Случай Чарльза Декстера Варда

           RecallingtheancienttalesofJosephCurwen’scatacombs,andassumingforgrantedthatthepresentbungalowhadbeenselectedbecauseofitssituationontheoldCurwensiteasrevealedinoneofanotherofthedocumentsfoundbehindthepicture,WillettandMr.Wardgavethisphaseofthegossipmuchattention;andsearchedmanytimeswithoutsuccessforthedoorintheriver-bankwhicholdmanuscriptsmentioned.Astopopularopinionsofthebungalow’svariousinhabitants,itwassoonplainthattheBravaPortuguesewasloathed,thebeardedandspectacledDr.Allenfeared,andthepallidyoungscholardislikedtoaprofounddegree.DuringthelastweekortwoWardhadobviouslychangedmuch,abandoninghisattemptsataffabilityandspeakingonlyinhoarsebutoddlyrepellentwhispersonthefewoccasionsthatheventuredforth.

           Suchweretheshredsandfragmentsgatheredhereandthere;andovertheseMr.WardandDr.Willettheldmanylongandseriousconferences.Theystrovetoexercisededuction,induction,andconstructiveimaginationtotheirutmostextent;andtocorrelateeveryknownfactofCharles’slaterlife,includingthefranticletterwhichthedoctornowshowedthefather,withthemeagerdocumentaryevidenceavailableconcerningoldJosephCurwen.TheywouldhavegivenmuchforaglimpseofthepapersCharleshadfound,forveryclearlythekeytotheyouth’smadnesslayinwhathehadlearnedoftheancientwizardandhisdoings.