Случай Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 1
HazardWeedenof598AngellStreetrecallsafamilylegendaccordingtowhichEzraWeedenwasinvolvedinsomeverypeculiarcircumstances,notdishonorabletohimself,shortlybeforetheRevolution;butofanymodernfeudormysteryheisfranklyignorant.InspectorCunninghamhasbeenassignedtothecase,andhopestouncoversomevaluablecluesinthenearfuture.
DOGSNOISYINPAWTUXET
ResidentsofPawtuxetwerearousedabout3a.m.todaybyaphenomenalbayingofdogswhichseemedtocenterneartheriverjustnorthofRhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet.Thevolumeandqualityofthehowlingwereunusuallyodd,accordingtomostwhoheartit;andFredLemdin,night-watchmanatRhodes,declaresitwasmixedwithsomethingveryliketheshrieksofamaninmortalterrorandagony.Asharpandverybriefthunderstorm,whichseemedtostrikesomewherenearthebankoftheriver,putanendtothedisturbance.Strangeandunpleasantodors,probablyfromtheoiltanksalongthebay,arepopularlylinkedwiththisincident;andmayhavehadtheirshareinexcitingthedogs.
TheaspectofCharlesnowbecameveryhaggardandhunted,andallagreedinretrospectthathemayhavewishedatthisperiodtomakesomestatementorconfessionfromwhichsheerterrorwithheldhim.
