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           Curwen,itwasclear,formedavaguepotentialmenacetothewelfareofthetownandColony;andmustbeeliminatedatanycost.LateinDecember1770agroupofeminenttownsmenmetatthehomeofStephenHopkinsanddebatedtentativemeasures.Weeden’snotes,whichhehadgiventoCapt.Mathewson,werecarefullyread;andheandSmithweresummonedtogivetestimonyanentdetails.Somethingverylikefearseizedthewholeassemblagebeforethemeetingwasover,thoughthereranthroughthatfearagrimdeterminationwhichCapt.Whipple’sbluffandresonantprofanitybestexpressed.TheywouldnotnotifytheGovernor,becauseamorethanlegalcourseseemednecessary.Withhiddenpowersofuncertainextentapparentlyathisdisposal,Curwenwasnotamanwhocouldsafelybewarnedtoleavetown.Namelessreprisalsmightensue,andevenifthesinistercreaturecomplied,theremovalwouldbenomorethantheshiftingofanuncleanburdentoanotherplace.Thetimeswerelawless,andmenwhohadfloutedtheKing’srevenueforcesforyearswerenottheonestobalkatsternerthingswhendutyimpelled.CurwenmustbesurprisedathisPawtuxetfarmbyalargeraiding-partyofseasonedprivateersmenandgivenonedecisivechancetoexplainhimself.Ifheprovedamadman,amusinghimselfwithshrieksandimaginaryconversationsindifferentvoices,hewouldbeproperlyconfined.Ifsomethinggraverappeared,andiftheundergroundhorrorsindeedturnedouttobereal,heandallwithhimmustdie.