Хребти божевілля
XI
Hadthere,then,beenastruggleamongthoseothers,andweretheabsentfourresponsible? Ifso,wherewerethey? Weretheycloseathandandlikelytoformanimmediatemenacetous? Weglancedanxiouslyatsomeofthesmooth-flooredlateralpassagesaswecontinuedourslowandfranklyreluctantapproach. Whatevertheconflictwas,ithadclearlybeenthatwhichhadfrightenedthepenguinsintotheirunaccustomedwandering. Itmust,then,havearisennearthatfaintlyheardrookeryintheincalculablegulfbeyond,sincetherewerenosignsthatanybirdshadnormallydwelthere. Perhaps,wereflected,therehadbeenahideousrunningfight,withtheweakerpartyseekingtogetbacktothecachedsledgeswhentheirpursuersfinishedthem. Onecouldpicturethedemoniacfraybetweennamelesslymonstrousentitiesasitsurgedoutoftheblackabysswithgreatcloudsoffranticpenguinssquawkingandscurryingahead.
Isaythatweapproachedthosesprawlingandincompleteobstructionsslowlyandreluctantly. WouldtoHeavenwehadneverapproachedthematall,buthadrunbackattopspeedoutofthatblasphemoustunnelwiththegreasilysmoothfloorsandthedegeneratemuralsapingandmockingthethingstheyhadsuperseded —runback,beforewehadseenwhatwedidsee,andbeforeourmindswereburnedwithsomethingwhichwillneverletusbreatheeasilyagain!
Bothofourtorcheswereturnedontheprostrateobjects,sothatwesoonrealizedthedominantfactorintheirincompleteness. Mauled,compressed,twisted,andrupturedastheywere,theirchiefcommoninjurywastotaldecapitation.
