Хребти божевілля
V
Wehadmerelystruck,atrandom,alimitedpartofsomethingofincalculableextent. Thefoothillsweremoresparselysprinkledwithgrotesquestonestructures,linkingtheterriblecitytothealreadyfamiliarcubesandrampartswhichevidentlyformeditsmountainoutposts. Theselatter,aswellasthequeercavemouths,wereasthickontheinnerasontheoutersidesofthemountains.
Thenamelessstonelabyrinthconsisted,forthemostpart,ofwallsfromtentoonehundredandfiftyfeetinice-clearheight,andofathicknessvaryingfromfivetotenfeet. Itwascomposedmostlyofprodigiousblocksofdarkprimordialslate,schist,andsandstone—blocksinmanycasesaslargeas4x6x8feet—thoughinseveralplacesitseemedtobecarvedoutofasolid,unevenbedrockofpreCambrianslate. Thebuildingswerefarfromequalinsize,therebeinginnumerablehoneycombarrangementsofenormousextentaswellassmallerseparatestructures. Thegeneralshapeofthesethingstendedtobeconical,pyramidal,orterraced;thoughthereweremanyperfectcylinders,perfectcubes,clustersofcubes,andotherrectangularforms,andapeculiarsprinklingofanglededificeswhosefive-pointedgroundplanroughlysuggestedmodernfortifications. Thebuildershadmadeconstantandexpertuseoftheprincipleofthearch,anddomeshadprobablyexistedinthecity’sheyday.
Thewholetanglewasmonstrouslyweathered,andtheglacialsurfacefromwhichthetowersprojectedwasstrewnwithfallenblocksandimmemorialdebris. Wheretheglaciationwastransparentwecouldseethelowerpartsofthegiganticpiles,andwenoticedtheice-preservedstonebridgeswhichconnectedthedifferenttowersatvaryingdistancesabovetheground.
