Тень над Иннсмутом
Chapter 4
Evengettingtoanotherroofwouldnotsolvetheproblemfortherewouldthenremainthetaskofreachingthegroundandescapingfromthetown.Onethinginmyfavourwasthedesertedandruinousstateoftheabuttingbuildingandthenumberofskylightsgapingblacklyopenineachrow.
Gatheringfromthegroceryboy’smapthatthebestrouteoutoftownwassouthward,Iglancedfirstattheconnectingdooronthesouthsideoftheroom.Itwasdesignedtoopeninmydirection,henceIsaw—afterdrawingtheboltandfindingotherfasteninginplace—itwasnotafavorableoneforforcing.Accordinglyabandoningitasaroute,Icautiouslymovedthebedsteadagainstittohamperanyattackwhichmightbemadeonitlaterfromthenextroom.Thedooronthenorthwashungtoopenawayfromme,andthis—thoughatestprovedittobelockedorboltedfromtheotherside—Iknewmustbemyroute.IfIcouldgaintheroofsofthebuildingsinPaineStreetanddescendsuccessfullytothegroundlevel,ImightperhapsdartthroughthecourtyardandtheadjacentoroppositebuildingtoWashingtonorBates—orelseemergeinPaineandedgearoundsouthwardintoWashington.Inanycase,IwouldaimtostrikeWashingtonsomehowandgetquicklyoutoftheTownSquareregion.MypreferencewouldbetoavoidPaine,sincethefirestationtheremightbeopenallnight.
AsIthoughtofthesethingsIlookedoutoverthesqualidseaofdecayingroofsbelowme,nowbrightenedbythebeamsofamoonnotmuchpastfull.
