Зов Ктулху
The Madness from the Sea
Steamhadnotbeensufferedtogodownentirely,despitethedepartureofallhandsfortheshore;anditwastheworkofonlyafewmomentsoffeverishrushingupanddownbetweenwheelandenginestogettheAlertunderway. Slowly,amidstthedistortedhorrorsofthatindescribablescene,shebegantochurnthelethalwaters; whilstonthemasonryofthatcharnelshore thatwasnotofearththetitanThingfromthestarsslaveredandgibberedlikePolyphemecursingthefleeingshipofOdysseus. Then,bolderthanthestoriedCyclops,greatCthulhuslidgreasilyintothewaterandbegantopursuewithvastwave-raisingstrokesofcosmicpotency. Bridenlookedbackandwentmad, laughingshrillyashekeptonlaughingatintervalstilldeathfoundhimonenightinthecabinwhilstJohansenwaswanderingdeliriously.
ButJohansenhadnotgivenoutyet. KnowingthattheThingcouldsurelyovertaketheAlertuntilsteamwasfullyup,heresolvedonadesperatechance; and,settingtheengineforfullspeed,ranlightning-likeondeckandreversedthewheel. Therewasamightyeddyingandfoaminginthenoisomebrine, andasthesteammountedhigherandhigherthebraveNorwegiandrovehisvesselheadonagainstthepursuingjellywhichroseabovetheuncleanfrothlikethesternofadaemongalleon. Theawfulsquidheadwithwrithingfeelerscamenearlyuptothebowspritofthesturdyyacht,butJohansendroveonrelentlessly. Therewasaburstingasofanexplodingbladder,aslushynastinessasofaclovensunfish,astenchasofathousandopenedgraves,andasoundthatthechroniclercouldnotputonpaper. Foraninstanttheshipwasbefouledbyanacridandblindinggreencloud,andthentherewasonlyavenomousseethingastern; where—Godinheaven! —thescatteredplasticityofthatnamelesssky-spawnwasnebulouslyrecombininginitshatefuloriginalform,whilstitsdistancewidenedeverysecondastheAlertgainedimpetusfromitsmountingsteam.
