Хребты безумия

           Asawhole,ithadbeenacomplextangleoftwistedlanesandalleys,allofthemdeepcanyons,andsomelittlebetterthantunnelsbecauseoftheoverhangingmasonryoroverarchingbridges. Now,outspreadbelowus,itloomedlikeadreamfantasyagainstawestwardmistthroughwhosenorthernendthelow,reddishantarcticsunofearlyafternoonwasstrugglingtoshine; andwhen,foramoment,thatsunencounteredadenserobstructionandplungedthesceneintotemporaryshadow,theeffectwassubtlymenacinginawayIcanneverhopetodepict. Eventhefainthowlingandpipingoftheunfeltwindinthegreatmountainpassesbehindustookonawildernoteofpurposefulmalignity. Thelaststageofourdescenttothetownwasunusuallysteepandabrupt,andarockoutcroppingattheedgewherethegradechangedledustothinkthatanartificialterracehadonceexistedthere. Undertheglaciation,webelieved,theremustbeaflightofstepsoritsequivalent. 

           Whenatlastweplungedintothetownitself,clamberingoverfallenmasonryandshrinkingfromtheoppressivenearnessanddwarfingheightofomnipresentcrumblingandpittedwalls,oursensationsagainbecamesuchthatImarvelattheamountofself-controlweretained. Danforthwasfranklyjumpy,andbeganmakingsomeoffensivelyirrelevantspeculationsaboutthehorroratthecamp —whichIresentedallthemorebecauseIcouldnothelpsharingcertainconclusionsforceduponusbymanyfeaturesofthismorbidsurvivalfromnightmareantiquity. Thespeculationsworkedonhisimagination,too;forinoneplace—whereadebris-litteredalleyturnedasharpcorner—heinsistedthathesawfainttracesofgroundmarkingswhichhedidnotlike;