Chapter 2

           YoungWardcamehomeinastateofpleasantexcitement,andspentthefollowingSaturdayinalongandexhaustivestudyofthehouseinOlneyCourt.Theplace,nowcrumblingwithage,hadneverbeenamansion;butwasamodesttwo-and-a-halfstorywoodentownhouseofthefamiliarProvidencecolonialtype,withplainpeakedroof,largecentralchimney,andartisticallycarveddoorwaywithrayedfanlight,triangularpediment,andtrimDoricpilasters.Ithadsufferedbutlittlealterationexternally,andWardfelthewasgazingonsomethingveryclosetothesinistermattersofhisquest.

           Thepresentnegroinhabitantswereknowntohim,andhewasverycourteouslyshownabouttheinteriorbyoldAsaandhisstoutwifeHannah.Heretherewasmorechangethantheoutsideindicated,andWardsawwithregretthatfullyhalfofthefinescroll-and-urnovermantelsandshell-carvedcupboardliningsweregone,whilstmostofthefinewainscottingandbolectionmouldingwasmarked,hacked,andgouged,orcoveredupaltogetherwithcheapwall-paper.Ingeneral,thesurveydidnotyieldasmuchasWardhadsomehowexpected;butitwasatleastexcitingtostandwithintheancestralwallswhichhadhousedsuchamanofhorrorasJosephCurwen.Hesawwithathrillthatamonogramhadbeenverycarefullyeffacedfromtheancientbrassknocker.

           FromthenuntilafterthecloseofschoolWardspenthistimeonthephotostaticcopyoftheHutchinsoncipherandtheaccumulationoflocalCurwendata.