Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда

           DrivingoutBroadStreetoneearlyafternoontowardtheendofFebruaryinhissmallmotor,hethoughtoddlyofthegrimpartywhichhadtakenthatselfsameroadahundredandfifty-sevenyearsbeforeonaterribleerrandwhichnonemightevercomprehend.

           Theridethroughthecity’sdecayingfringewasshort,andtrimEdgewoodandsleepyPawtuxetpresentlyspreadoutahead.WillettturnedtotherightdownLockwoodStreetanddrovehiscarasfaralongthatruralroadashecould,thenalightedandwalkednorthtowheretheblufftoweredabovethelovelybendsoftheriverandthesweepofmistydownlandsbeyond.Houseswerestillfewhere,andtherewasnomistakingtheisolatedbungalowwithitsconcretegarageonahighpointoflandathisleft.Steppingbrisklyuptheneglectedgravelwalkherappedatthedoorwithafirmhand,andspokewithoutatremortotheevilPortuguesemulattowhoopenedittothewidthofacrack.

           Hemust,hesaid,seeCharlesWardatonceonvitallyimportantbusiness.Noexcusewouldbeaccepted,andarepulsewouldmeanonlyafullreportofthemattertotheelderWard.Themulattostillhesitated,andpushedagainstthedoorwhenWillettattemptedtoopenit;butthedoctormerelyraisedhisvoiceandrenewedhisdemands.Thentherecamefromthedarkinteriorahuskywhisperwhichsomehowchilledthehearerthroughandthroughthoughhedidnotknowwhyhefearedit.’Lethimin,Tony,’itsaid,’wemayaswelltalknowasever.’Butdisturbingaswasthewhisper,thegreaterfearwasthatwhichimmediatelyfollowed.