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community-secrecy
The isolated, clannish Wisconsin community maintains a tacit silence about Wallace's unusual condition, reflecting cultural resistance to outside interference.
1 chapter across 1 book
Way Station (1963)Clifford D. Simak
Chapter 3
In this chapter, Intelligence agent Claude Lewis discusses with Dr. Erwin Hardwicke the mysterious case of Enoch Wallace, a man born in 1840 who appears physically no older than thirty. Lewis explains the isolated and conservative nature of the Wisconsin community that has kept Wallace's longevity a secret, and details Wallace's simple lifestyle, his shipments of precious gems, and his extensive reading and writing habits. Despite two years of investigation, Lewis remains baffled by Wallace's apparent immortality and seeks scientific insight from Hardwicke.