Случай Чарльза Декстера Варда

           DuringOctoberWardbeganvisitingthelibrariesagain,butnolongerfortheantiquarianmatterofhisformerdays.Witchcraftandmagic,occultismanddemonology,werewhathesoughtnow;andwhenProvidencesourcesprovedunfruitfulhewouldtakethetrainforBostonandtapthewealthofthegreatlibraryinCopleySquare,theWidenerLibraryatHarvard,ortheZionResearchLibraryinBrookline,wherecertainrareworksonBiblicalsubjectsareavailable.Heboughtextensively,andfittedupawholeadditionalsetofshelvesinhisstudyfornewlyacquiredworksonuncannysubjects;whileduringtheChristmasholidayshemadearoundofout-of-towntripsincludingonetoSalemtoconsultcertainrecordsattheEssexInstitute.

           AboutthemiddleofJanuary,1920,thereenteredWard’sbearinganelementoftriumphwhichhedidnotexplain,andhewasnomorefoundatworkupontheHutchinsoncipher.Instead,heinauguratedadualpolicyofchemicalresearchandrecord-scanning;fittingupfortheonealaboratoryintheunusedatticofthehouse,andforthelatterhauntingallthesourcesofvitalstatisticsinProvidence.Localdealersindrugsandscientificsupplies,laterquestioned,gaveastonishinglyqueerandmeaninglesscataloguesofthesubstancesandinstrumentshepurchased;butclerksattheStateHouse,theCityHall,andthevariouslibrariesagreeastothedefiniteobjectofhissecondinterest.HewassearchingintenselyandfeverishlyforthegraveofJosephCurwen,fromwhoseslateslabanoldergenerationhadsowiselyblottedthename.