Ужас в музее
Chapter 1
Rogersseemedtonoticehisguest’snervousness,andcontinuedwithadistinctlyevilsmile.“
ItwaslastyearthatIgotIt,andeversincethenI’vebeentryingritesandsacrifices. Orabonahasn’tbeenmuchhelp,forhewasalwaysagainsttheideaofwakingIt. HehatesIt—probablybecausehe’safraidofwhatItwillcometomean. Hecarriesapistolallthetimetoprotecthimself—fool,asiftherewerehumanprotectionagainstIt! IfIeverseehimdrawthatpistol,I’llstranglehim. HewantedmetokillItandmakeaneffigyofIt. ButI’vestuckbymyplans,andI’mcomingoutontopinspiteofallthecowardslikeOrabonaanddamnedsniggeringscepticslikeyou,Jones! I’vechantedtheritesandmadecertainsacrifices,andlastweekthetransitioncame. Thesacrificewas—receivedandenjoyed!”
Rogersactuallylickedhislips,whileJonesheldhimselfuneasilyrigid. Theshowmanpausedandrose,crossingtheroomtothepieceofburlapatwhichhehadglancedsooften. Bendingdown,hetookholdofonecornerashespokeagain.
“You’velaughedenoughatmywork—nowit’stimeforyoutogetsomefacts. Orabonatellsmeyouheardadogscreamingaroundherethisafternoon. Doyouknowwhatthatmeant?”
Jonesstarted. Forallhiscuriosityhewouldhavebeengladtogetoutwithoutfurtherlightonthepointwhichhadsopuzzledhim. ButRogerswasinexorable,andbegantoliftthesquareofburlap. Beneathitlayacrushed,almostshapelessmasswhichJoneswasslowtoclassify.
