Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 2
ThevastmarbledomeoftheStateHousestoodoutinmassivesilhouette,itscrowningstatuehaloedfantasticallybyabreakinoneofthetintedstratuscloudsthatbarredtheflamingsky.
Whenhewaslargerhisfamouswalksbegan;firstwithhisimpatientlydraggednurse,andthenaloneindreamymeditation.Fartherandfartherdownthatalmostperpendicularhillhewouldventure,eachtimereachingolderandquainterlevelsoftheancientcity.HewouldhesitategingerlydownverticalJenckesStreetwithitsbankwallsandcolonialgablestotheshadyBenefitStreetcorner,wherebeforehimwasawoodenantiquewithanIonic-pilasteredpairofdoorways,andbesidehimaprehistoricgambrel-rooferwithabitofprimalfarmyardremaining,andthegreatJudgeDurfeehousewithitsfallenvestigesofGeorgiangrandeur.Itwasgettingtobeaslumhere;butthetitanelmscastarestoringshadowovertheplace,andtheboyusedtostrollsouthpastthelonglinesofthepre-Revolutionaryhomeswiththeirgreatcentralchimneysandclassicportals.Ontheeasternsidetheyweresethighoverbasementswithraileddoubleflightsofstonesteps,andtheyoungCharlescouldpicturethemastheywerewhenthestreetwasnew,andredheelsandperiwigssetoffthepaintedpedimentswhosesignsofwearwerenowbecomingsovisible.
Westwardthehilldroppedalmostassteeplyasabove,downtotheold"TownStreet"thatthefoundershadlaidoutattheriver’sedgein1636.
