Случай Чарльза Декстера Варда

           Sailorsaresuperstitiousfolk;andtheseasonedsaltswhomannedtheinfiniterum,slave,andmolassessloops,therakishprivateers,andthegreatbrigsoftheBrowns,Crawfords,andTillinghasts,allmadestrangefurtivesignsofprotectionwhentheysawtheslim,deceptivelyyoung-lookingfigurewithitsyellowhairandslightstoopenteringtheCurwenwarehouseinDoubloonStreetortalkingwithcaptainsandsupercargoesonthelongquaywheretheCurwenshipsroderestlessly.Curwen’sownclerksandcaptainshatedandfearedhim,andallhissailorsweremongrelriff-rafffromMartinique,St.Eustatius,Havana,orPortRoyal.Itwas,inaway,thefrequencywithwhichthesesailorswerereplacedwhichinspiredtheacutestandmosttangiblepartofthefearinwhichtheoldmanwasheld.Acrewwouldbeturnedlooseinthetownonshoreleave,someofitsmembersperhapschargedwiththiserrandorthat;andwhenreassembleditwouldbealmostsuretolackoneormoremen.ThatmanyoftheerrandshadconcernedthefarmofPawtuxetRoad,andthatfewofthesailorshadeverbeenseentoreturnfromthatplace,wasnotforgotten;sothatintimeitbecameexceedinglydifficultforCurwentokeephisoddlyassortedhands.AlmostinvariablyseveralwoulddesertsoonafterhearingthegossipoftheProvidencewharves,andtheirreplacementintheWestIndiesbecameanincreasinglygreatproblemtothemerchant.