Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 1
Ingeneral,allphysiciansagreethatinWardtheprocessesofmetabolismhadbecomeretardedtoadegreebeyondprecedent.
Psychologically,too,CharlesWardwasunique.Hismadnessheldnoaffinitytoanysortrecordedineventhelatestandmostexhaustiveoftreatises,andwasconjoinedtoamentalforcewhichwouldhavemadehimageniusoraleaderhaditnotbeentwistedintostrangeandgrotesqueforms.Dr.Willett,whowasWard’sfamilyphysician,affirmsthatthepatient’sgrossmentalcapacity,asgaugedbyhisresponsetomattersoutsidethesphereofhisinsanity,hadactuallyincreasedsincetheseizure.Ward,itistrue,wasalwaysascholarandanantiquarian;butevenhismostbrilliantearlyworkdidnotshowtheprodigiousgraspandinsightdisplayedduringhislastexaminationsbythealienists.Itwas,indeed,adifficultmattertoobtainalegalcommitmenttothehospital,sopowerfulandluciddidtheyouth’smindseem;andonlyontheevidenceofothers,andonthestrengthofmanyabnormalgapsinhisstockofinformationasdistinguishedfromhisintelligence,washefinallyplacedinconfinement.Totheverymomentofhisvanishmenthewasanomnivorousreaderandasgreataconversationalistashispoorvoicepermitted;andshrewdobservers,failingtoforeseehisescape,freelypredictedthathewouldnotbelongingaininghisdischargefromcustody.
OnlyDr.Willett,whobroughtCharlesWardintotheworldandhadwatchedhisgrowthofbodyandmindeversince,seemedfrightenedatthethoughtofhisfuturefreedom.
