Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 3
Thefollowingspring,likethatoftheyearbefore,hadheavyrains;andthewatcherskeptcarefultrackoftheriver-bankbehindtheCurwenfarm.Largesectionswerewashedaway,andacertainnumberofbonesdiscovered;butnoglimpsewasaffordedofanyactualsubterraneanchambersorburrows.Somethingwasrumored,however,atthevillageofPawtuxetaboutamilebelow,wheretheriverflowsinfallsoverarockyterracetojointheplacedlandlockedcove.There,wherequaintoldcottagesclimbedthehillfromtherusticbridge,andfishing-smackslayanchoredattheirsleepydocks,avaguereportwentroundofthingsthatwerefloatingdowntheriverandflashingintosightforaminuteastheywentoverthefalls.OfcoursethePawtuxetinalongriverwhichwindsthroughmanysettledregionsaboundingingraveyards,andofcoursethespringrainshadbeenveryheavy;butthefisherfolkaboutthebridgedidnotlikethewildwaythatoneofthethingsstaredasitshotdowntothestillwatersbelow,orthewaythatanotherhalfcriedoutalthoughitsconditionhadgreatlydepartedfromthatofobjectswhichnormallycriedout.ThatrumorsentSmith—forWeedenwasjustthenatsea—inhastetotheriver-bankbehindthefarm;wheresurelyenoughthereremainedtheevidenceofanextensivecave-in.Therewas,however,notraceofapassageintothesteepbank;fortheminiatureavalanchehadleftbehindasolidwallofmixedearthandshrubberyfromaloft
