{"id":2782,"date":"2019-04-23T01:02:38","date_gmt":"2019-04-23T06:02:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/captivatedchat.com\/?p=2782"},"modified":"2020-05-16T01:50:00","modified_gmt":"2020-05-16T06:50:00","slug":"the-purloined-letter-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/captivatedchat.com\/index.php\/2019\/04\/23\/the-purloined-letter-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The Purloined Letter, Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Edgar Allan Poe<\/h2>\n

Scary chat story format by captivatedchat.com<\/h3>\n
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
Any man is a dolt who permits a \u2018secret\u2019 to escape him in a search of this kind. The thing is so plain. There is a certain amount of bulk\u2014\u2014of space\u2014\u2014to be accounted for in every cabinet. \n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Dupin<\/div>
But how precise were you in searching?\n<\/div><\/div>
Monsieur&nbsp; G<\/div>
We have accurate rules. The fiftieth part of a line could not escape us. After the cabinets we took the chairs. We probed the cushions with fine long needles. We removed the tabletops.\n <\/div><\/div>
Me<\/div>
Why?\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
Sometimes a thief removes the top of a table or other similar piece of furniture to conceal an article; then excavates the leg, deposits the article and replaces the top.\n<\/div><\/div>
Me<\/div>
But could not the cavity be detected by sounding?\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
By no means, if, when the article is deposited, a sufficient wadding of cotton is placed around it. Besides, we needed to be quiet.\nMicroscopes employed\n<\/div><\/div>
Me<\/div>
  But you could not have taken to pieces all articles of furniture in which it would have been possible to make a deposit of a letter. A letter may be compressed into a thin spiral roll.\n <\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
Indeed, but we examined every piece of furniture by the aid of a most powerful microscope. Any traces of recent disturbance, even a single grain of gimlet-dust, for example, would have been as obvious as an apple. \n<\/div><\/div>
Me<\/div>
I presume you probed the beds and the bed-clothes, as well as the curtains and carpets.\u201d\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
That of course; and when we had absolutely completed every particle of the furniture, then we examined the house itself. \nMonsieur G: We scrutinized each individual square inch throughout the premises, including the two houses immediately adjoining, employing the microscope, as before.\n<\/div><\/div>
Me<\/div>
The two houses adjoining! You must have had a great deal of trouble.\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
We had, but the reward offered is prodigious!\u201d\n<\/div><\/div>
Me<\/div>
You included the grounds about the houses?\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
All are paved with brick. They gave us comparatively little trouble. We examined the moss between the bricks, and found it undisturbed.\n <\/div><\/div>
Me<\/div>
You looked among D\u2014\u2018s papers, of course, and into the books of the library?\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
Certainly, we opened every package and parcel; we not only opened every book, but we turned over every leaf, not content with a mere shake. We also measured the thickness of every book-cover, and utilized the microscope. \n<\/div><\/div>
Me<\/div>
You explored the floors of all rooms?\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
Beyond doubt. We removed every carpet, and examined the boards with the microscope.\n<\/div><\/div>
Me<\/div>
And the paper on the walls?\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
Yes.\n<\/div><\/div>
Me<\/div>
You looked into the cellars?\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
We did.\nMiscalculation\n<\/div><\/div>
Me<\/div>
Then you have been making a miscalculation, and the letter is not on the premises, as you suppose.\n <\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
  I fear you are right there. And now, Dupin, what would you advise?\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
To make a thorough re-search of the premises.\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
Absolutely needless, I am not more sure that I breathe than I am that the letter is not at the Hotel.\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Dupin<\/div>
I have no better advice to give you. You have, of course, an accurate description of the letter?\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
Oh yes! Here is a copy of the description for you. I must depart for work.\n(a month later)\n<\/div><\/div>
Me<\/div>
Well, G\u2014, what of the purloined letter? I presume you have at last made up your mind that there is no such thing as overreaching the Minister?\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
Confound him, say I\u2014yes; I made the re-examination, however, as Dupin suggested\u2014but it was all labor lost, as I knew it would be.\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Dupin<\/div>
How much was the reward offered, did you say?\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
  A great deal\u2014I will say that I wouldn\u2019t mind giving my individual check for fifty thousand francs to any one who could obtain me that letter.\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Dupin<\/div>
Why, I really\u2014think you have not exerted yourself\u2014to the utmost in this matter. You might\u2014do a little more, think, eh?\nTaking advice\n <\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
  How?\u2014in what way?\n <\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Dupin<\/div>
Above all, you might employ counsel in the matter.\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Dupin<\/div>
Once a certain wealthy miser conceived of spunging on a man named Abernethy for a medical opinion.\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
Hang Abernathy!\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Dupin<\/div>
And welcome to it. The miser insinuated his case to the physician as that of an imaginary individual.\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Dupin<\/div>
Suppose, said the miser, that his symptoms are such and such; now, doctor, what would you have directed him to take?\n\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Dupin<\/div>
Take!, said Abernethy, “why, take a doctor’s advice, to be sure.”\n\n<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Monsieur G<\/div>
But I am perfectly willing to take advice, and to pay for it. I would really give fifty thousand francs to any one who would aid me in the matter.\n <\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
Dupin<\/div>
In that case you may as well fill me up a check for the amount mentioned. When you have signed it, I will hand you the letter.\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n
Look for Part 3, coming soon!<\/h5>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Edgar Allan Poe Scary chat story format by captivatedchat.com Look for Part 3, coming soon!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2634,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_ti_tpc_template_sync":false,"_ti_tpc_template_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[28],"yst_prominent_words":[1028,253,63,1242,1255,1247,1254,1248,585,1253,1245,1244,1251,1249,534,147,1246,1252,1250,1243],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/captivatedchat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2782"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/captivatedchat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/captivatedchat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/captivatedchat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/captivatedchat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2782"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/captivatedchat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2782\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/captivatedchat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/captivatedchat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/captivatedchat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/captivatedchat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2782"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/captivatedchat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=2782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}