Тінь над Іннсмутом

           "Thatwasbeforethebigepidemicof1846,whenoverhalfthefolksinInnsmouthwascarriedoff.Theyneverdidquitefigureoutwhatthetroublewas,butitwasprobablysomeforeignkindofdiseasebroughtfromChinaorsomewherebytheshipping.Itsurelywasbadenough—therewasriotsoverit,andallsortsofghastlydoingsthatIdon’tbelieveevergotoutsideoftown—anditlefttheplaceinawfulshape.Nevercameback—therecan’tbemore’n300or400peoplelivingtherenow.

           "Buttherealthingbehindthewayfolksfeelissimplyraceprejudice—andIdon’tsayI’mblamingthosethatholdit.IhatethoseInnsmouthfolksmyself,andIwouldn’tcaretogototheirtown.Is’poseyouknow—thoughIcanseeyou’reaWesternerbyyourtalk—whatalotourNewEnglandshipsusedtohavetodowithqueerportsinAfrica,Asia,theSouthSeas,andeverywhereelse,andwhatqueerkindsofpeopletheysometimesbroughtbackwith’em.You’veprobablyheardabouttheSalemmanthatcamehomewithaChinesewife,andmaybeyouknowthere’sstillabunchofFijiIslanderssomewherearoundCapeCod.

           "Well,theremustbesomethinglikethatbackoftheInnsmouthpeople.Theplacealwayswasbadlycutofffromtherestofthecountrybymarshesandcreeksandwecan’tbesureabouttheinsandoutsofthematter;butit’sprettyclearthatoldCaptainMarshmusthavebroughthomesomeoddspecimenswhenhehadallthreeofhisshipsincommissionbackinthetwentiesandthirties.TherecertainlyisastrangekindofstreakintheInnsmouthfolkstoday—Idon’tknowhowtoexplainitbutitsortofmakesyoucrawl.You’llnoticealittleinSargentifyoutakehisbus.Someof’emhavequeernarrowheadswithflatnosesandbulgy,staryeyesthatneverseemtoshut,andtheirskinain’tquiteright.