Эдгар Аллан По
Убийство на улице Морг. Уровень 1 / The Murders in the Rue Morgue

“The apartment was in the wildest disorder-the furniture broken and thrown about in all directions. There was only one bedstead; and from this the bed was removed, and thrown into the middle of the floor. On a chair lay a razor, besmeared with blood. On the hearth were two or three long and thick tresses of grey human hair, also dabbled in blood. Upon the floor were found four Napoleons^[25], an earring of topaz, three large silver spoons, and two bags, containing nearly four thousand francs in gold. The drawers of a bureau, which stood in one corner, were open. A small iron safe was discovered under the bed (not under the bedstead). It was open, with the key still in the door. It had a few old letters, and other papers.

“Madame L’Espanaye disappeared; but a search was made in the chimney, and the corpse of the daughter was dragged therefrom^[26]. The body was quite warm. Upon the face were many severe scratches, and, upon the throat, dark bruises, and deep indentations of finger nails, as if the victim was throttled to death^[27].

“After a thorough investigation of every portion of the house, the party came into a small paved yard in, where lay the corpse of the old lady, with her throat so entirely cut that, upon an attempt to raise her, the head fell off. The body, as well as the head, was fearfully mutilated.

“To this horrible mystery there is not as yet, we believe, the slightest clue.”

The next day’s paper had these additional particulars.

“The Tragedy in the Rue Morgue.

Many individuals were examined in relation to this most extraordinary and frightful affair, but nothing threw light upon it.

“Pauline Dubourg^[28], laundress, deposes that she knew both the deceased for three years, washed for them during that period. The old lady and her daughter were very affectionate towards each other. She could not say anything in regard to their mode or means of living. She believed that Madame L. was a fortune-teller. She never met any persons in the house when she came for the clothes or took them home. She is sure that they had no servant.

“Pierre Moreau^[29], tobacconist^[30], says that he sold small quantities of tobacco to Madame L’Espanaye for nearly four years. The deceased and her daughter occupied the house in which the corpses were found, for more than six years. It was formerly occupied by a jeweller, who underlet the upper rooms^[31] to various persons. The house was the property of Madame L. The old lady was childish. The witness saw the daughter five or six times during the six years. He heard that Madame was a fortune-teller, but he did not believe it. He never seen any person enter the door except the old lady and her daughter, a porter once or twice, and a doctor eight or ten times.

“Many other persons and neighbors, gave evidence to the same effect. Nobody heard about friends of Madame L. and her daughter. The shutters of the front windows were seldom opened. The shutters in the rear were always closed, with the exception of the large back room, fourth story. The house was a good house-not very old.

“Isidore Muse1t^[32], gendarme, deposes that he was called to the house about three o’clock in the morning, and found twenty or thirty persons at the gateway. He forced it open, with a bayonet-not with a crowbar. The shrieks were heard until the gate was forced-and then suddenly ceased. They were screams of some person (or persons) in great agony-were loud, not short and quick. Upon reaching the first landing, he heard two voices in loud and angry contention-the one a gruff voice, the other much shriller-a very strange voice. He could distinguish some words of the former, which was that of a Frenchman. He is sure that it was not a woman’s voice. He could distinguish the words ‘sacre2’ and ‘diable.’^[33] The shrill voice was the foreigner’s voice. He was not sure whether it was the voice of a man or of a woman. He thinks it was Spanish language.

“Henri Duval^[34], a neighbor, a silver-smith^[35], сorroborates the testimony of Muse1t in general. The shrill voice, this witness thinks, was that of an Italian. He is sure that it was not French. He is not sure that it was a man’s voice. It can be a woman’s voice. He does not know Italian, so he could not distinguish the words, but was convinced by the intonation that the speaker was an Italian. He knew Madame L. and her daughter. He is sure that the shrill voice was not that of either of the deceased^[36].

“Odenheimer, restaurateur^[37]. He does not speak French, he was examined through an interpreter. He is from Amsterdam. He passed the house at the time of the shrieks. They lasted for several minutes-probably ten. They were long and loud-very awful and distressing. He is sure that the shrill voice was that of a man-of a Frenchman. He could not distinguish the words. They were loud and quick. The voice was harsh, he cannot call it a shrill voice. The gruff voice said repeatedly ‘sacre2,’ ‘diable,’ and once ‘mon Dieu!^[38]‘

“Jules Mignaud^[39], banker, of the firm of Mignaud et Fils, Rue Deloraine^[40]. He is the elder Mignaud. Madame L’Espanaye had some property. She made frequent deposits in small sums. The third day before her death, she took out in person^[41] the sum of 4000 francs. This sum was paid in gold, and a clerk went home with the money.

“Adolphe Le Bon, clerk to Mignaud et Fils^[42]. About noon, he accompanied Madame L’Espanaye to her residence with the 4000 francs, put up in two bags. The door opened, Mademoiselle L. appeared and took from his hands one of the bags. He then bowed and departed. He did not see any person in the street at the time. It is a very lonely street.

“William Bird^[43], tailor, an Englishman. He lived in Paris two years. He ascended the stairs and heard the voices. The gruff voice was that of a Frenchman. He cannot remember all the words. He heard distinctly ‘sacre2’ and ‘mon Dieu.’ There was a scraping and scuffling sound. The shrill voice was very loud-louder than the gruff one. He is sure that it was not the voice of an Englishman, maybe that of a German. He does not understand German.

“Four of the above-named witnesses^[44] deposed that the door of the chamber in which was found the body of Mademoiselle L. was locked on the inside. Everything was perfectly silent. When they entered, there was nobody in the room. A door between the two rooms was closed, but not locked. The door leading from the front room into the passage was locked, with the key on the inside. A small room in the front of the house, on the fourth story, was open. This room was crowded with old beds, boxes, and so on. The house was a four story one, with garrets. The time between the hearing of the voices and the breaking open of the room door, was three – five minutes. The door was opened with difficulty.