingquicklytothedoor，whenweagainheardhimcomingup。Hedidnotturnbackasecondtime，butsteppedupwithdecision，andrappedatthedoorofourchamber。
　　“Comein。”saidDupin，inacheerfulandheartytone。
　　Amanentered。Hewasasailor，evidently，-atall，stout，andmuscular-lookingperson，withacertaindare-devilexpressionofcountenance，notaltogetherunprepossessing。Hisface，greatlysunburnt，wasmorethanhalfhiddenbywhiskerand_mustachio。_Hehadwithhimahugeoakencudgel，butappearedtobeotherwiseunarmed。Hebowedawkwardly，andbadeus“goodevening。”inFrenchaccents，which，althoughsomewhatNeufchatelish，werestillsufficientlyindicativeofaParisianorigin。
　　“Sitdown，myfreind。”saidDupin。“IsupposeyouhavecalledabouttheOurang-Outang。Uponmyword，Ialmostenvyyouthepossessionofhim；aremarkablyfine，andnodoubtaveryvaluableanimal。Howolddoyousupposehimtobe？”
　　Thesailordrewalongbreath，withtheairofamanrelievedofsomeintolerableburden，andthenreplied，inanassuredtone：
　　“Ihavenowayoftelling-buthecan’tbemorethanfourorfiveyearsold。Haveyougothimhere？”
　　“Ohno，wehadnoconveniencesforkeepinghimhere。HeisataliverystableintheRueDubourg，justby。Youcangethiminthemorning。Ofcourseyouarepreparedtoidentifytheproperty？”
　　“TobesureIam，sir。”
　　“Ishallbesorrytopartwithhim。”saidDupin。
　　“Idon’tmeanthatyoushouldbeatallthistroublefornothing，sir。”saidtheman。“Couldn’texpectit。Amverywillingtopayarewardforthefindingoftheanimal-thatistosay，anythinginreason。”
　　“Well。”repliedmyfriend，“thatisallveryfair，tobesure。Letmethink！-whatshouldIhave？Oh！Iwilltellyou。Myrewardshallbethis。YoushallgivemealltheinformationinyourpoweraboutthesemurdersintheRueMorgue。”
　　Dupinsaidthelastwordsinaverylowtone，andveryquietly。Justasquietly，too，hewalkedtowardthedoor，lockeditandputthekeyinhispocket。Hethendrewapistolfromhisbosomandplacedit，withouttheleastflurry，uponthetable。
　　Thesailor’sfaceflushedupasifhewerestrugglingwithsuffocation。Hestartedtohisfeetandgraspedhiscudgel，butthenextmomenthefellbackintohisseat，tremblingviolently，andwiththecountenanceofdeathitself。Hespokenotaword。Ipitiedhimfromthebottomofmyheart。
　　“Myfriend。”saidDupin，inakindtone，“youarealarmingyourselfunnecessarily-youareindeed。Wemeanyounoharmwhatever。I
　　pledgeyouthehonorofagentleman，andofaFrenchman，thatweintendyounoinjury。IperfectlywellknowthatyouareinnocentoftheatrocitiesintheRueMorgue。Itwillnotdo，however，todenythatyouareinsomemeasureimplicatedinthem。FromwhatIhavealreadysaid，youmustknowthatIhavehadmeansofinformationaboutthismatter-meansofwhichyoucouldneverhavedreamed。Nowthethingstandsthus。Youhavedonenothingwhichyoucouldhaveavoided-nothing，certainly，whichrendersyouculpable。Youwerenotevenguiltyofrobbery，whenyoumighthaverobbedwithimpunity。
　　Youhavenothingtoconceal。Youhavenoreasonforconcealment。Ontheotherhand，youareboundbyeveryprincipleofhonortoconfessallyouknow。Aninnocentmanisnowimprisoned，chargedwiththatcrimeofwhichyoucanpointouttheperpetrator。”
　　Thesailorhadrecoveredhispresenceofmind，inagreatmeasure，whileDupinutteredthesewords；buthisoriginalboldnessofbearingwasallgone。
　　“SohelpmeGod。”saidhe，afterabriefpause，“IwilltellyouallIknowaboutthisaffair；-butIdonotexpectyoutobelieveonehalfIsay-IwouldbeafoolindeedifIdid。Still，Iaminnocent，andIwillmakeacleanbreastifIdieforit。”
　　Whathestatedwas，insubstance，this。HehadlatelymadeavoyagetotheIndianArchipelago。Aparty，ofwhichheformedone，landedatBorneo，andpassedintotheinterioronanexcursionofpleasure。
　　HimselfandacompanionhadcapturedtheOurang-Outang。Thiscompaniondying，theanimalfellintohisownexclusivepossession。
　　Aftergreattrouble，occasionedbytheintractableferocityofhiscaptiveduringthehomevoyage，heatlengthsucceededinlodgingitsafelyathisownresidenceinParis，where，nottoattracttowardhimselftheunpleasantcuriosityofhisneighbors，hekeptitcarefullysecluded，untilsuchtimeasitshouldrecoverfromawoundinthefoot，receivedfromasplinteronboardship。Hisultimatedesignwastosellit。
　　Returninghomefromsomesailors’frolicthenight，orratherinthemorningofthemurder，hefoundthebeastoccupyinghisownbed-room，intowhichithadbrokenfromaclosetadjoining，whereithadbeen，aswasthought，securelyconfined。Razorinhand，andfullylathered，itwassittingbeforealooking-glass，attemptingtheoperationofshaving，inwhichithadnodoubtpreviouslywatcheditsmasterthroughthekey-holeofthecloset。Terrifiedatthesightofsodangerousaweaponinthepossessionofananimalsoferocious，andsowellabletouseit，theman，forsomemoments，wasatalosswhattodo。Hehadbeenaccustomed，however，toquietthecreature，eveninitsfiercestmoods，bytheuseofawhip，andtothishenowresorted。Uponsightofit，theOurang-Outangsprangatoncethroughthedoorofthechamber，downthestairs，andthence，throughawindow，unfortunatelyopen，intothestreet。
　　TheFrenchmanfollowedindespair；theape，razorstillinhand，occasionallystoppingtolookbackandgesticulateatitspursuer，untilthelatterhadnearlycomeupwithit。Itthenagainmadeoff。
　　Inthismannerthechasecontinuedforalongtime。Thestreetswereprofoundlyquiet，asitwasnearlythreeo’clockinthemorning。InpassingdownanalleyintherearoftheRueMorgue，thefugitive’sattentionwasarrestedbyalightgleamingfromtheopenwindowofMadameL’Espanaye’schamber，inthefourthstoryofherhouse。
　　Rushingtothebuilding，itperceivedthelightningrod，clamberedupwithinconceivableagility，graspedtheshutter，whichwasthrownfullybackagainstthewall，and，byitsmeans，swungitselfdirectlyupontheheadboardofthebed。Thewholefeatdidnotoccupyaminute。TheshutterwaskickedopenagainbytheOurang-Outangasitenteredtheroom。
　　Thesailor，inthemeantime，wasbothrejoicedandperplexed。Hehadstronghopesofnowrecapturingthebrute，asitcouldscarcelyescapefromthetrapintowhichithadventured，exceptbytherod，whereitmightbeinterceptedasitcamedown。Ontheotherhand，therewasmuchcauseforanxietyastowhatitmightdointhehouse。
　　Thislatterreflectionurgedthemanstilltofollowthefugitive。A
　　lightningrodisascendedwithoutdifficulty，especiallybyasailor；
　　but，whenhehadarrivedashighasthewindow，whichlayfartohisleft，hiscareerwasstopped；themostthathecouldaccomplishwastoreachoversoastoobtainaglimpseoftheinterioroftheroom。
　　Atthisglimpsehenearlyfellfromhisholdthroughexcessofhorror。Nowitwasthatthosehideousshrieksaroseuponthenight，whichhadstartledfromslumbertheinmatesoftheRueMorgue。MadameL’Espanayeandherdaughter，habitedintheirnightclothes，hadapparentlybeenoccupiedinarrangingsomepapersintheironchestalreadymentioned，whichhadbeenwheeledintothemiddleoftheroom。Itwasopen，anditscontentslaybesideitonthefloor。Thevictimsmusthavebeensittingwiththeirbackstowardthewindow；
　　and，fromthetimeelapsingbetweentheingressofthebeastandthescreams，itseemsprobablethatitwasnotimmediatelyperceived。Theflapping-tooftheshutterwouldnaturallyhavebeenattributedtothewind。
　　Asthesailorlookedin，thegiganticanimalhadseizedMadameL’Espanayebythehair，whichwasloose，asshehadbeencombingit，andwasflourishingtherazoraboutherface，inimitationofthemotionsofabarber。Thedaughterlayprostrateandmotionless；
　　shehadswooned。ThescreamsandstrugglesoftheoldladyduringwhichthehairwastornfromherheadhadtheeffectofchangingtheprobablypacificpurposesoftheOurang-Outangintothoseofwrath。
　　Withonedeterminedsweepofitsmusculararmitnearlyseveredherheadfromherbody。Thesightofbloodinflameditsangerintophrenzy。Gnashingitsteeth，andflashingfirefromitseyes，itflewuponthebodyofthegirl，andimbeddeditsfearfultalonsinherthroat，retainingitsgraspuntilsheexpired。Itswanderingandwildglancesfellatthismomentupontheheadofthebed，overwhichthefaceofitsmaster，rigidwithhorror，wasjustdiscernible。Thefuryofthebeast，whonodoubtborestillinmindthedreadedwhip，wasinstantlyconvertedintofear。Consciousofhavingdeservedpunishment，itseemeddesirousofconcealingitsbloodydeeds，andskippedaboutthechamberinanagonyofnervousagitation；throwingdownandbreakingthefurnitureasitmoved，anddraggingthebedfromthebedstead。Inconclusion，itseizedfirstthecorpseofthedaughter，andthrustitupthechimney，asitwasfound；thenthatoftheoldlady，whichitimmediatelyhurledthroughthewindowheadlong。