Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда

           Curwen,itwasclear,formedavaguepotentialmenacetothewelfareofthetownandColony;andmustbeeliminatedatanycost.LateinDecember1770agroupofeminenttownsmenmetatthehomeofStephenHopkinsanddebatedtentativemeasures.Weeden’snotes,whichhehadgiventoCapt.Mathewson,werecarefullyread;andheandSmithweresummonedtogivetestimonyanentdetails.Somethingverylikefearseizedthewholeassemblagebeforethemeetingwasover,thoughthereranthroughthatfearagrimdeterminationwhichCapt.Whipple’sbluffandresonantprofanitybestexpressed.TheywouldnotnotifytheGovernor,becauseamorethanlegalcourseseemednecessary.Withhiddenpowersofuncertainextentapparentlyathisdisposal,Curwenwasnotamanwhocouldsafelybewarnedtoleavetown.Namelessreprisalsmightensue,andevenifthesinistercreaturecomplied,theremovalwouldbenomorethantheshiftingofanuncleanburdentoanotherplace.Thetimeswerelawless,andmenwhohadfloutedtheKing’srevenueforcesforyearswerenottheonestobalkatsternerthingswhendutyimpelled.CurwenmustbesurprisedathisPawtuxetfarmbyalargeraiding-partyofseasonedprivateersmenandgivenonedecisivechancetoexplainhimself.Ifheprovedamadman,amusinghimselfwithshrieksandimaginaryconversationsindifferentvoices,hewouldbeproperlyconfined.Ifsomethinggraverappeared,andiftheundergroundhorrorsindeedturnedouttobereal,heandallwithhimmustdie.