Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 2
ThecaseswereaddressedtoCharlesWardathisPawtuxetbungalow,andStateandFederalofficialsatoncepaidhimaveryforcefulandseriouscall.Theyfoundhimpallidandworriedwithhistwooddcompanions,andreceivedfromhimwhatseemedtobeavalidexplanationandevidenceofinnocence.Hehadneededcertainanatomicalspecimensaspartofaprogramofresearchwhosedepthandgenuinenessanyonewhohadknownhiminthelastdecadecouldprove,andhadorderedtherequiredkindandnumberfromagencieswhichhehadthoughtasreasonablylegitimateassuchthingscanbe.Oftheidentityofthespecimenshehadknownabsolutelynothing,andwasproperlyshockedwhentheinspectorshintedatthemonstrouseffectonpublicsentimentandnationaldignitywhichaknowledgeofthematterwouldproduce.InthisstatementhewasfirmlysustainedbyhisbeardedcolleagueDr.Allen,whoseoddlyhollowvoicecarriedevenmoreconvictionthanhisownnervoustones;sothatintheendtheofficialstooknoaction,butcarefullysetdowntheNewYorknameandaddresswhichWardgavethemabasisforasearchwhichcametonothing.Itisonlyfairtoaddthatthespecimenswerequicklyandquietlyrestoredtotheirproperplaces,andthatthegeneralpublicwillneverknowoftheirblasphemousdisturbance.
OnFebruary9,1928,Dr.WillettreceivedaletterfromCharlesWardwhichheconsidersofextraordinaryimportance,andaboutwhichhehasfrequentlyquarreledwithDr.Lyman.
