Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 4
Thatreturndidnot,however,takeplaceuntilMay1926,whenafterafewheraldingcardstheyoungwandererquietlyslippedintoNewYorkontheHomericandtraversedthelongmilestoProvidencebymotor-coach,eagerlydrinkinginthegreenrollinghills,andfragrant,blossomingorchards,andthewhitesteepledtownsofvernalConnecticut;hisfirsttasteofancientNewEnglandinnearlyfouryears.WhenthecoachcrossedthePawcatuckandenteredRhodeIslandamidstthefaerygoldennessofalatespringafternoonhisheartbeatwithquickenedforce,andtheentrytoProvidencealongReservoirandElmwoodAvenueswasabreathlessandwonderfulthingdespitethedepthsofforbiddenloretowhichhehaddelved.AtthehighsquarewhereBroad,Weybosset,andEmpireStreetsjoin,hesawbeforeandbelowhiminthefireofsunsetthepleasant,rememberedhousesanddomesandsteeplesoftheoldtown;andhisheadswamcuriouslyasthevehiclerolleddowntotheterminalbehindtheBiltmore,bringingintoviewthegreatdomeandsoft,roof-piercedgreeneryoftheancienthillacrosstheriver,andthetallcolonialspireoftheFirstBaptistChurchlimnedpinkinthemagiceveningagainstthefreshspringtimeverdureofitsprecipitousbackground.
OldProvidence!Itwasthisplaceandthemysteriousforcesofitslong,continuoushistorywhichhadbroughthimintobeing,andwhichhaddrawnhimbacktowardmarvelsandsecretswhoseboundariesnoprophetmightfix
