composed ot three ciphers, and let these ciphers be 2, 3, and 4. Now
on the line below I put the number 234, and repeat it as many times
as are necessary to get to the end of the phrase, and so that every
cipher comes underneath a letter. This is what we get:
_J u d g e j a r r I q u e z h a s a n I n g e n I o u s m I n d_
2 3 4 2 3 4 2 3 4 2 3 4 2 3 4 2 3 4 2 3 4 2 3 4 2 3 4 2 3 4 2 3 4
And now, Mr. Manoel, replacing each letter by the letter in advance
of it in alphabetical order according to the value of the ciper, we
get:
_j_ + 2 = _l_
_u_ + 3 = _x_
_d_ + 4 = _h_
_g_ + 2 = _i_
_e_ + 3 = _h_
_j_ + 4 = _n_
_a_ + 2 = _c_
_r_ + 3 = _u_
_r_ + 4 = _v_
_i_ + 2 = _k_
_q_ + 3 = _t_
_u_ + 4 = _y_
_e_ + 2 = _g_
_a_ + 3 = _c_
_h_ + 4 = _t_
_a_ + 2 = _c_
_s_ + 3 = _v_
_a_ + 4 = _e_
_n_ + 2 = _p_
_i_ + 3 = _l_
_n_ + 4 = _r_
_g_ + 2 = _i_
_e_ + 3 = _h_
_n_ + 4 = _r_
_i_ + 2 = _k_
_o_ + 3 = _r_
_u_ + 4 = _y_
_s_ + 2 = _u_
and so on.
“If, on account of the value of the ciphers which compose the number
I come to the end of the alphabet without having enough complementary
letters to deduct, I begin again at the beginning. That is what
happens at the end of my name when the _z_ is replaced by the 3. As
after _z_ the alphabet has no more letters, I commence to count from
_a,_ and so get the _c_. That done, when I get to the end of this
cryptographic system, made up of the 234–which was arbitrarily
selected, do not forget!–the phrase which you recognize above is
replace by
_lxhihncuvktygclveplrihrkryupmpg._
“And now, young man, just look at it, and do you not think it is very
much like what is in the document? Well, what is the consequence?
Why, that the signification of the letters depends on a cipher which
chance puts beneath them, and the cryptographic letter which answers
to a true one is not always the same. So in this phrase the first _j_
is represented by an _l,_ the second by an _n;_ the first _e_ by an
_h,_ the second b a _g,_ the third by an _h;_ the first _d_ is
represented by an _h,_ the last by a _g;_ the first _u_ by an _x,_
the last by a _y;_ the first and second _a’s_ by a _c,_ the last by
an _e;_ and in my own name one _r_ is represented by a _u,_ the other
by a _v._ and so on. Now do you see that if you do not know the
cipher 234 you will never be able to read the lines, and consequently
if we do not know the number of the document it remains
undecipherable.”
On hearing the magistrate reason with such careful logic, Manoel was
at first overwhelmed, but, raising his head, he exclaimed:
“No, sir, I will not renounce the hope of finding the number!”
“We might have done so,” answered Judge Jarriquez, “if the lines of
the document had been divided into words.”
“And why?”
“For this reason, young man. I think we can assume that in the last
paragraph all that is written in these earlier paragraphs is summed
up. Now I am convinced that in it will be found the name of Joam
Dacosta. Well, if the lines had been divided into words, in trying
the words one after the other–I mean the words composed of seven
letters, as the name of Dacosta is–it would not have been impossible