Хребти божевілля
V
whilstelsewherehestoppedtolistentoasubtle,imaginarysoundfromsomeundefinedpoint—amuffledmusicalpiping,hesaid,notunlikethatofthewindinthemountaincaves,yetsomehowdisturbinglydifferent. Theceaselessfive-pointednessofthesurroundingarchitectureandofthefewdistinguishablemuralarabesqueshadadimlysinistersuggestivenesswecouldnotescape,andgaveusatouchofterriblesubconsciouscertaintyconcerningtheprimalentitieswhichhadrearedanddweltinthisunhallowedplace.
Nevertheless,ourscientificandadventuroussoulswerenotwhollydead,andwemechanicallycarriedoutourprogramofchippingspecimensfromallthedifferentrocktypesrepresentedinthemasonry. Wewishedaratherfullsetinordertodrawbetterconclusionsregardingtheageoftheplace. NothinginthegreatouterwallsseemedtodatefromlaterthantheJurassicandComanchianperiods,norwasanypieceofstoneintheentireplaceofagreaterrecencythanthePlioceneAge. Instarkcertainty,wewerewanderingamidstadeathwhichhadreignedatleastfivehundredthousandyears,andinallprobabilityevenlonger.
Asweproceededthroughthismazeofstone-shadowedtwilightwestoppedatallavailableaperturestostudyinteriorsandinvestigateentrancepossibilities. Somewereaboveourreach,whilstothersledonlyintoice-chokedruinsasunroofedandbarrenastherampartonthehill. One,thoughspaciousandinviting,openedonaseeminglybottomlessabysswithoutvisiblemeansofdescent. Nowandthenwehadachancetostudythepetrifiedwoodofasurvivingshutter,andwereimpressedbythefabulousantiquityimpliedinthestilldiscerniblegrain.
