Chapter 69

62 MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE individuals known to be drowned were found floating after the lapse of less time than is insisted upon by ‘L'Etoile/ But there is something excessively unphilosophical in the attempt on the part of ‘Le Moniteur' to rebut the general assertion of ‘L'Etoile/ by a citation of particular instances militating against that assertion. Had it been possible to adduce fifty instead of five examples of bodies found floating at the end of two or three days, these fifty examples could still have been properly regarded only as exceptions to ‘L'Etoile's' rule until such time as the rule itself should be confuted. Admitting the rule (and this ‘Le Moniteur' does not deny, insisting merely upon its exceptions), the argument of ‘L'Etoile' is suffered to remain in full force; for this argument does not pretend to involve more than a question of the probability of the body having risen to the surface in less than three days ; and this probability will be in favor of ‘L'Etoile's' position until the instances so childishly adduced shall be sufficient in number to establish an antagonistical rule. “You will see at once that all argument upon this head should be urged, if at all, against the rule itself ; and for this end we must examine the rationale of the rule. Now, the human body, in general, is neither much lighter nor much heavier than the water of the Seine; that is to say, the specific gravity of the human body, in its natural condition, is about equal to the bulk of fresh water which it displaces. The bodies of fat and fleshy persons, with small bones, and of women generally, are lighter than those of the lean and large-boned, and of men; and the specific gravity of the water of a river is somewhat influenced by the presence of the tide from sea. But, leaving this tide out of question, it may be said that very few human bodies will sink at all, even in fresh water, of their own accord . Almost any one, falling into a river, will be enabled to float, if he suffer the specific gravity of