Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 4
Havehimuppfirsteifyouwill,butdoenotusehimsoehardhewillbeDifficult,forImustspeaketohiminyeEnd.
Yogg-SothothNeblodZinSimonO.
ToMr.J.C.inProvidence.
Mr.WardandDr.Willettpausedinutterchaosbeforethisapparentbitofunrelievedinsanity.Onlybydegreesdidtheyabsorbwhatitseemedtoimply.SotheabsentDr.Allen,andnotCharlesWard,hadcometobetheleadingspiritatPawtuxet?Thatmustexplainthewildreferenceanddenunciationintheyouth’slastfranticletter.Andwhatofthisaddressingofthebeardedandspectacledstrangeras"Mr.J.C."?Therewasnoescapingtheinference,buttherearelimitstopossiblemonstrosity.Whowas"SimonO.";theoldmanWardhadvisitedinPraguefouryearspreviously?Perhaps,butinthecenturiesbehindtherehadbeenanotherSimonO.—SimonOrne,aliasJedediah,ofSalem,whovanishedin1771,andwhosepeculiarhandwritingDr.WillettnowunmistakablyrecognizedfromthephotostaticcopiesoftheOrneformulaewhichCharleshadonceshownhim.Whathorrorsandmysteries,whatcontradictionsandcontraventionsofNature,hadcomebackafteracenturyandahalftoharassOldProvidencewithherclusteredspiresanddomes?
Thefatherandtheoldphysician,virtuallyatalosswhattodoorthink,wenttoseeCharlesatthehospitalandquestionedhimasdelicatelyastheycouldaboutDr.Allen,aboutthePraguevisit,andaboutwhathehadlearnedofSimonorJedediahOrneofSalem.
