edgar allan poe the purloined letter summary

The letter, it seems, has vanished, yet the prefect is sure this can not be so. He has even arranged for the Minister to be waylaid by apparent muggers and searched thoroughly.

In the cover of night he has searched every inch of the residence – looking for secret compartment in desks, hollow cavities in walls or furniture, under floorboards and carpets, even inside books. The Prefect, convinced the letter must still be in the minister’s possession, as it is on its ownership he bases his power plays, has mounted a comprehensive secret search of the minister’s apartments. The Minister has used the letter to blackmail the Queen, and she has turned to the police to help her retrieve the letter without her husband’s knowledge. The Queen sees this, but is unable to stop him without drawing the King’s attention to the letter, which she dares not do. He devises an elaborate ruse to exchange the letter – leaving one of his own on the table near it, then picking up the offending letter as he is ready to depart. When a third person, a Minister, enters the room, he notes the Queen’s distress and also spies the letter on the table, its address evident. However, unable to hide it quickly without drawing attention to it she leaves it folded on a table. The letter, it can be inferred, was from some lover, as the Queen is anxious to conceal it from her husband. The letter was received by an unnamed woman (the Queen), who was reading it in her chambers when she was interrupted by an another unnamed “exalted personage” (the King). Whilst the identity of the thief is beyond doubt, the letter cannot be found. A letter has been purloined (stolen) from the royal apartments.

Edgar allan poe the purloined letter summary