[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
have so long promised you, and for which you have pressed me so often. The
file:///F|/rah/H.%20P.%20Lovecraft/The%20Case...0Dexter%20Ward%20by%20H_%20P_%
20Lovecraft.txt (39 of 67) [5/21/03 1:11:41 AM]
file:///F|/rah/H.%20P.%20Lovecraft/The%20Case%20of%20Charles%20Dexter%20Ward%2
0by%20H_%20P_%20Lovecraft.txt patience you have shewn in waiting, and the
confidence you have shewn in my mind and integrity, are things I shall never
cease to appreciate.
And now that I am ready to speak, I must own with humiliation that no triumph
such as I dreamed of can ever by mine. Instead of triumph I have found terror,
and my talk with you will not be a boast of victory but a plea for help and
advice in saving both myself and the world from a horror beyond all human
conception or calculation. You recall what those Fenner letters said of the
old raiding party at Pawtuxet. That must all be done again, and quickly. Upon
us depends more than can be put into words - all civilisation, all natural
law, perhaps even the fate of the solar system and the universe. I have
brought to light a monstrous abnormality, but I did it for the sake of
knowledge. Now for the sake of all life and Nature you must help me thrust it
back into the dark again.
I have left that Pawtuxet place forever, and we must extirpate everything
existing there, alive or dead. I shall not go there again, and you must not
believe it if you ever hear that I am there. I will tell you why I say this
when I see you. I have come home for good, and wish you would call on me at
the very first moment that you can spare five or six hours continuously to
hear what I have to say. It will take that long - and believe me when I tell
you that you never had a more genuine professional duty than this. My life and
reason are the very least things which hang in the balance.
I dare not tell my father, for he could not grasp the whole thing. But I have
told him of my danger, and he has four men from a detective agency watching
the house. I don't know how much good they can do, for they have against them
forces which even you could scarcely envisage or acknowledge. So come quickly
if you wish to see me alive and hear how you may help to save the cosmos from
stark hell.
Any time will do - I shall not be out of the house. Don't telephone ahead, for
there is no telling who or what may try to intercept you. And let us pray to
whatever gods there be that nothing may prevent this meeting.
In utmost gravity and desperation, Charles Dexter Ward.
P.S. Shoot Dr. Allen on sight and dissolve his body in acid. Don't burn it.
Dr. Willett received this note about 10:30 a.m., and immediately arranged to
spare the whole late afternoon and evening for the momentous talk, letting it
extend on into the night as long as might be necessary. He planned to arrive
about four o'clock, and through all the intervening hours was so engulfed in
Page 47
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
every sort of wild speculation that most of his tasks were very mechanically
performed. Maniacal as the letter would have sounded to a stranger, Willett
had seen too much of Charles Ward's oddities to dismiss it as sheer raving.
That something very subtle, ancient, and horrible was hovering about he felt
quite sure, and the reference to Dr. Allen could almost be comprehended in
view of what Pawtuxet gossip said of Ward's enigmatical colleague. Willett had
never seen the man, but had heard much of his aspect and bearing, and could
not but wonder what sort of eyes those much-discussed dark glasses might
conceal.
Promptly at four Dr. Willett presented himself at the Ward residence, but
found to his annoyance that Charles had not adhered to his determination to
remain indoors. The guards were there, but said that the young man seemed to
have lost part of his timidity. He had that morning done much apparently
frightened arguing and protesting over the telephone, one of the detectives
said, replying to some unknown voice with phrases such as 'I am very tired and
must rest a while', 'I can't receive anyone for some time', 'you'll have to
excuse me', 'Please postpone decisive action till we can arrange some sort of
compromise', or 'I am very sorry, but I must take a complete vacation from [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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have so long promised you, and for which you have pressed me so often. The
file:///F|/rah/H.%20P.%20Lovecraft/The%20Case...0Dexter%20Ward%20by%20H_%20P_%
20Lovecraft.txt (39 of 67) [5/21/03 1:11:41 AM]
file:///F|/rah/H.%20P.%20Lovecraft/The%20Case%20of%20Charles%20Dexter%20Ward%2
0by%20H_%20P_%20Lovecraft.txt patience you have shewn in waiting, and the
confidence you have shewn in my mind and integrity, are things I shall never
cease to appreciate.
And now that I am ready to speak, I must own with humiliation that no triumph
such as I dreamed of can ever by mine. Instead of triumph I have found terror,
and my talk with you will not be a boast of victory but a plea for help and
advice in saving both myself and the world from a horror beyond all human
conception or calculation. You recall what those Fenner letters said of the
old raiding party at Pawtuxet. That must all be done again, and quickly. Upon
us depends more than can be put into words - all civilisation, all natural
law, perhaps even the fate of the solar system and the universe. I have
brought to light a monstrous abnormality, but I did it for the sake of
knowledge. Now for the sake of all life and Nature you must help me thrust it
back into the dark again.
I have left that Pawtuxet place forever, and we must extirpate everything
existing there, alive or dead. I shall not go there again, and you must not
believe it if you ever hear that I am there. I will tell you why I say this
when I see you. I have come home for good, and wish you would call on me at
the very first moment that you can spare five or six hours continuously to
hear what I have to say. It will take that long - and believe me when I tell
you that you never had a more genuine professional duty than this. My life and
reason are the very least things which hang in the balance.
I dare not tell my father, for he could not grasp the whole thing. But I have
told him of my danger, and he has four men from a detective agency watching
the house. I don't know how much good they can do, for they have against them
forces which even you could scarcely envisage or acknowledge. So come quickly
if you wish to see me alive and hear how you may help to save the cosmos from
stark hell.
Any time will do - I shall not be out of the house. Don't telephone ahead, for
there is no telling who or what may try to intercept you. And let us pray to
whatever gods there be that nothing may prevent this meeting.
In utmost gravity and desperation, Charles Dexter Ward.
P.S. Shoot Dr. Allen on sight and dissolve his body in acid. Don't burn it.
Dr. Willett received this note about 10:30 a.m., and immediately arranged to
spare the whole late afternoon and evening for the momentous talk, letting it
extend on into the night as long as might be necessary. He planned to arrive
about four o'clock, and through all the intervening hours was so engulfed in
Page 47
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
every sort of wild speculation that most of his tasks were very mechanically
performed. Maniacal as the letter would have sounded to a stranger, Willett
had seen too much of Charles Ward's oddities to dismiss it as sheer raving.
That something very subtle, ancient, and horrible was hovering about he felt
quite sure, and the reference to Dr. Allen could almost be comprehended in
view of what Pawtuxet gossip said of Ward's enigmatical colleague. Willett had
never seen the man, but had heard much of his aspect and bearing, and could
not but wonder what sort of eyes those much-discussed dark glasses might
conceal.
Promptly at four Dr. Willett presented himself at the Ward residence, but
found to his annoyance that Charles had not adhered to his determination to
remain indoors. The guards were there, but said that the young man seemed to
have lost part of his timidity. He had that morning done much apparently
frightened arguing and protesting over the telephone, one of the detectives
said, replying to some unknown voice with phrases such as 'I am very tired and
must rest a while', 'I can't receive anyone for some time', 'you'll have to
excuse me', 'Please postpone decisive action till we can arrange some sort of
compromise', or 'I am very sorry, but I must take a complete vacation from [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]