Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда

           Inthelightofthispassage,andreflectingonwhatlastunmentionablealliesabeatenmanmighttrytosummoninhisdirestextremity,CharlesWardmaywellhavewonderedwhetheranycitizenofProvidencekilledJosephCurwen.

           ThedeliberateeffacementofeverymemoryofthedeadmanfromProvidencelifeandannalswasvastlyaidedbytheinfluenceoftheraidingleaders.Theyhadnotatfirstmeanttobesothorough,andhadallowedthewidowandherfatherandchildtoremaininignoranceofthetrueconditions;butCapt.Tillinghastwasanastuteman,andsoonuncoveredenoughrumorstowhethishorrorandcausehimtodemandthatthedaughterandgranddaughterchangetheirname,burnthelibraryandallremainingpapers,andchiseltheinscriptionfromtheslateslababoveJosephCurwen’sgrave.HeknewCapt.Whipplewell,andprobablyextractedmorehintsfromthatbluffmarinerandanyoneelseevergainedrespectingtheendoftheaccursedsorcerer.

           FromthattimeontheobliterationofCurwen’smemorybecameincreasinglyrigid,extendingatlastbycommonconsenteventothetownrecordsandfilesoftheGazette.ItcanbecomparedinspiritonlytothehushthatlayonOscarWilde’snameforadecadeafterhisdisgrace,andinextentonlytothefateofthatsinfulKingofRunazarinLordDunsany’stale,whomtheGodsdecidedmustnotonlyceasetobe,butmustceaseevertohavebeen.

           Mrs.Tillinghast,asthewidowbecameknownafter1772,soldthehouseinOlneyCourtandresidedwithherfatherinPower’sLanetillherdeathin1817