, more entirely
depressed in spirits than I had ever known the good gentleman before.

In about a month afterward he paid us another visit, and found us
occupied very nearly as before. He took a pipe and a chair and entered
into some ordinary conversation. At length I said:

"Well, but, G----, 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?"

"Confound him! say I--yes; I made the re-examination, however, as Dupin
suggested, but it was all labour lost, as I knew it would be."

"How much was the reward offered, did you say?" asked Dupin.

"Why, a very great deal, a very liberal reward; I don't like to say how
much, precisely; but one thing I will say,--that I wouldn't mind giving
my individual check for fifty thousand francs to anyone who could
obtain me that letter. The fact is, it is becoming of more and more
importance every day; and the reward has been lately doubled. If it were
trebled, however, I could do no more than I have done."

"Why, yes," said Dupin, drawlingly, between the whiffs of his
meerschaum, "I really--think, G----, you have not exerted yourself--to the
utmost in this matter. You might--do a little more, I think, eh?"

"How? in what way?"

"Why--puff, puff--you might--puff, puff--employ counsel in the matter,
eh?--puff, puff, puff. Do you remember the story they tell of
Abernethy?"

"No; hang Abernethy!"

"To be sure! hang him and welcome. But, once upon a time, a certain rich
miser conceived the design of sponging upon this Abernethy for a medical
opinion. Getting up, for this purpose, an ordinary conversation in a
private company, he insinuated his case to the physician as that of an
imaginary individual.

"'We will suppose,' said the miser, 'that his symptoms are such and
such; now, Doctor, what would you have directed him to take?'

"'Take!' said Abernethy, 'why, take advice, to be sure.'"

"But," said the Prefect, a little discomposed, "I am perfectly willing
to take advice and to pay for it. I would really give fifty thousand
francs to anyone who would aid me in the matter."

"In that case," replied Dupin, opening a drawer and producing a
checkbook, "you may as well fill me up a check for the amount mentioned.
When you have signed it I will hand you the letter."

I was astounded. The Prefect appeared absolutely thunderstricken. For
some minutes he remained speechless and motionless, looking
inc