Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 1
Ostracizedthoughhewas,hedidnotlackforcivicspiritofasort.WhentheColonyHouseburneddown,hesubscribedhandsomelytothelotteriesbywhichthenewbrickone—stillstandingattheheadofitsparadeintheoldmainstreet—wasbuiltin1761.Inthatsameyear,too,hehelpedrebuildtheGreatBridgeaftertheOctobergale.HereplacedmanyofthebooksofthepubliclibraryconsumedintheColonyHousefire,andboughtheavilyinthelotterythatgavethemuddyMarketParadeanddeep-ruttedTownStreettheirpavementofgreatroundstoneswithabrickfootwalkor"causey"inthemiddle.Aboutthistime,also,hebuilttheplainbutexcellentnewhousewhosedoorwayisstillsuchatriumphofcarving.WhentheWhitefieldadherentsbrokeofffromDr.Cotton’shillchurchin1743andfoundedDeaconSnow’schurchacrosstheBridge,Curwenhadgonewiththem;thoughhiszealandattendancesoonabated.Now,however,hecultivatedpietyoncemore;asiftodispeltheshadowwhichhadthrownhimintoisolationandwouldsoonbegintowreckhisbusinessfortunesifnotsharplychecked.
