Хребти божевілля
V
Thebuildingthusaccessiblewasaseriesofrectangularterracesonourleftfacingwestward. Thatacrossthealley,wheretheotherarchwayyawned,wasadecrepitcylinderwithnowindowsandwithacuriousbulgeabouttenfeetabovetheaperture. Itwastotallydarkinside,andthearchwayseemedtoopenonawellofillimitableemptiness.
Heapeddebrismadetheentrancetothevastleft-handbuildingdoublyeasy,yetforamomentwehesitatedbeforetakingadvantageofthelong-wishedchance. Forthoughwehadpenetratedintothistangleofarchaicmystery,itrequiredfreshresolutiontocarryusactuallyinsideacompleteandsurvivingbuildingofafabulouselderworldwhosenaturewasbecomingmoreandmorehideouslyplaintous. Intheend,however,wemadetheplunge,andscrambledupovertherubbleintothegapingembrasure. Thefloorbeyondwasofgreatslateslabs,andseemedtoformtheoutletofalong,highcorridorwithsculpturedwalls.
Observingthemanyinnerarchwayswhichledofffromit,andrealizingtheprobablecomplexityofthenestofapartmentswithin,wedecidedthatwemustbeginoursystemofhare-and-houndtrailblazing. Hithertoourcompasses,togetherwithfrequentglimpsesofthevastmountainrangebetweenthetowersinourrear,hadbeenenoughtopreventourlosingourway;butfromnowon,theartificialsubstitutewouldbenecessary. Accordinglywereducedourextrapapertoshredsofsuitablesize,placedtheseinabagtobecarriedbyDanforth,andpreparedtousethemaseconomicallyassafetywouldallow. Thismethodwouldprobablygainusimmunityfromstraying,sincetheredidnotappeartobeanystrongaircurrentsinsidetheprimordialmasonry.
