Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 7
Andwhatwrotethatminusculemessagewillnevertroubleyouoryours.
Butyoumuststeelyourselftomelancholy,andprepareyourwifetodothesame.ImusttellyoufranklythatCharles’sescapewillnotmeanhisrestorationtoyou.Hehasbeenafflictedwithapeculiardisease,asyoumustrealizefromthesubtlephysicalaswellasmentalchangesinhim,andyoumustnothopetoseehimagain.Haveonlythisconsolation—thathewasneverafiendoreventrulyamadman,butonlyaneager,studious,andcuriousboywhoseloveofmysteryandofthepastwashisundoing.Hestumbledonthingsnomortaloughtevertoknow,andreachedbackthroughtheyearsasnooneevershouldreach;andsomethingcameoutofthoseyearstoengulfhim.
AndnowcomesthematterinwhichImustaskyoutotrustmemostofall.Fortherewillbe,indeed,nouncertaintyaboutCharles’sfate.Inaboutayear,say,youcanifyouwishdeviseasuitableaccountoftheend;fortheboywillbenomore.YoucanputupastoneinyourlotattheNorthBurialGroundexactlytenfeetwestofyourfather’sandfacingthesameway,andthatwillmarkthetrueresting-placeofyourson.Norneedyoufearthatitwillmarkanyabnormalityorchangeling.Theashesinthatgravewillbethoseofyourownunalteredboneandsinew—oftherealCharlesDexterWardwhosemindyouwatchedfrominfancy—therealCharleswiththeolive-markonhishipandwithouttheblackwitch-markonhischestorthepitonhisforehead.
