The Assignation

“Why, I will tell you,” replied the Prefect, as he gave a long, steady and contemplative puff, and settled himself in his chair.

The personage robbed is more thoroughly convinced, every day, of the necessity of reclaiming her letter. In fine, driven to despair, she has committed the matter to me.” “Than whom,” said Dupin, amid a perfect whirlwind of smoke, “no more sagacious agent could, I suppose, be desired, or even imagined.” “You flatter me,” replied the Prefect; “but it is possible that some such opinion may have been entertained.” “It is clear,” said I, “as you observe, that the letter is still in possession of the minister; since it is this possession, and not any employment of the letter, which bestows the power.

Story Origin: Edgar Allan Poe short story, "The Assignation".

These examples are from the Cambridge English Corpus and from sources on the web.

He soon comes to suspect the girl might be a real mermaid, who draws men to a watery death during the full moon.

Young Terry Lambert returns home from serving a prison term for a gang-rape he was forced to participate in. An alien species makes contact with Earth through radio transmission, notifying of an imminent visit.

Appeared first time in Dark Horse Presents #28 (2013).

Reprinted in Edgar Allan Poe's Spirits of the Dead (2014).

: as "Das Stelldichein" in Edgar Allan Poes: Geister der Toten (2005).

Synopsis: A condolier saves a drowning baby, but cannot save his own destiny. The story is not that deep as his other Edgar Allan Poe adaptations.