The Mystery of the Rue Morgue: A Detective's Investigation

Introduction: A Night of Terror in 19th Century Paris

In this gripping storytelling session, host Mariam recounts a classic tale of "murder and intrigue" set in the atmospheric, "dark and foggy" streets of 19th-century Paris. The narrative begins with a "terrifying scream" that alerts neighbors to an apartment above. Witnesses report hearing two distinct voices: one recognizably French and another that is "high pitched and isn't easy to understand."

The Crime Scene: An Impossible Puzzle

Upon forcing entry into the apartment, the witnesses are met with a "horrific sight." The scene is described as chaotic, with "mess everywhere." The investigators discover two victims: one woman’s body hanging from the chimney and another found in the courtyard below, her neck bearing a fatal cut. Most bafflingly, there are "two bags of money left behind," indicating that robbery was not the motive. The mystery is deepened by the fact that the "windows are closed and the doors are locked," and no one was seen fleeing the scene, leaving the police baffled by this "impossible" crime.

The Deduction: Enter Detective Dupa

The investigation requires the "brains of a super-sleuth." Detective Dupa enters the scene, meticulously analyzing the evidence and running through "all the possible scenarios." His attention turns to the physical evidence—specifically, "handprints on the woman's body." Noting their massive size, Dupa theorizes that they are "possibly not human," leading to the hypothesis that an "ape" might be responsible. This discovery explains the "strange voice" heard by the neighbors, which was not human speech but the guttural sounds of an animal.

The Resolution: The Sailor’s Confession

To confirm his theory, Dupa advertises for the owner of a lost ape. He eventually tracks down a sailor who confesses to the events of that "tragic night." The sailor explains that the ape had been playing with his razor before escaping. The animal climbed into the victim’s window, where the woman’s scream caused the ape to "panic." In a state of frenzy, the ape used the razor to cut her throat and subsequently strangled the daughter. The sailor, "traumatised" by the brutality of the act, fled the scene without intervening.

Conclusion

Through his deductive reasoning, Detective Dupa manages to "get to the bottom of this murder mystery." The narrative concludes with the capture of the ape, which was sold to a zoo, ensuring that the public can "sleep safely tonight." The story serves as a classic example of a locked-room mystery resolved through logical inference and the careful examination of forensic details.