Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 2
Theformerstillprovedunyielding;butofthelatterheobtainedsomuch,andsomanycluestosimilardataelsewhere,thathewasreadybyJulytomakeatriptoNewLondonandNewYorktoconsultoldletterswhosepresenceinthoseplaceswasindicated.Thistripwasveryfruitful,foritbroughthimtheFennerletterswiththeirterribledescriptionofthePawtuxetfarmhouseraid,andtheNightingale-TalbotlettersinwhichhelearnedoftheportraitpaintedonapaneloftheCurwenlibrary.Thismatteroftheportraitinterestedhimparticularly,sincehewouldhavegivenmuchtoknowjustwhatJosephCurwenlookedlike;andhedecidedtomakeasecondsearchofthehouseinOlneyCourttoseeiftheremightnotbesometraceoftheancientfeaturesbeneathpeelingcoatsoflaterpaintorlayersofmouldywall-paper.
EarlyinAugustthatsearchtookplace,andWardwentcarefullyoverthewallsofeveryroomsizeableenoughtohavebeenbyanypossibilitythelibraryoftheevilbuilder.Hepaidespecialattentiontothelargepanelsofsuchovermantelsasstillremained;andwaskeenlyexcitedafteraboutanhour,whenonabroadareaabovethefireplaceinaspaciousground-floorroomhebecamecertainthatthesurfacebroughtoutbythepeelingofseveralcoatsofpaintwassensiblydarkerthananyordinaryinteriorpaintorthewoodbeneathitwaslikelytohavebeen.Afewmorecarefultestswithathinknife,andheknewthathehadcomeuponanoilportraitofgreatextent.
