Зов Ктулху
The Tale of Inspector Legrasse
OnthisnowleapedandtwistedamoreindescribablehordeofhumanabnormalitythananybutaSimeoranAngarolacouldpaint. Voidofclothing,thishybridspawnwerebraying,bellowing,andwrithingaboutamonstrousring-shapedbonfire; inthecentreofwhich,revealedbyoccasionalriftsinthecurtainofflame,stoodagreatgranitemonolithsomeeightfeetinheight; ontopofwhich,incongruousinitsdiminutiveness,restedthenoxiouscarvenstatuette. Fromawidecircleoftenscaffoldssetupatregularintervalswiththeflame-girtmonolithasacentrehung,headdownward,theoddlymarredbodiesofthehelplesssquatterswhohaddisappeared. Itwasinsidethiscirclethattheringofworshippersjumpedandroared,thegeneraldirectionofthemassmotionbeingfromlefttorightinendlessBacchanalbetweentheringofbodiesandtheringoffire.
Itmayhavebeenonlyimaginationanditmayhavebeenonlyechoeswhichinducedoneofthemen,anexcitableSpaniard, tofancyheheardantiphonalresponsestotheritualfromsomefarandunilluminedspotdeeperwithinthewoodofancientlegendryandhorror. Thisman,JosephD.Galvez,Ilatermetandquestioned;andheproveddistractinglyimaginative. Heindeedwentsofarastohintofthefaintbeatingofgreatwings,andofaglimpseofshiningeyesandamountainouswhitebulkbeyondtheremotesttrees—butIsupposehehadbeenhearingtoomuchnativesuperstition.
Actually,thehorrifiedpauseofthemenwasofcomparativelybriefduration. Dutycamefirst;andalthoughtheremusthavebeennearlyahundredmongrelcelebrantsinthethrong,thepolicereliedontheirfirearmsandplungeddeterminedlyintothenauseousrout.
