Случай Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 1
Grantingfreelythattheboywasalwaysill-balancedtemperamentally,andpronetobeundulysusceptibleandenthusiasticinhisresponsestophenomenaaroundhim,herefusestoconcedethattheearlyalterationmarkedtheactualpassagefromsanitytomadness;creditinginsteadWard’sownstatementthathehaddiscoveredorrediscoveredsomethingwhoseeffectonhumanthoughwaslikelytobemarvelousandprofound.Thetruemadness,heiscertain,camewithalaterchange;aftertheCurwenportraitandtheancientpapershadbeenunearthed;afteratriptostrangeforeignplaceshadbeenmade,andsometerribleinvocationschantedunderstrangeandsecretcircumstances;aftercertainanswerstotheseinvocationshadbeenplainlyindicated,andafranticletterpennedunderagonizingandinexplicableconditions;afterthewaveofvampirismandtheominousPawtuxetgossip;andafterthepatient’smemorycommencedtoexcludecontemporaryimageswhilsthisphysicalaspectunderwentthesubtlemodificationsomanysubsequentlynoticed.
Itwasonlyaboutthistime,Willettpointsoutwithmuchacuteness,thatthenightmarequalitiesbecameindubitablylinkedwithWard;andthedoctorfeelsshudderinglysurethatenoughsolidevidenceexiststosustaintheyouth’sclaimregardinghiscrucialdiscovery.Inthefirstplace,twoworkmenofhighintelligencesawJosephCurwen’sancientpapersfound.Secondly,theboyonceshowedDr.WillettthosepapersandapageoftheCurwendiary,andeachofthedocumentshadeveryappearanceofgenuineness
