The Purloined Letter

Nil sapientiae odiosius acumine nimio. - Seneca.

At Paris, just after dark one gusty evening in the autumn of 18--, I was enjoying the twofold luxury of meditation and a meerschaum, in company with my friend , in his little back library, or book-closet, au troisieme, No. 33, Rue Dunot, Faubourg St. Germain. For one hour at least we had maintained a profound silence; while each, to any casual observer, might have seemed intently and exclusively occupied with the curling eddies of smoke that oppressed the atmosphere of the chamber. For myself, however, I was mentally discussing certain topics which had formed matter for conversation between us at an earlier period of the evening; I mean the affair of the Rue Morgue, and the mystery attending the murder of . I looked upon it, therefore, as something of a coincidence, when the door of our apartment was thrown open and admitted our old acquaintance, , the Prefect of the Parisian police.

We gave him a hearty welcome; for there was nearly half as much of the entertaining as of the contemptible about the man, and we had not seen him for several years. We had been sitting in the dark, and now arose for the purpose of lighting a lamp, but sat down again, without doing so, upon ’s saying that he had called to consult us, or rather to ask the opinion of my friend, about some official business which had occasioned a great deal of trouble.

observed , as he forbore to enkindle the wick,

said the Prefect, who had a fashion of calling every thing "odd" that was beyond his comprehension, and thus lived amid an absolute legion of "oddities."

said , as he supplied his visitor with a pipe, and rolled towards him a comfortable chair.

I asked.

said .

said my friend.

replied the Prefect, laughing heartily.

said .

--roared our visitor, profoundly amused,

I asked.

replied , as he gave a long, steady, and contemplative puff, and settled himself in his chair.

said I.

said .

asked .

replied ,

I said.

was fond of the cant of diplomacy.

said .

I interposed,

said ,

said to me,

replied ;

said , amid a perfect whirlwind of smoke,

replied ;

said I,

said

said I,

I suggested,

said .

said I.

said .

I observed;

said .

said .

said ,

said , after a long and thoughtful whiff from his meerschaum,

said I,

I asked.

I exclaimed;

I said,

said .

replied .

said .

--And here , producing a memorandum-book, proceeded to read aloud a minute account of the internal, and especially of the external appearance of the missing document. Soon after finishing the perusal of this description, he took his departure, more entirely depressed in spirits than I had ever known the good gentleman before.

In about a month afterwards he paid us another visit, and found us occupied very nearly as before. He took a pipe and a chair and entered into some ordinary conversation. At length I said,--

asked .

said , drawlingly, between the whiffs of his meerschaum,

said the , a little discomposed,

replied , opening a drawer, and producing a check-book,

I was astounded. The appeared absolutely thunderstricken. For some minutes he remained speechless and motionless, looking incredulously at my friend with open mouth, and eyes that seemed starting from their sockets; then, apparently in some measure, he seized a pen, and after several pauses and vacant stares, finally filled up and signed a check for fifty thousand francs, and handed it across the table to . The latter examined it carefully and deposited it in his pocket-book; then, unlocking an escritoire, took thence a letter and gave it to the . This functionary grasped it in a perfect agony of joy, opened it with a trembling hand, cast a rapid glance at its contents, and then, scrambling and struggling to the door, rushed at length unceremoniously from the room and from the house, without having uttered a syllable since had requested him to fill up the check.

When he had gone, my friend entered into some explanations.

he said,

said I.

said .

I merely laughed --but he seemed quite serious in all that he said.

he continued, lucky,

I said,

said ;

I said,

replied ;

I asked.

I said,

replied , quoting from Chamfort,

said I,

continued ,

said I,

continued ,

I said.

he resumed,

I asked,

replied ,

--Un dessein si funeste, S'il n'est digne d'Atree, est digne de Thyeste.

They are to be found in Crebillon's 'Atree.'