Хребти божевілля
V
Ofcourse,weknewthatsomething—chronology,scientifictheory,orourownconsciousness—waswoefullyawry;yetwekeptenoughpoisetoguidetheplane,observemanythingsquiteminutely,andtakeacarefulseriesofphotographswhichmayyetservebothusandtheworldingoodstead. Inmycase,ingrainedscientifichabitmayhavehelped;foraboveallmybewildermentandsenseofmenace,thereburnedadominantcuriositytofathommoreofthisage-oldsecret—toknowwhatsortofbeingshadbuiltandlivedinthisincalculablygiganticplace,andwhatrelationtothegeneralworldofitstimeorofothertimessouniqueaconcentrationoflifecouldhavehad.
Forthisplacecouldbenoordinarycity. Itmusthaveformedtheprimarynucleusandcenterofsomearchaicandunbelievablechapterofearth’shistorywhoseoutwardramifications,recalledonlydimlyinthemostobscureanddistortedmyths,hadvanishedutterlyamidstthechaosofterreneconvulsionslongbeforeanyhumanraceweknowhadshambledoutofapedom. HeresprawledaPalaeogaeanmegalopoliscomparedwithwhichthefabledAtlantisandLemuria,CommoriomandUzuldaroum,andOlathocinthelandofLomar,arerecentthingsoftoday—notevenofyesterday;amegalopolisrankingwithsuchwhisperedprehumanblasphemiesasValusia,R’lyeh,IbinthelandofMnar,andtheNamelesscityofArabiaDeserta. Asweflewabovethattangleofstarktitantowersmyimaginationsometimesescapedallboundsandrovedaimlesslyinrealmsoffantasticassociations—evenweavinglinksbetwixtthislostworldandsomeofmyownwildestdreamsconcerningthemadhorroratthecamp.
Theplane’sfueltank,intheinterestofgreaterlightness,hadbeenonlypartlyfilled; hencewenowhadtoexertcautioninourexplorations.
