Тінь над Іннсмутом
Chapter 1
Thatitem,gatheredbychanceinahauntofsailors,seemedindeedratherfar-fetched;sincethelow,blackreeflayafullmileandahalfoutfromInnsmouthHarbour.
Peoplearoundthecountryandinthenearbytownsmutteredagreatdealamongthemselves,butsaidverylittletotheouterworld.Theyhadtalkedaboutdyingandhalf-desertedInnsmouthfornearlyacentury,andnothingnewcouldbewilderormorehideousthanwhattheyhadwhisperedandhintedatyearsbefore.Manythingshadtaughtthemsecretiveness,andtherewasnoneedtoexertpressureonthem.Besides,theyreallyknewlittle;forwidesaltmarshes,desolateandunpeopled,keptneighborsofffromInnsmouthonthelandwardside.
ButatlastIamgoingtodefythebanonspeechaboutthisthing.Results,Iamcertain,aresothoroughthatnopublicharmsaveashockofrepulsioncouldeveraccruefromahintingofwhatwasfoundbythosehorrifiedmenatInnsmouth.Besides,whatwasfoundmightpossiblyhavemorethanoneexplanation.Idonotknowjusthowmuchofthewholetalehasbeentoldeventome,andIhavemanyreasonsfornotwishingtoprobedeeper.Formycontactwiththisaffairhasbeencloserthanthatofanyotherlayman,andIhavecarriedawayimpressionswhichareyettodrivemetodrasticmeasures.
ItwasIwhofledfranticallyoutofInnsmouthintheearlymorninghoursofJuly16,1927,andwhosefrightenedappealsforgovernmentinquiryandactionbroughtonthewholereportedepisode.Iwaswillingenoughtostaymutewhiletheaffairwasfreshanduncertain;butnowthatitisanoldstory,withpublicinterestandcuriositygone,Ihaveanoddcravingtowhisperaboutthosefewfrightfulhoursinthatill-rumoredandevilly-shadowedseaportofdeathandblasphemousabnormality.
