Тінь над Іннсмутом
Chapter 4
Themoonbeamsdidnotreachdownhere,butIcouldjustseemywayaboutwithoutusingtheflashlight.SomeofthewindowsontheGilmanHousesidewerefaintlyglowing,andIthoughtIheardconfusedsoundswithin.WalkingsoftlyovertotheWashingtonStreetsideIperceivedseveralopendoorways,andchosethenearestasmyrouteout.Thehallwayinsidewasblack,andwhenIreachedtheoppositeendIsawthatthestreetdoorwaswedgedimmovablyshut.Resolvedtotryanotherbuilding,Igropedmywaybacktowardthecourtyard,butstoppedshortwhenclosetothedoorway.
ForoutofanopeneddoorintheGilmanHousealargecrowdofdoubtfulshapeswaspouring—lanternsbobbinginthedarkness,andhorriblecroakingvoicesexchanginglowcriesinwhatwascertainlynotEnglish.Thefiguresmoveduncertainly,andIrealizedtomyreliefthattheydidnotknowwhereIhadgone;butforallthattheysentashiverofhorrorthroughmyframe.Theirfeatureswereindistinguishable,buttheircrouching,shamblinggaitwasabominablyrepellent.Andworstofall,Iperceivedthatonefigurewasstrangelyrobed,andunmistakablysurmountedbyatalltiaraofadesignaltogethertoofamiliar.Asthefiguresspreadthroughoutthecourtyard,Ifeltmyfearsincrease.SupposeIcouldfindnoegressfromthisbuildingonthestreetside?Thefishyodourwasdetestable,andIwonderedIcouldstanditwithoutfainting.Againgropingtowardthestreet,Iopenedadooroffthehallandcameuponanemptyroomwithcloselyshutteredbutsashlesswindows.
