Хребти божевілля
VIII
ThenewlybredShoggothsgrewtoenormoussizeandsingularintelligence,andwererepresentedastakingandexecutingorderswithmarvelousquickness. TheyseemedtoconversewiththeOldOnesbymimickingtheirvoices—asortofmusicalpipingoverawiderange,ifpoorLake’sdissectionhadindicatedaright—andtoworkmorefromspokencommandsthanfromhypnoticsuggestionsasinearliertimes. Theywere,however,keptinadmirablecontrol. ThephosphorescentorganismssuppliedlightWithvasteffectiveness,anddoubtlessatonedforthelossofthefamiliarpolaraurorasoftheouter-worldnight.
Artanddecorationwerepursued,thoughofcoursewithacertaindecadence. TheOldOnesseemedtorealizethisfallingoffthemselves,andinmanycasesanticipatedthepolicyofConstantinetheGreatbytransplantingespeciallyfineblocksofancientcarvingfromtheirlandcity,justastheemperor,inasimilarageofdecline,strippedGreeceandAsiaoftheirfinestarttogivehisnewByzantinecapitalgreatersplendorsthanitsownpeoplecouldcreate. Thatthetransferofsculpturedblockshadnotbeenmoreextensivewasdoubtlessowingtothefactthatthelandcitywasnotatfirstwhollyabandoned. Bythetimetotalabandonmentdidoccur—anditsurelymusthaveoccurredbeforethepolarPleistocenewasfaradvanced—theOldOneshadperhapsbecomesatisfiedwiththeirdecadentart—orhadceasedtorecognizethesuperiormeritoftheoldercarvings. Atanyrate,theaeon-silentruinsaroundushadcertainlyundergonenowholesalesculpturaldenudation,thoughallthebestseparatestatues,likeothermovables,hadbeentakenaway.
Thedecadentcartouchesanddadoestellingthisstorywere,asIhavesaid,thelatestwecouldfindinourlimitedsearch.
