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！1 〃 8。
0 〃 6。
92 〃 5。
：3 〃 4。
？ 〃 3。
＇ 〃 2。
…。 〃 1。
〃Now； in English； the letter which most frequently occurs is e。
Afterwards； the succession runs thus： a o i d h n r s t u y c f g l
m w b k p q x z。 E predominates so remarkably； that an individual
sentence of any length is rarely seen； in which it is not the
prevailing character。
〃Here； then； we have； in the very beginning； the groundwork for
something more than a mere guess。 The general use which may be
made of the table is obviousbut； in this particular cipher； we
shall only very partially require its aid。 As our predominant
character is 8； we will commence by assuming it as the e of the
natural alphabet。 To verify the supposition； let us observe if the
8 be seen often in couplesfor e is doubled with great frequency
in Englishin such words； for example； as 'meet；' 'fleet；'
'speed；' 'seen；' 'been；' 'agree；' etc。 In the present instance we
see it doubled no less than five times； although the cryptograph is
brief。
〃Let us assume 8； then； as e。 Now； of all WORDS in the language；
'the' is most usual； let us see； therefore； whether there are not
repetitions of any three characters； in the same order of
collocation； the last of them being 8。 If we discover repetitions
of such letters； so arranged； they will most probably represent the
word 'the。' Upon inspection； we find no less than seven such
arrangements； the characters being ；48。 We may； therefore； assume
that ； represents t； 4 represents h； and 8 represents ethe last
being now well confirmed。 Thus a great step has been taken。
〃But； having established a single word； we are enabled to establish
a vastly important point； that is to say； several commencements and
terminations of other words。 Let us refer； for example； to the
last instance but one； in which the combination ；48 occursnot far
from the end of the cipher。 We know that the ； immediately ensuing
is the commencement of a word； and； of the six characters
succeeding this 'the；' we are cognizant of no less than five。 Let
us set these characters down； thus； by the letters we know them to
represent； leaving a space for the unknown
t eeth。
〃Here we are enabled； at once； to discard the 'th；' as forming no
portion of the word commencing with the first t； since； by
experiment of the entire alphabet for a letter adapted to the
vacancy； we perceive that no word can be formed of which this th
can be a part。 We are thus narrowed into
t ee；
and； going through the alphabet； if necessary； as before； we arrive
at the word 'tree；' as the sole possible reading。 We thus gain
another letter； r； represented by （； with the words 'the tree' in
juxtaposition。
〃Looking beyond these words； for a short distance； we again see the
combination ；48； and employ it by way of TERMINATION to what
immediately precedes。 We have thus this arrangement：
the tree ；4（4＋？34 the；
or； substituting the natural letters； where known； it reads thus：
the tree thr＋？3h the。
〃Now； if； in place of the unknown characters； we leave blank
spaces； or substitute dots； we read thus：
the tree thr。。。h the；
when the word 'through' makes itself evident at once。 But this
discovery gives us three new letters； o； u； and g； represented by
＋； ？； and 3。
〃Looking now； narrowly； through the cipher for combinations of
known characters； we find； not very far from the beginning； this
arrangement；
83（88； or egree；
which plainly； is the conclusion of the word 'degree；' and gives us
another letter； d； represented by ！。
〃Four letters beyond the word 'degree；' we perceive the combination
；46（；88。
〃Translating the known characters； and representing the unknown by
dots； as before； we read thus：
th。rtee；
an arrangement immediately suggestive of the word thirteen；' and
again furnishing us with two new characters； i and n； represented
by 6 and *。
〃Referring； now； to the beginning of the cryptograph； we find the
combination；
53＋＋！。
〃Translating as before； we obtain
。good；
which assures us that the first letter is A； and that the first two
words are 'A good。'
〃It is now time that we arrange our key； as far as discovered； in a
tabular form； to avoid confusion。 It will stand thus：
5 represents a
！ 〃 d
8 〃 e
3 〃 g
4 〃 h
6 〃 i
* 〃 n
＋ 〃 o
（ 〃 r
； 〃 t
？ 〃 u
〃We have； therefore； no less than eleven of the most important
letters represented； and it will be unnecessary to proceed with the
details of the solution。 I have said enough to convince you that
ciphers of this nature are readily soluble； and to give you some
insight into the rationale of their development。 But be assured
that the specimen before us appertains to the very simplest species
of cryptograph。 It now only remains to give you the full
translation of the characters upon the parchment； as unriddled。
Here it is：
〃'A good glass in the bishop's hostel in the devil's seat forty…one
degrees and thirteen minutes northeast and by north main branch
seventh limb east side shoot from the left eye of the death's head
a bee…line from the tree through the shot fifty feet out。'〃
〃But；〃 said I； 〃the enigma seems still in as bad a condition as
ever。 How is it possible to extort a meaning from all this jargon
about 'devil's seats；' 'death's heads；' and 'bishop's hostels'？〃
〃I confess；〃 replied Legrand； 〃that the matter still wears a
serious aspect； when regarded with a casual glance。 My first
endeavor was to divide the sentence into the natural division
intended by the cryptographist。〃
〃You mean； to punctuate it？〃
〃Something of that kind。〃
〃But how was it possible to effect this？〃
〃I reflected that it had been a POINT with the writer to run his
words together without division； so as to increase the difficulty
of solution。 Now； a not overacute man； in pursuing such an object；
would be nearly certain to overdo the matter。 When； in the course
of his composition； he arrived at a break in his subject which
would naturally require a pause； or a point； he would be
exceedingly apt to run his characters； at this place； more than
usually close together。 If you will observe the MS。； in the
present instance； you will easily detect five such cases of unusual
crowding。 Acting upon this hint I made the division thus：
〃'A good glass in the bishop's hostel in the devil's seatforty…
one degrees and thirteen minutesnortheast and by northmain
branch seventh limb east sideshoot from the left eye of t