Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 2
Hereraninnumerablelittlelaneswithleaning,huddledhousesofimmenseantiquity;andfascinatedthoughhewas,itwaslongbeforehedaredtothreadtheirarchaicverticalityforfeartheywouldturnoutadreamoragatewaytounknownterrors.HefounditmuchlessformidabletocontinuealongBenefitStreetpasttheironfenceofSt.John’shiddenchurchyardandtherearofthe1761ColonyHouseandthemoulderingbulkoftheGoldenBallInnwhereWashingtonstopped.AtMeetingStreet—thesuccessiveGaolLaneandKingStreetofotherperiods—hewouldlookupwardtotheeastandseethearchedflightofstepstowhichthehighwayhadtoresortinclimbingtheslope,anddownwardtothewest,glimpsingtheoldbrickcolonialschoolhousethatsmilesacrosstheroadattheancientSignofShakespeare’sHeadwheretheProvidenceGazetteandCountry-JournalwasprintedbeforetheRevolution.ThencametheexquisiteFirstBaptistChurchof1775,luxuriouswithitsmatchlessGibbssteeple,andtheGeorgianroofsandcupolashoveringby.
