A Nightmare And A Cataclysm

           AndnowswiftlyfollowedthathideousexperiencewhichhasleftitsindeliblemarkoffearonthesoulofMarinusBicknellWillett,andhasaddedadecadetothevisibleageofonewhoseyouthwaseventhenfarbehind.Dr.WilletthadconferredatlengthwithMr.Ward,andhadcometoanagreementwithhimonseveralpointswhichbothfeltthealienistswouldridicule.Therewas,theyconceded,aterriblemovementaliveintheworld,whosedirectconnectionwithanecromancyevenolderthantheSalemwitchcraftcouldnotbedoubted.Thatatleasttwolivingmen—andoneotherofwhomtheydarednotthink—wereinabsolutepossessionofmindsorpersonalitieswhichhadfunctionedasearlyas1690orbeforewaslikewisealmostunassailablyprovedeveninthefaceofallknownnaturallaws.Whatthesehorriblecreatures—andCharlesWardaswell—weredoingortryingtodoseemedfairlyclearfromtheirlettersandfromeverybitoflightbotholdandnewwhichhadfilteredinuponthecase.Theywererobbingthetombsofalltheages,includingthoseoftheworld’swisestandgreatestmen,inthehopeofrecoveringfromthebygoneashessomevestigeoftheconsciousnessandlorewhichhadonceanimatedandinformedthem.

           Ahideoustrafficwasgoingonamongthesenightmareghouls,wherebyillustriousboneswerebarteredwiththecalmcalculativenessofschoolboysswappingbooks;andfromwhatwasextortedfromthiscenturieddusttherewasanticipatedapowerandawisdombeyondanythingwhichthecosmoshadeverseenconcenteredinonemanorgroup.