Ужас Данвича
Chapter 7
SomeonetelephonedthenewstotheAylesburyTranscript; buttheeditor,accustomedtowildtalesfromDunwich,didnomorethanconcoctahumorousparagraphaboutit; anitemsoonafterwardsreproducedbytheAssociatedPress.
Thatnighteveryonewenthome,andeveryhouseandbarnwasbarricadedasstoutlyaspossible. Needlesstosay,nocattlewereallowedtoremaininopenpasturage. AbouttwointhemorningafrightfulstenchandthesavagebarkingofthedogsawakenedthehouseholdatElmerFrye’s,ontheeasternedgeofColdSpringGlen,andallagreedthattheycouldhearasortofmuffledswishingorlappingsoundfromsomewhereoutside. MrsFryeproposedtelephoningtheneighbours,andElmerwasabouttoagreewhenthenoiseofsplinteringwoodburstinupontheirdeliberations. Itcame,apparently,fromthebarn; andwasquicklyfollowedbyahideousscreamingandstampingamongstthecattle. Thedogsslaveredandcrouchedclosetothefeetofthefear-numbedfamily. Fryelitalanternthroughforceofhabit,butknewitwouldbedeathtogooutintothatblackfarmyard. Thechildrenandthewomen-folkwhimpered,keptfromscreamingbysomeobscure,vestigialinstinctofdefencewhichtoldthemtheirlivesdependedonsilence. Atlastthenoiseofthecattlesubsidedtoapitifulmoaning,andagreatsnapping,crashing,andcracklingensued. TheFryes,huddledtogetherinthesitting-room,didnotdaretomoveuntilthelastechoesdiedawayfardowninColdSpringGlen.
