Случай Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 4
TheseniorWard,whiledenyingthislatterwishasabsurdforaboyofonlyeighteen,acquiescedregardingtheuniversity;sothatafteranonetoobrilliantgraduationfromtheMosesBrownSchoolthereensuedforCharlesathree-yearperiodofintensiveoccultstudyandgraveyardsearching.Hebecamerecognizedasaneccentric,anddroppedevenmorecompletelyfromthesightofhisfamily’sfriendsthanhehadbeenbefore;keepingclosetohisworkandonlyoccasionallymakingtripstoothercitiestoconsultobscurerecords.Oncehewentsouthtotalktoastrangemulattowhodweltinaswampandaboutwhomanewspaperhandprintedacuriousarticle.AgainhesoughtasmallvillageintheAdirondackswhencereportsofcertainoddceremonialpracticeshadcome.ButstillhisparentsforbadehimthetriptotheOldWorldwhichhedesired.
ComingofageinApril,1923,andhavingpreviouslyinheritedasmallcompetencefromhismaternalgrandfather,WarddeterminedatlasttotaketheEuropeantriphithertodeniedhim.Ofhisproposeditineraryhewouldsaynothingsavethattheneedsofhisstudieswouldcarryhimtomanyplaces,buthepromisedtowritehisparentsfullyandfaithfully.Whentheysawhecouldnotbedissuaded,theyceasedalloppositionandhelpedasbesttheycould;sothatinJunetheyoungmansailedforLiverpoolwiththefarewellblessingsofhisfatherandmother,whoaccompaniedhimtoBostonandwavedhimoutofsightfromtheWhiteStarpierinCharlestown.
