Цвет из иных миров

           AmmilistenedwithoutinteresttothistalkuntilonenightwhenhedrovepastNahum’shouseinhissleighonthewaybackfromClark’sCorners.Therehadbeenamoon,andarabbithadrunacrosstheroad,andtheleapsofthatrabbitwerelongerthaneitherAmmiorhishorseliked.Thelatter,indeed,hadalmostrunawaywhenbroughtupbyafirmrein.ThereafterAmmigaveNahum’stalesmorerespect,andwonderedwhytheGardnerdogsseemedsocowedandquiveringeverymorning.Theyhad,itdeveloped,nearlylostthespirittobark.

           InFebruarytheMcGregorboysfromMeadowHillwereoutshootingwoodchucks,andnotfarfromtheGardnerplacebaggedaverypeculiarspecimen.Theproportionsofitsbodyseemedslightlyalteredinaqueerwayimpossibletodescribe,whileitsfacehadtakenonanexpressionwhichnooneeversawinawoodchuckbefore.Theboysweregenuinelyfrightened,andthrewthethingawayatonce,sothatonlytheirgrotesquetalesofiteverreachedthepeopleofthecountryside.ButtheshyingofthehorsesnearNahum’shousehadnowbecomeanacknowledgedthing,andallthebasisforacycleofwhisperedlegendwasfasttakingform.

           PeoplevowedthatthesnowmeltedfasteraroundNahum’sthanitdidanywhereelse,andearlyinMarchtherewasanaweddiscussioninPotter’sgeneralstoreatClark’sCorners.StephenRicehaddrivenpastGardner’sinthemorning,andhadnoticedtheskunk-cabbagescomingupthroughthemudbythewoodsacrosstheroad.Neverwerethingsofsuchsizeseenbefore,andtheyheldstrangecoloursthatcouldnotbeputintoanywords.