Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда

           Oneshopkeeper,inthecourseofnegotiations,hadseenaspecimenofhishandwritinganddeclareditwasveryqueerandcrabbed;thisbeingconfirmedbypencilednotesofnoclearmeaningfoundinhisroomandidentifiedbythemerchant.Inconnectionwiththevampirismrumorsoftheprecedingsummer,amajorityofthegossipsbelievedthatAllenratherthanWardwastheactualvampire.Statementswerealsoobtainedfromtheofficialswhohadvisitedthebungalowaftertheunpleasantincidentofthemotortruckrobbery.TheyhadfeltlessofthesinisterinDr.Allen,buthadrecognizedhimasthedominantfigureinthequeershadowycottage.Theplacehadbeentoodarkforthemtoobservehimclearly,buttheywouldknowhimagainiftheysawhim.Hisbeardhadlookedodd,andtheythoughthehadsomeslightscarabovehisdarkspectacledrighteye.Asforthedetectives’searchofAllen’sroom,ityieldednothingdefinitesavethebeardandglasses,andseveralpencilednotesinacrabbedwritingwhichWillettatoncesawwasidenticalwiththatsharedbytheoldCurwenmanuscriptsandbythevoluminousrecentnotesofyoungWardfoundinthevanishedcatacombsofhorror.

           Dr.WillettandMr.Wardcaughtsomethingofaprofound,subtle,andinsidiouscosmicfearfromthisdataasitwasgraduallyunfolded,andalmosttrembledinfollowingupthevague,madthoughtwhichhadsimultaneouslyreachedtheirminds.