Дагон

           Curiouslyenough, theyseemedtohavebeenchiselledbadlyoutofproportion withtheirscenicbackground; foroneofthecreatures wasshownintheactofkillingawhale representedasbutlittlelargerthanhimself. Iremarked,asIsay, theirgrotesquenessandstrangesize; butinamomentdecided thattheyweremerelytheimaginarygodsofsomeprimitivefishing orseafaringtribe; sometribewhoselastdescendanthadperishederas beforethefirstancestorofthePiltdownorNeanderthalManwasborn. Awestruckatthisunexpectedglimpseintoapast beyondtheconceptionofthemostdaringanthropologist, Istoodmusing whilstthemooncastqueerreflections onthesilentchannelbeforeme. 

           ThensuddenlyIsawit. Withonlyaslightchurningtomark itsrisetothesurface, thethingslidintoviewabovethedarkwaters. Vast,Polyphemus-like,andloathsome, itdarted likeastupendousmonsterofnightmares tothemonolith, aboutwhichitflungitsgiganticscalyarms, thewhileitboweditshideoushead andgaveventtocertainmeasuredsounds. IthinkIwentmadthen. 

           Ofmyfranticascentoftheslopeandcliff, andofmydeliriousjourneybacktothestrandedboat, Irememberlittle. IbelieveIsangagreatdeal, andlaughedoddly whenIwasunabletosing. Ihaveindistinctrecollectionsofagreatstorm sometimeafterIreachedtheboat; atanyrate, IknewthatIheardpealsofthunder andothertoneswhichNatureuttersonlyinherwildestmoods. WhenIcameoutoftheshadows IwasinaSanFranciscohospital; broughtthitherbythecaptainoftheAmericanship whichhadpickedupmyboatinmid-ocean. InmydeliriumIhadsaidmuch,butfound thatmywordshadbeengivenscantattention. 

           OfanylandupheavalinthePacific, myrescuersknewnothing; nordidIdeemitnecessarytoinsistuponathing whichIknewtheycouldnotbelieve.