Тень над Иннсмутом

           Hewouldbabbleofcurrenttopics,revealingawideacquaintancewithnewspapersandagreattendencytophilosophiseinasententiousvillagefashion.

           TowardtheendofthesecondhourIfearedmyquartofwhiskeywouldnotbeenoughtoproduceresults,andwaswonderingwhetherIhadbetterleaveoldZadokandgobackformore.Justthen,however,chancemadetheopeningwhichmyquestionshadbeenunabletomake;andthewheezingancient’sramblingtookaturnthatcausedmetoleanforwardandlistenalertly.Mybackwastowardthefishy-smellingsea,buthewasfacingitandsomethingorotherhadcausedhiswanderinggazetolightonthelow,distantlineofDevilReef,thenshowingplainlyandalmostfascinatinglyabovethewaves.Thesightseemedtodispleasehim,forhebeganaseriesofweakcurseswhichendedinaconfidentialwhisperandaknowingleer.Hebenttowardme,tookholdofmycoatlapel,andhissedoutsomehintsthatcouldnotbemistaken,

           "Thar’swharitallbegun—thatcursedplaceofallwickednesswharthedeepwaterstarts.Gateo’hell—sheerdropdaowntoabottomnosaoundin’-linekintech.Ol’Cap’nObeddoneit—himthatfaoundaoutmore’nwasgoodferhimintheSaouthSeaislands.

           "Everybodywasinabadwaythemdays.Tradefallin’off,millslosin’business—eventhenewones—an’thebestofourmenfolkskiltaprivateerin’intheWarof1812orlostwiththeElizybrigan’theRangerscow—bothon’emGilmanventers.