Ужас в музее
Chapter 2
ThenextdayacoupleofmenfromScotlandYardlookeditoverandsaiditwastoomorbidtobeshewn. Saidwe’dhavetoremoveit. Itwasatremendousshame—suchamasterpieceofart—butIdidn’tfeeljustifiedinappealingtothecourtsinMr.Rogers’absence. Hewouldnotlikesomuchpublicitywiththepolicenow—butwhenhegetsback—whenhegetsback—“
ForsomereasonorotherJonesfeltamountingtideofuneasinessandrepulsion. ButOrabonawascontinuing.“
Youareaconnoisseur,Mr.Jones. IamsureIviolatenolawinofferingyouaprivateview. Itmaybe—subject,ofcourse,toMr.Rogers’wishes—thatweshalldestroythespecimensomeday—butthatwouldbeacrime.”
Joneshadapowerfulimpulsetorefusethesightandfleeprecipitately,butOrabonawasleadinghimforwardbythearmwithanartist’senthusiasm. Theadultalcove,crowdedwithnamelesshorrors,heldnovisitors. Inthefarthercorneralargenichehadbeencurtainedoff,andtothisthesmilingassistantadvanced.“
Youmustknow,Mr.Jones,thatthetitleofthisspecimenis‘TheSacrificetoRhan-Tegoth’.”
Jonesstartedviolently,butOrabonaappearednottonotice.“
Theshapeless,colossalgodisafeatureincertainobscurelegendswhichMr.Rogershasstudied. Allnonsense,ofcourse,asyou’vesooftenassuredMr.Rogers. Itissupposedtohavecomefromouterspace,andtohavelivedintheArcticthreemillionyearsago.
