Тінь над Іннсмутом
Chapter 2
Helookedcuriouslyatmeforasecondashereturnedfortycentschangewithoutspeaking.Itookaseatfarbehindhim,butonthesamesideofthebus,sinceIwishedtowatchtheshoreduringthejourney.
Atlengththedecrepitvehiclestaredwithajerk,andrattlednoisilypasttheoldbrickbuildingsofStateStreetamidstacloudofvapourfromtheexhaust.Glancingatthepeopleonthesidewalks,IthoughtIdetectedinthemacuriouswishtoavoidlookingatthebus—oratleastawishtoavoidseemingtolookatit.ThenweturnedtotheleftintoHighStreet,wherethegoingwassmoother;flyingbystatelyoldmansionsoftheearlyrepublicandstilloldercolonialfarmhouses,passingtheLowerGreenandParkerRiver,andfinallyemergingintoalong,monotonousstretchofopenshorecountry.
Thedaywaswarmandsunny,butthelandscapeofsandandsedge-grass,andstuntedshrubberybecamemoreanddesolateasweproceeded.OutthewindowIcouldseethebluewaterandthesandylineofPlumIsland,andwepresentlydrewverynearthebeachasournarrowroadveeredofffromthemainhighwaytoRowleyandIpswich.Therewerenovisiblehouses,andIcouldtellbythestateoftheroadthattrafficwasverylighthereabouts.Theweather-worntelephonepolescarriedonlytwowires.Nowandthenwecrossedcrudewoodenbridgesovertidalcreeksthatwoundfarinlandandpromotedthegeneralisolationoftheregion.
OnceinawhileInoticeddeadstumpsandcrumblingfoundation-wallsabovethedriftingsand,andrecalledtheoldtraditionquotedinoneofthehistoriesIhadread,thatthiswasonceafertileandthickly-settledcountryside.Thechange,itwassaid,camesimultaneouslywiththeInnsmouthepidemicofl846,andwasthoughtbysimplefolktohaveadarkconnectionwithhiddenforcesofevil.
