Хребты безумия

           Acentralcourt—asinotherstructureswehadseenfromtheair—savedtheinnerregionsfromtotaldarkness; sothatweseldomhadtouseourelectrictorchesintheupperroomsexceptwhenstudyingsculptureddetails. Belowtheicecap,however,thetwilightdeepened;andinmanypartsofthetangledgroundleveltherewasanapproachtoabsoluteblackness. 

           Toformevenarudimentaryideaofourthoughtsandfeelingsaswepenetratedthisaeon-silentmazeofunhumanmasonry,onemustcorrelateahopelesslybewilderingchaosoffugitivemoods,memories,andimpressions. Thesheerappallingantiquityandlethaldesolationoftheplacewereenoughtooverwhelmalmostanysensitiveperson,butaddedtotheseelementsweretherecentunexplainedhorroratthecamp,andtherevelationsalltoosooneffectedbytheterriblemuralsculpturesaroundus. Themomentwecameuponaperfectsectionofcarving,wherenoambiguityofinterpretationcouldexist,ittookonlyabriefstudytogiveusthehideoustruth—atruthwhichitwouldbenaivetoclaimDanforthandIhadnotindependentlysuspectedbefore,thoughwehadcarefullyrefrainedfromevenhintingittoeachother. Therecouldnowbenofurthermercifuldoubtaboutthenatureofthebeingswhichhadbuiltandinhabitedthismonstrousdeadcitymillionsofyearsago,whenman’sancestorswereprimitivearchaicmammals,andvastdinosaursroamedthetropicalsteppesofEuropeandAsia. 

           Wehadpreviouslyclungtoadesperatealternativeandinsisted—eachtohimself—thattheomnipresenceofthefive-pointedmotifsmeantonlysomeculturalorreligiousexaltationoftheArchaeannaturalobjectwhichhadsopatentlyembodiedthequalityoffive-pointedness;