Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда

           Butno—hadhenotcriedoutinterrorasheenteredhisstudy—thisveryroom?Whathadhefoundthere?Orwait—whathadfoundhim?Thatsimulacrumwhichbrushedboldlyinwithouthavingbeenseentogo—wasthatanalienshadowandahorrorforcingitselfuponatremblingfigurewhichhadnevergoneoutatall?Hadnotthebutlerspokenofqueernoises?

           Willettrangforthemanandaskedhimsomelow-tonedquestions.Ithad,surelyenough,beenabadbusiness.Therehadbeennoises—acry,agasp,achoking,andasortofclatteringorcreakingorthumping,orallofthese.AndMr.Charleswasnotthesamewhenhestalkedoutwithoutaword.Thebutlershiveredashespoke,andsniffedattheheavyairthatblewdownfromsomeopenwindowupstairs.Terrorhadsettleddefinitelyuponthehouse,andonlythebusiness-likedetectivesfailedtoimbibeafullmeasureofit.Eventheywererestless,forthiscasehadheldvagueelementsinthebackgroundwhichpleasedthemnotatall.Dr.Willettwasthinkingdeeplyandrapidly,andhisthoughtswereterribleones.Nowandthenhewouldalmostbreakintomutteringasheranoverinhisheadanew,appalling,andincreasinglyconclusivechainofnightmarehappenings.

           ThenMr.Wardmadeasignthattheconferencewasover,andeveryonesavehimandthedoctorlefttheroom.Itwasnoonnow,butshadowsasofcomingnightseemedtoengulfthephantom-hauntedmansion.Willettbegantalkingveryseriouslytohishost,andurgedthatheleaveagreatdealofthefutureinvestigationtohim.