Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда

           Theextentofthishowlingcanbejudgedfromthespaceitreceivedinthepapersthenextday,buttothoseintheWardhouseholditwasovershadowedbytheodorwhichinstantlyfollowedit;ahideous,all-pervasiveodorwhichnonofthemhadeversmeltbeforeorhaveeversmeltsince.Inthemidstofthismephiticfloodtherecameaveryperceptibleflashlikethatoflightning,whichwouldhavebeenblindingandimpressivebutforthedaylightaround;andthenwasheardthevoicethatnolistenercaneverforgetbecauseofitsthunderousremoteness,itsincredibledepth,anditseldritchdissimilaritytoCharlesWard’svoice.Itshookthehouse,andwasclearlyheardbyatleasttwoneighborsabovethehowlingofthedogs.Mrs.Ward,whohadbeenlisteningindespairoutsideherson’slockedlaboratory,shiveredassherecognizeditshellishimports;forCharleshadtoldofitsevilfameindarkbooks,andofthemannerinwhichithadthundered,accordingtotheFennerletter,abovethedoomedPawtuxetfarmhouseonthenightofJosephCurwen’sannihilation.Therewasnomistakingthatnightmarephrase,forCharleshaddescribedittoovividlyintheolddayswhenhehadtalkedfranklyofhisCurweninvestigations.Andyetitwasonlythisfragmentofanarchaicandforgottenlanguage:’DIESMIESJESCHETBOENEDOESEFDOUVEMAENITEMAUS.’

           Closeuponthisthunderingtherecameamomentarydarkeningofthedaylight,thoughsunsetwasstillanhourdistant,andthenapuffofaddedodordifferentfromthefirstbutequallyunknownandintolerable.