Chapter 5

           AschoolofalienistsslightlylessacademicthanDr.Lyman’sassigntoWard’sEuropeantripthebeginningofhistruemadness.Admittingthathewassanewhenhestarted,theybelievethathisconductuponreturningimpliesadisastrouschange.ButeventothisclaimDr.Willettrefusestoconcede.Therewas,heinsists,somethinglater;andthequeernessoftheyouthatthisstageheattributestothepracticeofritualslearnedabroad—oddenoughthings,tobesure,butbynomeansimplyingmentalaberrationonthepartoftheircelebrant.Wardhimself,thoughvisiblyagedandhardened,wasstillnormalinhisgeneralreactions;andinseveraltalkswithDr.Willettdisplayedabalancewhichnomadman—evenanincipientone—couldfeigncontinuouslyforlong.WhatelicitedthenotionofinsanityatthisperiodwerethesoundsheardatallhoursfromWard’satticlaboratory,inwhichhekepthimselfmostofthetime.Therewerechantingsandrepetitions,andthunderousdeclamationsinuncannyrhythms;andalthoughthesesoundswerealwaysinWard’sownvoice,therewassomethinginthequalityofthatvoice,andintheaccentsoftheformulaeitpronounced,whichcouldnotbychillthebloodofeveryhearer.ItwasnoticedthatNig,thevenerableandbelovedblackcatofthehousehold,bristledandarchedhisbackperceptiblywhencertainofthetoneswereheard.

           Theodorsoccasionallywaftedfromthelaboratorywerelikewiseexceedinglystrange.