Тінь над Іннсмутом

           AsweclankedoverthebridgeIlookedoutonbothsidesandobservedsomefactorybuildingsontheedgeofthegrassyblufforpartwaydown.Thewaterfarbelowwasveryabundant,andIcouldseetwovigoroussetsoffallsupstreamonmyrightandatleastonedownstreamonmyleft.Fromthispointthenoisewasquitedeafening.Thenwerolledintothelargesemicircularsquareacrosstheriveranddrewupontheright-handsideinfrontofatall,cupolacrownedbuildingwithremnantsofyellowpaintandwithahalf-effacedsignproclaimingittobetheGilmanHouse.

           Iwasgladtogetoutofthatbus,andatonceproceededtocheckmyvaliseintheshabbyhotellobby.Therewasonlyonepersoninsight—anelderlymanwithoutwhatIhadcometocallthe"Innsmouthlook"—andIdecidednottoaskhimanyofthequestionswhichbotheredme;rememberingthatoddthingshadbeennoticedinthishotel.Instead,Istrolledoutonthesquare,fromwhichthebushadalreadygone,andstudiedthesceneminutelyandappraisingly.

           Onesideofthecobblestonedopenspacewasthestraightlineoftheriver;theotherwasasemicircleofslant-roofedbrickbuildingsofaboutthe1800period,fromwhichseveralstreetsradiatedawaytothesoutheast,south,andsouthwest.Lampsweredepressinglyfewandsmall—alllow-poweredincandescents—andIwasgladthatmyplanscalledfordeparturebeforedark,eventhoughIknewthemoonwouldbebright.Thebuildingswereallinfaircondition,andincludedperhapsadozenshopsincurrentoperation;ofwhichonewasagroceryoftheFirstNationalchain,othersadismalrestaurant,adrugstore,andawholesalefish-dealer’soffice,andstillanother,attheeastwardextremityofthesquareneartheriveranofficeofthetown’sonlyindustry—theMarshRefiningCompany.