Хребти божевілля
XI
GreatGod! WhatmadnessmadeeventhoseblasphemousOldOneswillingtouseandcarvesuchthings?
Andnow,whenDanforthandIsawthefreshlyglisteningandreflectivelyiridescentblackslimewhichclungthicklytothoseheadlessbodiesandstankobscenelywiththatnew,unknownodorwhosecauseonlyadiseasedfancycouldenvisage—clungtothosebodiesandsparkledlessvoluminouslyonasmoothpartoftheaccursedlyresculpturedwallinaseriesofgroupeddots—weunderstoodthequalityofcosmicfeartoitsuttermostdepths. Itwasnotfearofthosefourmissingothers—foralltoowelldidwesuspecttheywoulddonoharmagain. Poordevils! Afterall,theywerenotevilthingsoftheirkind. Theywerethemenofanotherageandanotherorderofbeing. Naturehadplayedahellishjestonthem—asitwillonanyothersthathumanmadness,callousness,orcrueltymayhereafterdigupinthathideouslydeadorsleepingpolarwaste—andthiswastheirtragichomecoming. Theyhadnotbeenevensavages—forwhatindeedhadtheydone? Thatawfulawakeninginthecoldofanunknownepoch—perhapsanattackbythefurry,franticallybarkingquadrupeds,andadazeddefenseagainstthemandtheequallyfranticwhitesimianswiththequeerwrappingsandparaphernalia...poorLake,poorGedney...andpoorOldOnes! Scientiststothelast—whathadtheydonethatwewouldnothavedoneintheirplace? God,whatintelligenceandpersistence! Whatafacingoftheincredible,justasthosecarvenkinsmenandforbearshadfacedthingsonlyalittlelessincredible! Radiates,vegetables,monstrosities,starspawn—whatevertheyhadbeen,theyweremen!
Theyhadcrossedtheicypeaksonwhosetempledslopestheyhadonceworshippedandroamedamongthetreeferns.
