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I remarked that, while all the witnesses agreed in supposing the gruff
voice to be that of a Frenchman, there was much disagreement in regard
to the shrill, or, as one individual termed it, the harsh voice.
"That was the evidence itself," said Dupin, "but it was not the
peculiarity of the evidence. You have observed nothing distinctive.
Yet there was something to be observed. The witnesses, as you remark,
agreed about the gruff voice; they were here unanimous. But in regard to
the shrill voice, the peculiarity is--not that they disagreed--but
that, while an Italian, an Englishman, a Spaniard, a Hollander, and a
Frenchman attempted to describe it, each one spoke of it as that of
a foreigner. Each is sure that it was not the voice of one of his own
countrymen. Each likens it--not to the voice of an individual of any
nation with whose language he is conversant--but the converse.
The Frenchman supposes it the voice of a Spaniard, and 'might have
distinguished some words had he been acquainted with the Spanish.' The
Dutchman maintains it to have been that of a Frenchman; but we find it
stated that 'not understanding French this witness was examined through
an interpreter.' The Englishman thinks it the voice of a German, and
'does not understand German.' The Spaniard 'is sure' that it was that
of an Englishman, but 'judges by the intonation' altogether, 'as he has
no knowledge of the English.' The Italian believes it the voice of a
Russian, but 'has never conversed with a native of Russia.' A second
Frenchman differs, moreover, with the first, and is positive that the
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