Жах у музеї

           Fromthefirstitwasclearthattheshowmanwasinanunusualmood. Therewasacuriousmixtureofreluctanceandactualgloatinginhiswelcome,andhistalkatonceveeredtoextravagancesofthemosthideousandincrediblesort. 

           Survivingeldergods—namelesssacrifices—theotherthanartificialnatureofsomeofthealcovehorrors—alltheusualboasts,bututteredinatoneofpeculiarlyincreasingconfidence. Obviously,Jonesreflected,thepoorfellow’smadnesswasgainingonhim. FromtimetotimeRogerswouldsendfurtiveglancestowardtheheavy,padlockedinnerdoorattheendoftheroom,ortowardapieceofcoarseburlaponthefloornotfarfromit,beneathwhichsomesmallobjectappearedtobelying. Jonesgrewmorenervousasthemomentspassed,andbegantofeelashesitantaboutmentioningtheafternoon’sodditiesashehadformerlybeenanxioustodoso. 

           Rogers’sepulchrallyresonantbassalmostcrackedundertheexcitementofhisfeveredrambling.“ 

           Doyouremember,”heshouted,“whatItoldyouaboutthatruinedcityinIndo-ChinawheretheTcho-Tchoslived? YouhadtoadmitI’dbeentherewhenyousawthephotographs,evenifyoudidthinkImadethatoblongswimmerindarknessoutofwax. Ifyou’dseenitwrithingintheundergroundpoolsasIdid....“ 

           Well,thisisbiggerstill. Inevertoldyouaboutthis,becauseIwantedtoworkoutthelaterpartsbeforemakinganyclaim.