Случай Чарльза Декстера Варда

           Noneofthesecolloquieswaseverocularlywitnessed,sincethewindowswerealwaysheavilydraped.Once,though,duringadiscourseinanunknowntongue,ashadowwasseenonthecurtainwhichstartledWeedenexceedingly;remindinghimofoneofthepuppetsinashowhehadseenintheautumnof1764inHacher’sHall,whenamanfromGermantown,Pennsylvania,hadgivenaclevermechanicalspectacleadvertisedas

           ’AViewoftheFamousCityofJerusalem,inwhicharerepresentedJerusalem,theTempleofSolomon,hisRoyalThrone,thenotedTowers,andHills,likewisetheSufferingofOurSaviourfromtheGardenofGethsemanetotheCrossontheHillofGolgotha;anartfulpieceofStatuary,WorthytobeseenbytheCurious.’

           Itwasonthisoccasionthatthelistener,whohadcreptclosetothewindowofthefrontroomwhencethespeakingproceeded,gaveastartwhichrousedtheoldIndianpairandcausedthemtoloosethedogsonhim.Afterthatnomoreconversationswereeverheardinthehouse,andWeedenandSmithconcludedthatCurwenhadtransferredhisfieldofactiontoregionsbelow.

           Thatsuchregionsintruthexisted,seemedamplyclearfrommanythings.Faintcriesandgroansunmistakablycameupnowandthenfromwhatappearedtobethesolidearthinplacesfarfromanystructure;whilsthiddeninthebushesalongtheriver-bankintherear,wherethehighgroundslopedsteeplydowntothevalleyofthePawtuxet,therewasfoundanarchedoakendoorinaframeofheavymasonry,whichwasobviouslyanentrancetocavernswithinthehill.