Тень над Иннсмутом

           Therewasnousetryingtoevadeit,foranyalternativecoursewouldinvolvedetoursofpossiblydisastrousvisibilityanddelayingeffect.Theonlythingtodowastocrossitboldlyandopenly;imitatingthetypicalshambleoftheInnsmouthfolkasbestIcould,andtrustingthatnoone—oratleastnopursuerofmine—wouldbethere.

           Justhowfullythepursuitwasorganised—andindeed,justwhatitspurposemightbe—Icouldformnoidea.Thereseemedtobeunusualactivityinthetown,butIjudgedthatthenewsofmyescapefromtheGilmanhadnotyetspread.Iwould,ofcourse,soonhavetoshiftfromWashingtontosomeothersouthwardstreet;forthatpartyfromthehotelwoulddoubtlessbeafterme.Imusthaveleftdustprintsinthatlastoldbuilding,revealinghowIhadgainedthestreet.

           Theopenspacewas,asIhadexpected,stronglymoonlit;andIsawtheremainsofaparklike,iron-railedgreeninitscenter.FortunatelynoonewasaboutthoughacurioussortofbuzzorroarseemedtobeincreasinginthedirectionofTownSquare.SouthStreetwasverywide,leadingdirectlydownaslightdeclivitytothewaterfrontandcommandingalongviewouttosea;andIhopedthatnoonewouldbeglancingupitfromafarasIcrossedinthebrightmoonlight.

           Myprogresswasunimpeded,andnofreshsoundarosetohintthatIhadbeenspied.Glancingaboutme,Iinvoluntarilyletmypaceslackenforasecondtotakeinthesightofthesea,gorgeousintheburningmoonlightatthestreet’send.