the works of edgar allan poe-1-第51章
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hair。 It must have been a peculiarity of color； of quantity； of
length； or of situation。
〃 'Her foot；' says the journal； 'was small … so are thousands of
feet。 Her garter is no proof whatever … nor is her shoe … for shoes
and garters are sold in packages。 The same may be said of the flowers
in her hat。 One thing upon which M。 Beauvais strongly insists is；
that the clasp on the garter found； had been set back to take it in。
This amounts to nothing； for most women find it proper to take a pair
of garters home and fit them to the size of the limbs they are to
encircle； rather than to try them in the store where they purchase。'
Here it is difficult to suppose the reasoner in earnest。 Had M。
Beauvais； in his search for the body of Marie； discovered a corpse
corresponding in general size and appearance to the missing girl； he
would have been warranted （without reference to the question of
habiliment at all） in forming an opinion that his search had been
successful。 If； in addition to the point of general size and contour；
he had found upon the arm a peculiar hairy appearance which he had
observed upon the living Marie； his opinion might have been justly
strengthened； and the increase of positiveness might well have been
in the ratio of the peculiarity； or unusualness； of the hairy mark。
If； the feet of Marie being small； those of the corpse were also
small； the increase of probability that the body was that of Marie
would not be an increase in a ratio merely arithmetical； but in one
highly geometrical； or accumulative。 Add to all this shoes such as
she had been known to wear upon the day of her disappearance； and；
although these shoes may be 'sold in packages；' you so far augment
the probability as to verge upon the certain。 What； of itself； would
be no evidence of identity； becomes through its corroborative
position； proof most sure。 Give us； then； flowers in the hat
corresponding to those worn by the missing girl； and we seek for
nothing farther。 If only one flower； we seek for nothing farther …
what then if two or three； or more？ Each successive one is multiple
evidence … proof not _added_ to proof； but multiplied by hundreds or
thousands。 Let us now discover； upon the deceased； garters such as
the living used； and it is almost folly to proceed。 But these garters
are found to be tightened； by the setting back of a clasp； in just
such a manner as her own had been tightened by Marie； shortly
previous to her leaving home。 It is now madness or hypocrisy to
doubt。 What L'Etoile says in respect to this abbreviation of the
garter's being an usual occurrence； shows nothing beyond its own
pertinacity in error。 The elastic nature of the clasp…garter is
self…demonstration of the unusualness of the abbreviation。 What is
made to adjust itself； must of necessity require foreign adjustment
but rarely。 It must have been by an accident； in its strictest sense；
that these garters of Marie needed the tightening described。 They
alone would have amply established her identity。 But it is not that
the corpse was found to have the garters of the missing girl； or
found to have her shoes； or her bonnet； or the flowers of her bonnet；
or her feet； or a peculiar mark upon the arm； or her general size and
appearance … it is that the corpse had each； and _all collectively_。
Could it be proved that the editor of L'Etoile _really_ entertained a
doubt； under the circumstances； there would be no need； in his case；
of a commission de lunatico inquirendo。 He has thought it sagacious
to echo the small talk of the lawyers； who； for the most part；
content themselves with echoing the rectangular precepts of the
courts。 I would here observe that very much of what is rejected as
evidence by a court； is the best of evidence to the intellect。 For
the court； guiding itself by the general principles of evidence … the
recognized and _booked_ principles … is averse from swerving at
particular instances。 And this steadfast adherence to principle； with
rigorous disregard of the conflicting exception； is a sure mode of
attaining the maximum of attainable truth； in any long sequence of
time。 The practice； in mass； is therefore philosophical； but it is
not the less certain that it engenders vast individual error。 ｛*16｝
〃In respect to the insinuations levelled at Beauvais； you will be
willing to dismiss them in a breath。 You have already fathomed the
true character of this good gentleman。 He is a busy…body； with much
of romance and little of wit。 Any one so constituted will readily so
conduct himself； upon occasion of real excitement； as to render
himself liable to suspicion on the part of the over acute； or the
ill… disposed。 M。 Beauvais （as it appears from your notes） had some
personal interviews with the editor of L'Etoile； and offended him by
venturing an opinion that the corpse； notwithstanding the theory of
the editor； was； in sober fact； that of Marie。 'He persists；' says
the paper； 'in asserting the corpse to be that of Marie； but cannot
give a circumstance； in addition to those which we have commented
upon； to make others believe。' Now； without re…adverting to the fact
that stronger evidence 'to make others believe；' could never have
been adduced； it may be remarked that a man may very well be
understood to believe； in a case of this kind； without the ability to
advance a single reason for the belief of a second party。 Nothing is
more vague than impressions of individual identity。 Each man
recognizes his neighbor； yet there are few instances in which any one
is prepared to give a reason for his recognition。 The editor of
L'Etoile had no right to be offended at M。 Beauvais' unreasoning
belief。
〃The suspicious circumstances which invest him； will be found to
tally much better with my hypothesis of romantic busy…bodyism； than
with the reasoner's suggestion of guilt。 Once adopting the more
charitable interpretation； we shall find no difficulty in
comprehending the rose in the key…hole； the 'Marie' upon the slate；
the 'elbowing the male relatives out of the way；' the 'aversion to
permitting them to see the body；' the caution given to Madame B；
that she must hold no conversation with the gendarmeuntil his return
（Beauvais'）； and； lastly； his apparent determination 'that nobody
should have anything to do with the proceedings except himself。' It
seems to me unquestionable that Beauvais was a suitor of Marie's；
that she coquetted with him； and that he was ambitious of being
thought to enjoy her fullest intimacy and confidence。 I shall say
nothing more upon this point； and； as the evidence fully rebuts the
assertion of L'Etoile； touching the matter of apathy on the part of
the mother and other relatives … an apathy inconsistent with the
supposition of their believing the corpse to be that of the
perfumery… girl … we shall now proceed as if the question of identity
were settled to our perfect satisfaction。〃
〃And what；〃 I here demanded； 〃do you think of the opinions of Le
Commerciel？〃
〃That； in spirit； they are far more worthy of attention than any
which have been promulgated upon the subject。 The deductions from the
premises are philosophical and acute； but the premises； in two
instances； at least； are founded in imperfect observation。 Le
Commerciel wishes to intimate that Marie was seized by some gang of
low ruffians not far from her mother's door。 'It is impossible；' it
urges； 'that a person so well known to thousands as this young woman
was； should have passed three blocks without some one having seen
her。' This is the idea of a man long resident in Paris … a public man
… and one whose walks to and fro in the city； have been mostly
limited to the vicinity of the public offices。 He is aware that he
seldom passes so far as a dozen blocks from his own bureau； without
being recognized and accosted。 And； knowing the extent of his
personal acquaintance with others； and of others with him； he
compares his notoriety with that of the perfumery…girl； finds no
great difference between them； and reaches at once the conclusion
that she； in her walks； w
