Ужас в музее

           Thatandmore,forinsteadofOrabonaitwillbeoneofhighdegreewhohaddoubtedyou. Youshallcrushanddrainhim,withallhisdoubts,andgrowstrongthereby. Andeverafteramongmenheshallbeshewnasamonumenttoyourglory. Rhan-Tegoth,infiniteandinvincible,Iamyourslaveandhigh-priest. Youarehungry,andIprovide. Ireadthesignandhaveledyouforth. Ishallfeedyouwithblood,andyoushallfeedmewithpower. Iä!Shub-Niggurath!TheGoatwithaThousandYoung!” 

           InaninstantalltheterrorsofthenightdroppedfromJoneslikeadiscardedcloak. Hewasagainmasterofhismind,forheknewtheveryearthlyandmaterialperilhehadtodealwith. Thiswasnomonsteroffable,butadangerousmadman. ItwasRogers,dressedinsomenightmarecoveringofhisowninsanedesigning,andabouttomakeafrightfulsacrificetothedevil-godhehadfashionedoutofwax. Clearly,hemusthaveenteredtheworkroomfromtherearcourtyard,donnedhisdisguise,andthenadvancedtoseizehisneatlytrappedandfear-brokenvictim. Hisstrengthwasprodigious,andifhewastobethwarted,onemustactquickly. Countingonthemadman’sconfidenceinhisunconsciousnesshedeterminedtotakehimbysurprise,whilehisgraspwasrelativelylax. Thefeelofathresholdtoldhimhewascrossingintothepitch-blackworkroom. 

           WiththestrengthofmortalfearJonesmadeasuddenspringfromthehalf-recumbentpostureinwhichhewasbeingdragged. Foraninstanthewasfreeoftheastonishedmaniac’shands,andinanotherinstantaluckylungeinthedarkhadputhisownhandsathiscaptor’sweirdlyconcealedthroat.