Случай Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 2
JohnGravesofKing’sChurch,ofwhichbothhusbandandwifehadbecomecommunicantsshortlyaftertheirmarriage,inordertocompromisebetweentheirrespectiveCongregationalandBaptistaffiliations.Therecordofthisbirth,aswellasthatofthemarriagetwoyearsbefore,wasstrickenfrommostcopiesofthechurchandtownannalswhereitoughttoappear;andCharlesWardlocatedbothwiththegreatestdifficultyafterhisdiscoverofthewidow’schangeofnamehadapprisedhimofhisownrelationship,andengenderedthefeverishinterestwhichculminatedinhismadness.Thebirthentry,indeed,wasfoundverycuriouslythroughcorrespondencewiththeheirsoftheloyalistDr.Graves,whohadtakenwithhimaduplicatesetofrecordswhenhelefthispastorateattheoutbreakoftheRevolution.Wardhadtriedthissourcebecauseheknewthathisgreat-great-grandmotherAnnTillinghastPotterhadbeenanEpiscopalian.
Shortlyafterthebirthofhisdaughter,aneventheseemedtowelcomewithafervorgreatlyoutofkeepingwithhisusualcoldness,Curwenresolvedtositforaportrait.ThishehadpaintedbyaverygiftedScotsmannamedCosmoAlexander,thenaresidentofNewport,andsincefamousastheearlyteacherofGilbertStuart.Thelikenesswassaidtohavebeenexecutedonawall-panelofthelibraryofthehouseinOlneyCourt,butneitherofthetwoolddiariesmentioningitgaveanyhintofitsultimatedisposition.
