Хребти божевілля

           allowingustodistinguishvariousbare,bleak,blackishsummits,andtocatchthecurioussenseoffantasywhichtheyinspiredasseeninthereddishantarcticlightagainsttheprovocativebackgroundofiridescentice-dustclouds. Inthewholespectacletherewasapersistent,pervasivehintofstupendoussecrecyandpotentialrevelation. Itwasasifthesestark,nightmarespiresmarkedthepylonsofafrightfulgatewayintoforbiddenspheresofdream,andcomplexgulfsofremotetime,space,andultra-dimensionality. Icouldnothelpfeelingthattheywereevilthings—mountainsofmadnesswhosefartherslopeslookedoutoversomeaccursedultimateabyss. Thatseething,half-luminouscloudbackgroundheldineffablesuggestionsofavague,etherealbeyondnessfarmorethanterrestriallyspatial,andgaveappallingremindersoftheutterremoteness,separateness,desolation,andaeon-longdeathofthisuntroddenandunfathomedaustralworld. 

           ItwasyoungDanforthwhodrewournoticetothecuriousregularitiesofthehighermountainskyline—regularitieslikeclingingfragmentsofperfectcubes,whichLakehadmentionedinhismessages,andwhichindeedjustifiedhiscomparisonwiththedreamlikesuggestionsofprimordialtempleruins,oncloudyAsianmountaintopssosubtlyandstrangelypaintedbyRoerich. TherewasindeedsomethinghauntinglyRoerich-likeaboutthiswholeunearthlycontinentofmountainousmystery. IhadfeltitinOctoberwhenwefirstcaughtsightofVictoriaLand,andIfeltitafreshnow. Ifelt,too,anotherwaveofuneasyconsciousnessofArchaeanmythicalresemblances; ofhowdisturbinglythislethalrealmcorrespondedtotheevillyfamedplateauofLengintheprimalwritings.