Зов Ктулху
The Tale of Inspector Legrasse
Therewereinsaneshoutsandharrowingscreams,soul-chillingchantsanddancingdevil-flames; and,thefrightenedmessengeradded,thepeoplecouldstanditnomore.
Soabodyoftwentypolice,fillingtwocarriagesandanautomobile, hadsetoutinthelateafternoonwiththeshiveringsquatterasaguide. Attheendofthepassableroadtheyalighted,andformilessplashedoninsilencethroughtheterriblecypresswoodswheredaynevercame. UglyrootsandmalignanthangingnoosesofSpanishmossbesetthem,andnowandthenapileofdankstonesorfragmentofarottingwallintensifiedbyitshintofmorbidhabitationadepressionwhicheverymalformedtreeandeveryfungousisletcombinedtocreate. Atlengththesquattersettlement,amiserablehuddleofhuts,hoveinsight;andhystericaldwellersranouttoclusteraroundthegroupofbobbinglanterns. Themuffledbeatoftomtomswasnowfaintlyaudiblefar,farahead;andacurdlingshriekcameatinfrequentintervalswhenthewindshifted. Areddishglare,too,seemedtofilterthroughpaleundergrowthbeyondtheendlessavenuesofforestnight.Reluctanteventobeleftaloneagain,eachoneofthecowedsquattersrefusedpoint-blanktoadvanceanotherinchtowardthesceneofunholyworship,soInspectorLegrasseandhisnineteencolleaguesplungedonunguidedintoblackarcadesofhorrorthatnoneofthemhadevertrodbefore.
Theregionnowenteredbythepolicewasoneoftraditionallyevilrepute,substantiallyunknownanduntraversedbywhitemen. Therewerelegendsofahiddenlakeunglimpsedbymortalsight,inwhichdweltahuge,formlesswhitepolypousthingwithluminouseyes; andsquatterswhisperedthatbatwingeddevilsflewupoutofcavernsininnerearthtoworshipitatmidnight.
