Случай Чарльза Декстера Варда

           Sometimestheywereverynoxious,butmoreoftentheywerearomatic,withahaunting,elusivequalitywhichseemedtohavethepowerofinducingfantasticimages.Peoplewhosmelledthemhadatendencytoglimpsemomentarymiragesofenormousvistas,withstrangehillsorendlessavenuesofsphinxesandhippogriffsstretchingoffintoinfinitedistance.Warddidnotresumehisold-timerambles,butappliedhimselfdiligentlytothestrangebookshehadbroughthome,andtoequallystrangedelvingswithinhisquarters;explainingthatEuropeansourceshadgreatlyenlargedthepossibilitiesofhiswork,andpromisinggreatrevelationsintheyearstocome.HisolderaspectincreasedtoastartlingdegreehisresemblancetotheCurwenportraitinhislibrary;andDr.Willettwouldoftenpausebythelatterafteracall,marvellingatthevirtualidentity,andreflectingthatonlythesmallpitabovethepicture’srighteyenowremainedtodifferentiatethelong-deadwizardfromthelivingyouth.ThesecallsofWillett’s,undertakenattherequestoftheseniorWards,werecuriousaffairs.Wardatnotimerepulsedthedoctor,butthelattersawthathecouldneverreachtheyoungman’sinnerpsychology.Frequentlyhenotedpeculiarthingsabout;littlewaximagesofgrotesquedesignontheshelvesortables,andthehalf-erasedremnantsofcircles,triangles,andpentagramsinchalkorcharcoalontheclearedcentralspaceofthelargeroom.