Тень над Иннсмутом
Chapter 1
ButMarsh’schildrenandgrandchildrenlookjustlikeanyoneelsefar’sIcansee.I’vehad’empointedouttomehere—though,cometothinkofit,theelderchildrendon’tseemtobearoundlately.Neversawtheoldman.
"AndwhyiseverybodysodownonInnsmouth?Well,youngfellow,youmustn’ttaketoomuchstockinwhatpeopleheresay.They’rehardtogetstarted,butoncetheydogetstartedtheyneverletup.They’vebeentellingthingsaboutInnsmouth—whispering’em,mostly—forthelasthundredyears,Iguess,andIgatherthey’remorescaredthananythingelse.Someofthestorieswouldmakeyoulaugh—aboutoldCaptainMarshdrivingbargainswiththedevilandbringingimpsoutofhelltoliveinInnsmouth,oraboutsomekindofdevil-worshipandawfulsacrificesinsomeplacenearthewharvesthatpeoplestumbledonaround1845orthereabouts—butIcomefromPanton,Vermont,andthatkindofstorydon’tgodownwithme.
"Yououghttohear,though,whatsomeoftheold-timerstellabouttheblackreefoffthecoast—DevilReef,theycallit.It’swellabovewateragoodpartofthetime,andnevermuchbelowit,butatthatyoucouldhardlycallitanisland.Thestoryisthatthere’sawholelegionofdevilsseensometimesonthatreef—sprawledabout,ordartinginandoutofsomekindofcavesnearthetop.It’sarugged,uneventhing,agoodbitoveramileout,andtowardtheendofshippingdayssailorsusedtomakebigdetoursjusttoavoidit.
"Thatis,sailorsthatdidn’thailfromInnsmouth.OneofthethingstheyhadagainstoldCaptainMarshwasthathewassupposedtolandonitsometimesatnightwhenthetidewasright.Maybehedid,forIdaresaytherockformationwasinteresting,andit’sjustbarelypossiblehewaslookingforpiratelootandmaybefindingit;buttherewastalkofhisdealingwithdemonsthere.Factis,IguessonthewholeitwasreallytheCaptainthatgavethebadreputationtothereef.
