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articles found in the thicket were fully identified by the relatives of
Marie.
The items of evidence and information thus collected by myself, from
the newspapers, at the suggestion of Dupin, embraced only one more
point--but this was a point of seemingly vast consequence. It appears
that, immediately after the discovery of the clothes as above described,
the lifeless, or nearly lifeless body of St. Eustache, Marie's
betrothed, was found in the vicinity of what all now supposed the scene
of the outrage. A phial labelled "laudanum," and emptied, was found near
him. His breath gave evidence of the poison. He died without speaking.
Upon his person was found a letter, briefly stating his love for Marie,
with his design of self-destruction.
"I need scarcely tell you," said Dupin, as he finished the perusal of
my notes, "that this is a far more intricate case than that of the
Rue Morgue; from which it differs in one important respect. This is
an ordinary, although an atrocious instance of crime. There is nothing
peculiarly outré about it. You will observe that, for this reason, the
mystery has been considered easy, when, for this reason, it should have
been considered difficult, of solution. Thus; at first, it was thought
unnecessary to offer a reward. The myrmidons of G---- were able at once
to comprehend how and why such an atrocity might have been committed.
They could picture to their imaginations a mode--many modes--and a
motive--many motives; and because it was not impossible that either of
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