Случай Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 4
ItwilldraweOnewhoistoCome,ifIcanmakesureheshalBee,andheshalthinkonPastThingesandlookbackthro’allyeYeares,againstyeWhichImusthavereadyyeSaltesorThattomake’emwith.’
Willettsawnomore,butsomehowthissmallglimpsegaveanewandvagueterrortothepaintedfeaturesofJosephCurwenwhichstaredblandlydownfromtheovermantel.Evenafterthatheentertainedtheoddfancy—whichhismedicalskillofcourseassuredhimwasonlyafancy—thattheeyesoftheportraithadasortofwish,ifnotanactualtendency,tofollowyoungCharlesWardashemoveabouttheroom.Hestoppedbeforeleavingtostudythepictureclosely,marvellingatitsresemblancetoCharlesandmemorizingeveryminutedetailofthecryptical,colorlessface,evendowntoaslightscarorpitinthesmoothbrowabovetherighteye.CosmoAlexander,hedecided,wasapainterworthyoftheScotlandthatproducedRaeburn,andateacherworthyofhisillustriouspupilGilbertStuart.
AssuredbythedoctorthatCharles’smentalhealthwasinnodanger,butthatontheotherhandhewasengagedinresearcheswhichmightproveofrealimportance,theWardsweremorelenientthantheymightotherwisehavebeenwhenduringthefollowingJunetheyouthmadepositivehisrefusaltoattendcollege.Hehad,hedeclared,studiesofmuchmorevitalimportancetopursue;andintimatedawishtogoabroadthefollowingyearinordertoavailhimselfofcertainsourcesofdatanotexistinginAmerica.
