Тень над Иннсмутом

           Butthemostbafflingthingwastheinabilityofanyonetoplacetherecordedparentsoftheyoungwoman—EnochandLydia(Meserve)Marsh—amongtheknownfamiliesofNewHampshire.Possibly,manysuggested,shewasthenaturaldaughterofsomeMarshofprominence—shecertainlyhadthetrueMarsheyes.Mostofthepuzzlingwasdoneafterherearlydeath,whichtookplaceatthebirthofmygrandmother—heronlychild.HavingformedsomedisagreeableimpressionsconnectedwiththenameofMarsh,Ididnotwelcomethenewsthatitbelongedonmyownancestraltree;norwasIpleasedbyMr.Peabody’ssuggestionthatIhadthetrueMarsheyesmyself.However,IwasgratefulfordatawhichIknewwouldprovevaluable;andtookcopiousnotesandlistsofbookreferencesregardingthewell-documentedOrnefamily.

           IwentdirectlyhometoToledofromBoston,andlaterspentamonthatMaumeerecuperatingfrommyordeal.InSeptemberIenteredOberlinformyfinalyear,andfromthentillthenextJunewasbusywithstudiesandotherwholesomeactivities—remindedofthebygoneterroronlybyoccasionalofficialvisitsfromgovernmentmeninconnexionwiththecampaignwhichmypleasandevidencehadstarted.AroundthemiddleofJuly—justayearaftertheInnsmouthexperience—Ispentaweekwithmylatemother’sfamilyinCleveland;checkingsomeofmynewgenealogicaldatawiththevariousnotes,traditions,andbitsofheirloommaterialinexistencethere,andseeingwhatkindofaconnectedchartIcouldconstruct.