Тінь над Іннсмутом
Chapter 2
Wemetnooneontheroad,butpresentlybegantopassdesertedfarmsinvaryingstagesofruin.ThenInoticedafewinhabitedhouseswithragsstuffedinthebrokenwindowsandshellsanddeadfishlyingaboutthelitteredyards.OnceortwiceIsawlistless-lookingpeopleworkinginbarrengardensordiggingclamsonthefishy-smellingbeachbelow,andgroupsofdirty,simian-visagedchildrenplayingaroundweed-growndoorsteps.Somehowthesepeopleseemedmoredisquietingthanthedismalbuildings,foralmosteveryonehadcertainpeculiaritiesoffaceandmotionswhichIinstinctivelydislikedwithoutbeingabletodefineorcomprehendthem.ForasecondIthoughtthistypicalphysiquesuggestedsomepictureIhadseen,perhapsinabook,undercircumstancesofparticularhorrorormelancholy;butthispseudo-recollectionpassedveryquickly.
AsthebusreachedalowerlevelIbegantocatchthesteadynoteofawaterfallthroughtheunnaturalstillness,Theleaning,unpaintedhousesgrewthicker,linedbothsidesoftheroad,anddisplayedmoreurbantendenciesthandidthosewewereleavingbehind,Thepanoramaaheadhadcontractedtoastreetscene,andinspotsIcouldseewhereacobblestonepavementandstretchesofbricksidewalkhadformerlyexisted.Allthehouseswereapparentlydeserted,andtherewereoccasionalgapswheretumbledownchimneysandcellarwallstoldofbuildingsthathadcollapsed.Pervadingeverythingwasthemostnauseousfishyodourimaginable.
Sooncrossstreetsandjunctionsbegantoappear;thoseontheleftleadingtoshorewardrealmsofunpavedsqualoranddecay,whilethoseontherightshewedvistasofdepartedgrandeur.SofarIhadseennopeopleinthetown,buttherenowcamesignsofasparsehabitation—curtainedwindowshereandthere,andanoccasionalbatteredmotorcaratthecurb.
