end of second year. Working Slogans:
1. Carefully read the text.
2. Complete the following blanks as appropriate.
In "The Purloined Letter," the argument is simple: part of the policía______________________________ ________________________and
_____________. To perform the home inspection from these sospechas________. The intervention is fundamental.________________________________ Dupin. He realizes that this _________________________________________. Finally ,_____________________________________________________.
The starting point of this story provides the image of chess porque_________________________________________________________.
3. Determines whether the text is consistent or not. Appropriately justified.
4. Recognized in the different resources cohesive story. Explains its functionality in relation to the text.
The Purloined Letter by Edgar Allan Poe
version of Jorge Luis Borges
Nil sapientiae odiosius acuminate insignificant. SENECA
ON a dreary autumn evening of 18 ... I was in Paris, enjoying the double delight of meditation moody and snuff cloudy in the company of my friend C. Auguste Dupin, in his library, au troisieme, No. 33 Rue Dunôt, Faubourg St. Germain. It was at least an hour pronunciábamos not a word, seemed faintly engaged in the swirling smoke that dimmed the air. I, however, was recalling some problems we had discussed that evening, spoke of the double murder in the Rue Morgue and the disappearance of Marie Roget. It seemed like a match that appeared in the doorway of the library, Monsieur G., Prefect of the Paris police.
We gave him a sincere welcome, because the man was almost as fun as negligible, and for several years since we saw it. It was dark when he entered, and Dupin now arose for the purpose of lighting a lamp, but sat down again without doing so, because G. said he had come to consult us, or rather to consult Dupin, on official business which gave them a lot of work.
"If it is something that requires reflection, "observed Dupin, refraining from giving fire to the wick it will look better in the dark.
This is another of his strange ideas, "said the prefect, who called weird to not understand everything, and lived, therefore, among a host of rarities.
"It's true," replied Dupin, offering a chair and a pipe.
- What is the problem? "I questioned," another murder?
"No, nothing like that. The issue is very simple and no doubt will solve my agents, but I thought Dupin would like to hear the details. Very strange.
-Strange and simple, "said Dupin.
"Well, yes. The problem is simple, and yet baffles us.
"Perhaps the very simplicity is what baffles.
- What nonsense you! "Said the Prefect, laughing heartily.
"Perhaps the mystery is too simple," said Dupin.
"And What, finally, the mystery? I asked.
"I'll tell you," replied the Prefect. I'll tell you in very few words, but before you start, they warn that this issue requires more reserve and would lose my job if it became known that I have disclosed.
"continue," I said.
-O does not continue, "said Dupin.
-A senior official has informed me that a document of great importance has been purloined from the royal apartments. The individual who purloined it is known, they saw him commit the act, the document remains in his possession.
"How do you know? "Asked Dupin.
We know, "replied the Prefect, by the nature of the document and the fact of not having already produced some results that would arise if the document is not held by the thief.
-Be a little more explicit, "I said.
"Well, I dare say that this document gives the holder a certain power in a given sector where that power is immeasurably valuable. "The Prefect was fond of the jargon of diplomacy.
"I can not understand," said Dupin.
- No? Well. The display of the document to a third person, who is forbidden to appoint me, will affect the honor of a person with the most exalted category. The honor and freedom of the latter are therefore at the mercy of the thief.
"To this blackmail," I said it is imperative that the owner knows the name of the thief. Who would dare ...
"The thief," said the Prefect, is the Minister D, who dares to everything. The theft was not less ingenious than bold. The document —una carta, para ser franco— fue recibido por la víctima del posible chantage, mientras estaba sola en la habitación real. Casi inmediatamente después entra una segunda persona, de quien deseaba especialmente ocultar la carta. Apenas tuvo tiempo para dejarla abierta como estaba, sobre una mesa. La dirección quedaba a la vista. En este momento entra el ministro D. Percibe inmediatamente el papel, reconoce la letra. observa la confusión de la persona a quien ha sido dirigida y adivina el secreto. Después de tratar algunas cuestiones, saca una carta algo parecida a la otra, la abre, finge leerla y la coloca encima de la primera. Sigue conversando, casi durante un cuarto de hora, sobre negocios públicos. Al marcharse, toma table the letter that did not belong. The rightful owner saw, but as we understand, did not dare say anything in the presence of the third character. The minister was leaving his own letter, which was not of importance, on the table.
"Here," he said Dupin, "what you needed: the thief knows that the owner knows who the thief.
"Yes," replied the Prefect, "and the thief has abused this power, in recent months. The person robbed is increasingly convinced of the need to retrieve the letter. But this, you understand, can not be done openly. Finally, in desperation, she has committed the matter.
"And who may want," said Dupin, spewing a puff of smoke, or even imagine an actor more intelligent than you? "You
fills me," replied the Prefect, "but I understand that many think so.
"Obviously," I said that the letter is still in possession of the Minister, in that possession is his power. Sold the letter, the power ends.
"True," said G. -. According to this conviction I have done. The first thing I did was to order a thorough search at the home of the Minister, the difficulty was that he would not know. I have warned that any suspect can be dangerous.
"But I said you are a specialist in these tasks. It is not the first time that the Paris police rush similar companies.
"I think, so I do not despair. In addition, the Minister provided custom things. It is very common that is missing from his home overnight. It has few servants. Sleep away from the pieces of his employer and, like Naples, it is easy drunk. As you know, I have keys that can open all the cabinets of Paris. Three months ago I have not missed a night without personally directing the examination of the house of D. My honor is committed and to reveal a great secret, the reward is huge. Do not give up the game to convince me that the thief is still beating me. I have examined every corner and all the caches in which the role may be hidden.
- But can I exclaimed that the letter of the Minister remains in power, and it did not keep at home?
"It is hardly possible," said Dupin. The current state of affairs of the court, and especially of those intrigues in which D are involved, make the immediate accessibility of the document is no less important than its possession.
"Certainly," I said. The document can not be hidden far away, however, exclude the possibility that the Minister being worn.
"Certainly," said the Prefect. Has been attacked twice by robbers false, and rigorously searched under my eyes.
"You could have saved the job," said Dupin. I presume D. is not a fool. You must have anticipated this tactic.
"Not a fool," said the Prefect. But he is a poet, which is not very different.
"True," said Dupin, "though I myself have made some rhymes.
-relate details of the investigation, proposed by me.
-Here are the facts: we took our time and we looked everywhere. I have much experience in these matters. We toured the building, room by room, spending a night whole each. First examine the furniture. We opened all the drawers. I guess you know that we have no secret drawers. Only a fool can not discover a secret drawer.
The issue is very simple. Each desk has a given capacity, easy to calculate. There are very precise rules. No escapes us a line. Then we took the chairs. We investigated the pillows with those long needles you have seen me employ. Desarmábamos tables.
- Why?.
"Sometimes the person you want to hide an object up one of the tables in the table, make a hole in the top of the leg, deposited inside the object and reset the table. Usually done the same thing with knobs beds.
- But do not ring hollow piece of furniture? I asked.
"By no means, if the cavity is filled with cotton. Also, we had to go down quietly.
"But you can not have disarmed all the furniture. In a letter can be a thin spiral roll, a sort of needle, which can be inserted into the rung of a chair. You're not disarmed all the chairs?
"I think not, but we did better: we examined the rungs of every chair, and all joints, with a powerful microscope. We immediately noticed any adjustment. A speck of sawdust have been as obvious as an apple.
"I suppose you saw each glass between the glass and frame, and the beds and bedding, and also the curtains and carpets.
"Of course, and when we finished with the furniture, we recorded the building. We divided the entire surface into compartments, which we numbered, to avoid omissions. After the land register and the two adjoining houses, with the microscope, as always.
- The two houses adjoining! "I cried. You have worked very hard.
"Very much, but the reward offered is prodigious.
- also examined the field of houses?
"All the land is paved, we did little work. We examined the joints of bricks and were intact.
- examined the role of the minister and all volumes in the library?
"Certainly, we opened every package and parcel; not only opened every book: the examined page by page. We also measured the thickness of each binding, with the most accurate, always using a microscope. If any of the bindings been recently meddled with the letter, we would have noticed immediately.
- You explored the floors beneath the carpets?
-removed every carpet and review the edges with a microscope.
- And the wallpaper?
"Yes."
—¿Registraron los sótanos?
—Sí.
—Entonces —dije— ustedes se han equivocado, la carta no está en la casa del Ministro.
—Temo que tenga usted razón —dijo el Prefecto—. Y ahora, Dupin, qué me aconseja?
—Volver a revisar la casa del Ministro.
—Es absolutamente innecesario —respondió G.—. Estoy seguro de que la carta no está en la casa.
—Pues no tengo mejor consejo que darle —dijo Dupin—. Tendrá usted, como es natural, una precisa descripción de la carta.
—Ya lo creo.
El Prefecto sacó la cartera y nos leyó en voz alta una descripción of the card stolen. Shortly after he left, abatidísimo.
The following month came back to visit, almost at the same time. He took a pipe, sank into an armchair and spoke of banal things carefully. Finally, I said "Well
, G., what of the purloined letter? He has convinced you that it is impossible to surprise the Minister?
-May the devil take you, it is. Dupin I followed the advice, I checked the house, but to no avail.
- How much is the reward? "Asked Dupin.
-A a lot. To a significant sum. I do not want to say how exactly, but I will say one thing: I'm listo a firmar un cheque por cincuenta mil francos a quien me dé la carta.
—En tal caso —dijo Dupin, abriendo un cajón y —sacando un libro de cheques—, hágame un cheque por la cantidad mencionada. Cuando lo haya firmado le entregaré la carta.
Quedé atónito. El Prefecto, durante algunos minutos, permaneció en silencio e inmóvil, mirando fascinado a Dupin. Después, como volviendo en sí, tomó temblorosamente una pluma, llenó el cheque y lo entregó a Dupin. Este lo examinó sin apuro, y lo depositó en su cartera; luego, abriendo un escritorio, sacó una carta y la puso en manos de G. Este se abalanzó sobre ella con éxtasis, la abrió, gazed long and without a word without a salute, left the room in the house, transfixed.
When we were alone, my friend entered into explanations.
-Paris police said is very effective. They are persevering, ingenious and well versed in the knowledge that their jobs require. Thus, when G. detailed to us his made of searching the house of the Minister, not put into question the perfection of this work, within its limitations.
- Within its limitations?
"Yes," said Dupin. The measures taken were the best and its implementation, perfect. If the letter had been available to the search, the officers would discovered.
I smiled, but my friend went with apparent seriousness.
"The content and implementation were perfect, but did not apply either the case or the man. A series of ingenious resources are to G. a sort of Procrustean bed, which distorts all plans. Continually err on the depth or shallowness, and many students reason better than him. "I remember one, eight or nine years, whose success in the game of odd and even provoked unanimous astonishment. This game is very simple, is played with marbles. A player's hand a few balls and asks another if the number is even or odd. If he guesses, wins a ball, otherwise he loses one. The boy to whom I allude won all the marbles of the school. He had, of course, a procedure: it was based on observation of the degree of cunning opponents. For example, the opponent is a jerk. Raise your hand and ask: Are
even or odd? The boy said odd and loses, but wins the second time, it reflects, on the first play the fool and put an even number, your poor ruse just about enough to put odd in the second, I'll bet they are odd. Bet and Win. With a little less silly opponent, would have reasoned thus: that, for the second play, they propose a simple variation from even to odd, but then think that this variation is too obvious and, finally, be resolved to repeat an odd number, bet on odd. Bet and Win. Now, what was the procedure in this child who was called lucky fellow?
-was-I said in the identification of their intelligence to the contrary.
"Yes," said Dupin, "and when I asked how could this identification, he replied, when I want to know how smart, stupid, good, how bad someone is, or what is thinking, try the expression of my face looks like yours and then observe the thoughts and feelings arising in me. This; child's response contains all the wisdom attributed to La Rochefoucauld, La Bruyere, Machiavelli, Campanella.
"And I said that identification depends, if I mistake not, the accuracy with which the intelligence of other guesses.
"Yes," said Dupin, G. and his men fail because they never take into account the kind of intelligence of the enemy, stick to their own intelligence, his own cunning, when looking for a hidden object, fatally guided by the means they would have used to hide, generally not are wrong, their cunning is the vulgar. But when the cunning of the offender differs from theirs, it course the overthrow. This occurs when the craft exceeds theirs, and sometimes, when less. His early research did not vary, when the stimulus is extraordinary, when offered a large reward, they exaggerate the usual practices, without changing the principles. For example, in the case of the Minister, what changes tested? That scrutiny numbered, classified and what is microscopic but the exaggeration of the principle, or set of principles of search, which has always exercised the Prefect, in the long routine of his duty? Postulated that, given the problem of hiding a letter, all men turn, but precisely a cavity made by a drill, a subterfuge similar. However, such caches common and often correspond to common minds, for in all cases of concealment of an object, pesquisantes presumed to have been hidden in this way, and the discovery depends, not insight, but the mere care, patience and perseverance, and when the case is important, or what means the same to the police, when the rewards are considerable, "always pick up the object. Therefore I said that if they had hidden the letter in the research sector provided by the Prefect, that is, if the method of concealment had been the method followed in the research, the discovery would been inevitable. The Prefect, however, has been mocked, and the remote cause of its failure is the assumption that the Minister is an idiot, because he has achieved fame as a poet. All fools are poets, so he feels the Mayor and incurs a non distributio medii in inferring that all poets are fools.
"But it is the poet? "I asked. Two brothers renowned both in the lyrics. I understand that the Minister has written about the differential calculus. A mathematician, not a poet.
"You are mistaken. I know him well: it is both. As poet and mathematician he would reason well. As mere mathematician, could not have reasoned, and would be at the mercy the prefect.
"Those opinions," I said contradicts the World Exposition. Always thought that mathematical reasoning is the reason par excellence.
-Il and Pari, "said Dupin, quoting Chamfort, which recue est une convention toute sottise, car elle a au plus grand convenu name. I grant that mathematicians have made every effort to disclose the error. With an art worthy a better cause, have introduced the term algebra analysis. In this particular case, the perpetrators are French, but if words have any significance if the use gives some value, analysis has much to do with algebra as in Latin, ambitus with ambition, religious religion, honesty homines a set of honest men.
"You're going to have a debate," I said with all algebraists of Paris, but continue.
"I deny the validity and therefore the value of a reason which is cultivated in a manner other than the abstractly logical. Mathematics is the science of form and quantity, mathematical reasoning is nothing but the logic applied to observation of the form and quantity. The mistake is to assume that the truths of what is called pure algebra are abstract or general truths. And this error is so obvious that it amazes me that has been unanimously accepted. Mathematical axioms are not axioms of general truth. What is true about the relationship between form and amount is usually false in regard to ethics, for example. In this latter science is often uncertain whether the sum of the parts equals the whole. In chemistry the axiom fails. Fails in the explanatory memorandum, for two reasons, each of a given value, not necessarily when they are together, a value equal to the sum of their individual values. There are numerous other mathematical truths are only truths within the limits of the relationship. But the mathematical inference, from his finite truths, an entire system of reasoning, as if those truths were of general applicability, as the opinion of the people. Bryant, in his very learned 'Mythology,' mentions a similar mistake when he says that "although the Pagan fables are not believed, we forget ourselves continually, and draw conclusions from them." Algebraists even more wrong, believe in pagan fables and draw conclusions, not because of a defect in his memory, for inexplicable confusion. In short, I have not seen a algebraist I could get away safely from the world of equations and do not profess the secret article of faith that (a + b) ² is unconditionally equal to a ² + 2 ab + b ². Tell me one of those gentlemen who, on occasion, (a + b) ² can not strictly equivalent to a ² + 2 ab + b ², and before finishing his explanation to take to run not shred.
"I mean," continued Dupin, "if the Minister had been a mere mathematician, the Prefect would not have delivered this check. I knew, however, was a mathematician and poet, and I stuck to this dual capacity. I knew him as a courtier, too, and as a fearless schemer. A man, I could not ignore the usual ways of the police. I could not foresee the robberies not to be subjected. You must have foreseen, I reflected, the secret reviews of their home. I realized that his frequent absences were deliberate: the purpose was to provide the records, convince the police that the letter was not at home. I realized that D. had followed a reasoning similar to mine on the principles of the police invariabIes to find hidden objects.
that logic would dismiss all potential hiding places. I could not ignore the most intricate and remote corners would be apparent to the eye, to the probes, the drills and microscopes of the Prefect. I saw the need and reflection would advise using a very simple remedy.
"There's a children's game," continued Dupin, "which is played with a map. One player asks another to find a specific word -The name of a city, a river, a state or empire, one of the words, in order, recording the motley and perplexed surface of the map. The novice tries to confuse his opponent by choosing names printed in tiny print. But experts chosen words printed in large letters. These, in so obvious that are imperceptible. Perhaps, before the issue of concealment of the letter, the Minister had taken a similar approach.
One morning I put some dark glasses and was present at the home of Minister. I found yawning, lounging, feigning boredom. It is perhaps the strongest man in Paris, but only when nobody sees.
Not to be outdone, I complained about the weakness of my vision and I deplored the need for glasses. Meanwhile, carefully examined the piece. Examined with special attention
a large work table where he had some letters, some papers, one or two musical instruments and some books. However there is nothing raised my suspicions.
My eyes, and run around the room, they found a card-board miserable, hanging from a blue ribbon over the fireplace. In this rack, which had three or four compartments, were a few business cards and one card. The latter was wrinkled and stained. Was almost split in two, by half, as if someone wanted to break it and then purpose had changed. It had a large black seal, bearing the letterhead of D. very visible, and it was intended, women with tiny letter at the same D. Was involved in a careless, almost disdainful, in one of the overhead bins. Just look at this letter I realized that was what we wanted. It is true that differed totally from which he had described the Prefect. The seal was neither small nor red nor bore the arms of the family S. It was big and black, with the letterhead of the D. The envelope was addressed to the Minister, with lyrics tiny woman, the original letter was addressed to a person of the reigning house, with lyrics ostentatious man, only matched the size of the envelope. But the symmetrical of these differences, which was excessive stains, the broken and dirty paper, so inconsistent with the methodical habits of the Minister and as suggestive of a purpose to suggest to the observer the total worthlessness of the document, these things I say, and its deliberate display to public view, corroborated my suspicions. I prolonged my visit and, while discussing with D. a topic that invariably interested, be sure to see the letter. I learned, from memory their appearance and their position on the rack; this review intermittently allowed me to discover a detail that removed my last doubts. I saw that the edges of the paper looked very squashed. Had the appearance of a role rigid folds which have been invested. This discovery was sufficient. The letter had been turned like a glove, inside out.
I speak as a new direction and a new label.
greeted the Minister and walked away, forgetting about the table a box of gold to snuff. The next day I went to look and renewed the conversation on Thursday. Under the window in the street, a shot rang out, followed by cries of terror. D. rushed to the window, opened it and looked out, I took that moment to change the letter of the rack by a fax that had been prepared at home.
The tumult had been caused by a man with a gun, had made fire in the middle of the street. Proved, however, that the gun was discharged and allowed to go his way as a lunatic or a drunkard. After a while I left. The alleged lunatic was, of course, an employee of mine.
"But what purpose did you-asked-to replace the letter by a facsimile? Would it not have been much my simple possession of it at the first visit?
"The Minister replied Dupin," is unconscionable and courageous. Besides, is not without loyal followers. The act suggests you could have cost me my life. Other purposes they forced me to be prudent. You know my political persuasion: In this issue I have acted as a partisan of the lady concerned. For eighteen months the Minister has been in possession, now, she has in his possession. D. know that you have removed the letter and continue with their demands. It will be, thus, the architect of his political destruction. His downfall, too, will not be steeper than clumsy. It is very common to talk about the facilis descensus Averni, but in all slopes, as Catalani said of singing, it is more difficult to climb down. In this case, I have no sympathy or pity for him who descends. Monstrum horrendum is, is the man of genius, ruthless. I confess, however, I would like to see their reaction when challenged by the person to whom the Mayor called "The most exalted category is obliged to open the letter I left on the rack.
- What, you did not leave on empty?
" No, that would have been offensive. D., in Vienna, I played a bad move and I said, with all good humor, not forget it. I would be interested to know the identity of the person who had defeated him, I left a clue. D. knows my letter, I limited myself to write, in the middle page, these words: "A deisein
if fatal,
S'il n'est digne d'Atre, est digne of Thyestes.
belong to Atrea of \u200b\u200bCrébillon.
(Collected Works, 1850)
