Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда

           Therewouldbe,hepredicted,certainobnoxiouselementswhichafriendcouldbearbetterthanarelative.Asfamilyphysicianhemusthaveafreehand,andthefirstthingherequiredwasaperiodaloneandundisturbedintheabandonedlibraryupstairs,wheretheancientovermantelhadgatheredaboutitselfanauraofnoisomehorrormoreintensethanwhenJosephCurwen’sfeaturesthemselvesglancedslylydownfromthepaintedpanel.

           Mr.Ward,dazedbythefloodofgrotesquemorbiditiesandunthinkablymaddeningsuggestionsthatpouredinuponhimfromeveryside,couldonlyacquiesce;andhalfanhourlaterthedoctorwaslockedintheshunnedroomwiththepanelingfromOlneyCourt.Thefather,listeningoutside,heardfumblingsoundsofmovingandrummagingasthemomentspassed;andfinallyawrenchandacreak,asifatightcupboarddoorwerebeingopened.Thentherewasamuffledcry,akindofsnortingchoke,andahastyslammingofwhateverhadbeenopened.AlmostatoncethekeyrattledandWillettappearedinthehall,haggardandghastly,anddemandingwoodfortherealfireplaceonthesouthwalloftheroom.Thefurnacewasnotenough,hesaid;andtheelectricloghadlittlepracticaluse.Longingyetnotdaringtoaskquestions,Mr.Wardgavetherequisiteordersandamanbroughtsomestoutpinelogs,shudderingasheenteredthetaintedairofthelibrarytoplacetheminthegrate.WillettmeanwhilehadgoneuptothedismantledlaboratoryandbroughtdownafewoddsandendsnotincludedinthemovingoftheJulybefore.