Хребты безумия
VIII
IamnotasscepticalaboutoldtalesandfearsasIusedtobe,andIdonotlaughnowattheprehumansculptor’snotionthatlightningpausedmeaningfullynowandthenateachofthebroodingcrests,andthatanunexplainedglowshonefromoneofthoseterriblepinnaclesallthroughthelongpolarnight. TheremaybeaveryrealandverymonstrousmeaningintheoldPnakoticwhispersaboutKadathintheColdWaste.
Buttheterraincloseathandwashardlylessstrange,eveniflessnamelesslyaccursed. Soonafterthefoundingofthecitythegreatmountainrangebecametheseatoftheprincipaltemples,andmanycarvingsshowedwhatgrotesqueandfantastictowershadpiercedtheskywherenowwesawonlythecuriouslyclingingcubesandramparts. Inthecourseofagesthecaveshadappeared,andhadbeenshapedintoadjunctsofthetemples. Withtheadvanceofstilllaterepochs,allthelimestoneveinsoftheregionwerehollowedoutbygroundwaters,sothatthemountains,thefoothills,andtheplainsbelowthemwereaveritablenetworkofconnectedcavernsandgalleries. Manygraphicsculpturestoldofexplorationsdeepunderground,andofthefinaldiscoveryoftheStygiansunlessseathatlurkedatearth’sbowels.
Thisvastnightedgulfhadundoubtedlybeenwornbythegreatriverwhichfloweddownfromthenamelessandhorriblewestwardmountains,andwhichhadformerlyturnedatthebaseoftheOldOnes’rangeandflowedbesidethatchainintotheIndianOceanbetweenBuddandTottenLandsonWilkes’scoastline. Littlebylittleithadeatenawaythelimestonehillbaseatitsturning,tillatlastitssappingcurrentsreachedthecavernsofthegroundwatersandjoinedwiththemindiggingadeeperabyss. Finallyitswholebulkemptiedintothehollowhillsandlefttheoldbedtowardtheoceandry.
