Зов Ктулху
The Madness from the Sea
Withoutknowingwhatfuturismislike,Johansenachievedsomethingveryclosetoitwhenhespokeofthecity; forinsteadofdescribinganydefinitestructureorbuilding,hedwellsonlyonbroadimpressionsofvastanglesandstonesurfaces—surfacestoogreattobelongtoanythingrightorproperforthisearth,andimpiouswithhorribleimagesandhieroglyphs. ImentionhistalkaboutanglesbecauseitsuggestssomethingWilcoxhadtoldmeofhisawfuldreams. Hesaidthatthegeometryofthedream-placehesawwasabnormal,non-Euclidean,andloathsomelyredolentofspheresanddimensionsapartfromours. Nowanunletteredseamanfeltthesamethingwhilstgazingattheterriblereality.
Johansenandhismenlandedataslopingmud-bankonthismonstrousAcropolis,andclamberedslipperilyupovertitanoozyblockswhichcouldhavebeennomortalstaircase. Theverysunofheavenseemeddistortedwhenviewedthroughthepolarisingmiasmawellingoutfromthissea-soakedperversion,andtwistedmenaceandsuspenselurkedleeringlyinthosecrazilyelusiveanglesofcarvenrockwhereasecondglanceshewedconcavityafterthefirstshewedconvexity.
Somethingverylikefrighthadcomeoveralltheexplorersbeforeanythingmoredefinitethanrockandoozeandweedwasseen. Eachwouldhavefledhadhenotfearedthescornoftheothers,anditwasonlyhalf-heartedlythattheysearched—vainly,asitproved—forsomeportablesouvenirtobearaway.
ItwasRodriguezthePortuguesewhoclimbedupthefootofthemonolithandshoutedofwhathehadfound. Therestfollowedhim,andlookedcuriouslyattheimmensecarveddoorwiththenowfamiliarsquid-dragonbas-relief.
