Погребённый с фараонами
Chapter 2
TheyevenhintthatoldKhephren—heoftheSphinx, theSecondPyramidandtheyawninggatewaytemple—livesfarundergroundweddedtotheghoul-queenNitocris andrulingoverthemummiesthatareneitherofmannorofbeast.
Itwasofthese—ofKhephrenandhisconsortandhisstrangearmiesofthehybriddead—thatIdreamed,andthatiswhyIamgladtheexactdream-shapeshavefadedfrommymemory. MymosthorriblevisionwasconnectedwithanidlequestionIhadaskedmyselfthedaybeforewhenlookingatthegreatcarvenriddleofthedesert andwonderingwithwhatunknowndepththetempleclosetoitmightbesecretlyconnected. Thatquestion,soinnocentandwhimsicalthen,assumedinmydreamameaningoffreneticandhystericalmadness... whathugeandloathsomeabnormalitywastheSphinxoriginallycarventorepresent?
Mysecondawakening—ifawakeningitwas—isamemoryofstarkhideousnesswhichnothingelseinmylife—saveonethingwhichcameafter—canparallel;andthatlifehasbeenfullandadventurousbeyondmostmen’s. RememberthatIhadlostconsciousnesswhilstburiedbeneathacascadeoffallingropewhoseimmensityrevealedthecataclysmicdepthofmypresentposition. Now,asperceptionreturned,Ifelttheentireweightgone;andrealizeduponrollingoverthatalthoughIwasstilltied,gaggedandblindfolded, someagencyhadremovedcompletelythesuffocatinghempenlandslidewhichhadoverwhelmedme.
