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'The Murders in the Rue Morgue,' by Edgar Allen Poe, Part Five

时间:2021-05-15 23:54来源:互联网 提供网友:nan   字体: [ ]
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We present the last of five parts of the short story "The Murders in the Rue1 Morgue," by Edgar Allen Poe. The story was originally adapted and recorded by the VOA Learning2 English.

I was stunned3. August Dupin, my friend with the extraordinarily4 sharp mind and observational powers still had surprises for me!

He had uncovered5 so much about the horrifying6 Rue Morgue murders that it seemed there was more understanding than mystery left. But still the major question remained: Who?

Dupin had invited someone to our home...someone he believed knew the answer to that question. As we awaited7 his arrival, my friend began to put together other pieces of evidence from the crime.

"We add for our consideration the condition of the room. So we have: a strength more than human; a wildness less than human; a murder without reason; horror8 beyond human understanding; and, finally, a voice without a recognizable language."

A cold feeling went up and down my back. "A madman, Dupin! Someone who has lost his mind. Only a madman could have done these murders!"

Dupin smiled a little. "Ah, but madmen come from one country or another, don't they. Their cries may be terrible, but they are made of words, and some of the words can be understood. Let me help with one more clue. Look at this hair. I took it from the fingers of the old woman. Is this the hair of a madman?"

Dupin handed me the evidence. I could not believe what I was looking at or the feel of it in my hands.

"Dupin, what is this? This hair is...this hair is not from a human at all!!"

"I described it only as hair. But, also look at this picture. It is a picture of the marks on the daughter's neck. The doctors said these marks were made by fingers. Let me spread the paper on the table before us. Try to put your fingers, all at the same time, on the picture, so that your hand and its fingers will fit the picture of the marks on the daughter's neck."

The marks left by the killer9's hands were enormous10. My fingers seemed like twigs11 in comparison12.

"Dupin! These marks were made by no human hand!"

"No. They were not. I am guessing they are from the hand of an orangutan. The size, strength and wildness of these apes is well known.

"And the hair and strange sounds would complete the solution of killer animal, as well. Yet, I still do not understand the second voice. We know it was a French speaking man. His only words were ‘Mon Dieu.' Who spoke13, Dupin?"

"Upon those two words I have placed my hopes of finding14 a full solution to the crime. The ‘My God' was an expression of horror. It seems improbable that the speaker of those words helped the orangutan. Could instead he be its owner? Maybe the animal escaped from him, and he followed it to the house on the Rue Morgue. I assume15 that the man would not have been able to recapture it."

"Is that who we are waiting for now, Dupin, the Frenchman? How did you reach him?"

Dupin smiled when he answered.

"I put an ad in the newspaper. Read it yourself."

I took the newspaper. Caught — Early in the morning of the seventh of this month: a very large orangutan. The owner, who is known to be a sailor, may have the animal again if he can prove it is his.

"But, Dupin. How can you know that the man is a sailor?"

"I do not know it. I simply suspect. A sailor could go up that pole on the side of the house. Sailors travel to faraway lands where one might find an orangutan. And it would be valuable. The sailor would want it back so..."

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

"Finally, Dupin, we will learn the whole truth."

"Come in, my friend! Come in!"

Slowly the door opened, and there, before us, stood a sailor!

He spoke in French. "Bonsoir."

"Good evening to you too, my friend. I suppose you have come to ask about the orangutan?"

"Yes, is it here?"

"No, no. We have no place for it here. If can prove it is yours..."

"But of course, I can."

"A shame, I wish I could keep it. It is very valuable, I guess.

"Well, I want it back...of course, I will pay you for your trouble to find it and keep it. What is your price?"

"Well...that is very fair, indeed, but it is not money I want, sir. My price is truth. Tell me everything you know about the murders in the Rue Morgue."

The sailor's face reddened deeply. He jumped to his feet. For a moment, he stood and stared. But then he fell back into his chair, trembling. His face grew pale. His eyes closed. And he said not a word.

Dupin then spoke, softly16.

"My friend, you must not be afraid. We are not going to hurt you. I know very well that you yourself are not the killer. But it is true that you know something about him — or about it. You've done nothing wrong. You didn't even take any of the money. You have no reason to be afraid to talk and to tell the truth. It is a matter of honor17 for you to tell all you know.

"So help me God! I...I'll tell you all I know. About a year ago our ship sailed to the Far East, to the island of Borneo. The forest there, the jungle, was thick with trees and other plants, and hot and wet and dark. My friend and I wanted to explore the strange place. So we did. There we saw the orangutan and caught it. And it returned with us to the ship. My friend died on the passage home. So, the animal became mine alone. I was keeping it in a cage in my house, here in Paris. I planned to sell it very soon. One night I came home and it was...it was loose. It had got free, I don't know how. It held a knife in its hands. It did not know of its dangers, of course. It was playing with it. As soon as the animal saw me it jumped up and ran from the house. I followed. It ran several blocks and turned a corner. When I made the same turn, the animal was out of sight. I looked far down the street and saw nothing. Then, I heard a noise above me. There was the beast, climbing a pole up the side of a house. It was maybe two meters up. I also went up the pole. As I am a sailor it was easy for me. When the animal was close to the top I saw him jump through an open window. I got to the same place but could not make the jump. I could see into the room, however, through another window, which was closed.

"The two women were sitting there, looking at papers from a box on the floor. The animal, knife still in hand made a noise and the old woman turned. That is when I heard the first of those terrible cries. I watched with horror as the animal attacked. Soon the two were dead and the room was a disaster. The orangutan then pushed the young woman's body up the chimney18. It picked up the other victim, then, and moved toward19 the window. I realized what was coming and I fled. Down the pipe, I scrambled20. At the bottom I heard the old woman's body hit the ground. I ran. I didn't look back. I ran! Oh, mon Dieu, mon Dieu!"

The police in Paris could not charge the sailor. His only wrongdoing was silence which is not a criminal offense21, the police chief said.

However, the official did have a problem with Dupin. He was angry that Dupin and not a member of his force had solved the mystery. He said people should mind their own business.

"Let him complain. He'll feel better for it. And maybe learn something. Perhaps, he will never again say ‘Not possible!' about that which, somehow, must be possible."

Download activities to help you understand this story here.

Words in This Story

stun(ned) – v. to surprise or upset someone very much

madman – n. a man who has severe mental illness

clue – n. something that helps a person find something, understand something, or solve a mystery or puzzle

hand(ed) – v. to give something to someone using your hands

neck – n. the part of the body between the head and shoulders

enormous – adj. very great in size or amount

twig(s) – n. a small branch of a tree or bush

orangutan – n. a large ape that has very long arms and reddish-brown hair

ape – n. a type of animal (such as a chimpanzee or gorilla) that is closely22 related23 to monkeys and humans and that is covered in hair and has no tail or a very short tail

redden(ed) – v. to make something red or to become red

stare(d) – v. to look at someone or something for a long time often with your eyes wide open

pale – adj. having a skin color that is closer to white than is usual or normal

cage – n. a box made of wire or metal bars in which people keep animals or birds

loose – adj. (informal) – having escaped, such as an animal from a cage

corner – n. the place where two streets or roads meet

beast – n. a wild animal that is large, dangerous, or unusual

scramble(d) – v. to move or climb over something quickly especially while also using your hands

mind (their) own business – expression. do not be so interested in what other people are doing. (The word "their" can be replaced with other personal pronouns24, depending on the situation.)

complain – v. to say or write that you are unhappy, sick, uncomfortable, or that you do not like something


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 rue 8DGy6     
n.懊悔,芸香,后悔;v.后悔,悲伤,懊悔
参考例句:
  • You'll rue having failed in the examination.你会悔恨考试失败。
  • You're going to rue this the longest day that you live.你要终身悔恨不尽呢。
2 learning wpSzFe     
n.学问,学识,学习;动词learn的现在分词
参考例句:
  • When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时,常会从车上掉下来。
  • Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。
3 stunned 735ec6d53723be15b1737edd89183ec2     
adj. 震惊的,惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
  • The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。
4 extraordinarily Vlwxw     
adv.格外地;极端地
参考例句:
  • She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。
  • The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨,大海出奇地宁静。
5 uncovered 5fszak     
adj.无盖的,未保险的v.揭开…的盖子( uncover的过去式和过去分词 );揭露,发现
参考例句:
  • His head was uncovered. 他光着头。
  • A plot to assassinate the banker has been uncovered by the police. 暗杀银行家的密谋被警方侦破了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 horrifying 6rezZ3     
a.令人震惊的,使人毛骨悚然的
参考例句:
  • He went to great pains to show how horrifying the war was. 他极力指出战争是多么的恐怖。
  • The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate. 战争的可能性太可怕了,真不堪细想。
7 awaited 23a13b01435cba85c0a5ea07c8b5b37e     
v.等候( await的过去式和过去分词 );等待;期待;将发生在
参考例句:
  • A stack of files awaited me on my desk. 我桌上有一堆文件正待我去处理。
  • her long-awaited new novel 她的令人期待已久的一部新小说
8 horror DdUzN     
n.惊骇,恐怖,惨事,极端厌恶
参考例句:
  • The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation.公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。
  • The thought of working nights fills me with abject horror.一想到要夜间工作我就觉得惨兮兮的。
9 killer rpLziK     
n.杀人者,杀人犯,杀手,屠杀者
参考例句:
  • Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
  • The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。
10 enormous xoExz     
adj.巨大的;庞大的
参考例句:
  • An enormous sum of money is injected each year into teaching.每年都有大量资金投入到教学中。
  • They wield enormous political power.他们行使巨大的政治权力。
11 twigs 17ff1ed5da672aa443a4f6befce8e2cb     
细枝,嫩枝( twig的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Some birds build nests of twigs. 一些鸟用树枝筑巢。
  • Willow twigs are pliable. 柳条很软。
12 comparison TqEzY     
n.比较,对照;比拟,比喻
参考例句:
  • They make a comparison of New York to a beehive.他们把纽约比作一个蜂巢。
  • This dress is really cheaper by comparison.比较起来,这件衣服确实便宜。
13 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
14 finding 5tAzVe     
n.发现,发现物;调查的结果
参考例句:
  • The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
  • That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。
15 assume 6Ouyn     
vt.假装;假定,设想;承担;呈现,采取
参考例句:
  • I assume that he won't cheat you.想来他是不会骗你的。
  • We can't assume anything in this case.在这种情况下我们不可能做出假设。
16 softly HiIzR4     
adv.柔和地,静静地,温柔地
参考例句:
  • He speaks too softly for her to hear.他讲话声音太轻,她听不见。
  • She breathed her advice softly.她低声劝告。
17 honor IQDzL     
n.光荣;敬意;荣幸;vt.给…以荣誉;尊敬
参考例句:
  • I take your visit as a great honor.您的来访是我莫大的光荣。
  • It is a great honor to receive that prize.能拿到那个奖是无上的光荣。
18 chimney zVoyu     
n.烟囱,烟筒;玻璃罩
参考例句:
  • The chimney blew out a cloud of black smoke.烟囱里喷出一团黑烟。
  • His father is a chimney sweeper.他的父亲是一位扫烟囱的工人。
19 toward on6we     
prep.对于,关于,接近,将近,向,朝
参考例句:
  • Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
  • Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了,并跑了过去。
20 scrambled 2e4a1c533c25a82f8e80e696225a73f2     
v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 );攀登;争夺;(军事飞机)紧急起飞
参考例句:
  • Each scrambled for the football at the football ground. 足球场上你争我夺。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. 他笨拙地爬起身来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
21 offense HIvxd     
n.犯规,违法行为;冒犯,得罪
参考例句:
  • I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
  • His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。
22 closely XwNzIh     
adv.紧密地;严密地,密切地
参考例句:
  • We shall follow closely the development of the situation.我们将密切注意形势的发展。
  • The two companies are closely tied up with each other.这两家公司之间有密切联系。
23 related vkGzSv     
adj.有关系的,有关联的,叙述的,讲述的
参考例句:
  • I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
  • We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。
24 pronouns 412995721152167c54a600e91269c742     
n.代词( pronoun的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Relative pronouns and adverbs introduce attributive clauses. 关系代词和关系副词引导定语从句。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • "I", "you"and "he" are all personal pronouns. I,you和he都是人称代词。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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