Жах у музеї

           Wesawthebonesofotherswhohadbeenbeforeus—aeonsago,whentheclimatewaswarm. Someoftheseboneswereofthingsyoucouldn’tevenimagine. Atthethirdleveldownwefoundtheivorythronethefragmentssaidsomuchabout—andImayaswelltellyouitwasn’tempty.“ 

           Thethingonthatthronedidn’tmove—andweknewthenthatItneededthenourishmentofsacrifice. Butwedidn’twanttowakeItthen.BettertogetIttoLondonfirst. OrabonaandIwenttothesurfaceforthebigbox,butwhenwehadpackeditwecouldn’tgetItupthethreeflightsofsteps. Thesestepsweren’tmadeforhumanbeings,andtheirsizebotheredus. Anyway,itwasdevilishheavy. WehadtohavetheAmericansdowntogetItout. Theyweren’tanxioustogointotheplace,butofcoursetheworstthingwassafelyinsidethebox. Wetoldthemitwasabatchofivorycarvings—archaeologicalstuff;andafterseeingthecarvedthronetheyprobablybelievedus. It’sawondertheydidn’tsuspecthiddentreasureanddemandashare. TheymusthavetoldqueertalesaroundNomelateron;thoughIdoubtiftheyeverwentbacktothoseruins,evenfortheivorythrone.” 

           Rogerspaused,feltaroundinhisdesk,andproducedanenvelopeofgood-sizedphotographicprints. Extractingoneandlayingitfacedownbeforehim,hehandedtheresttoJones. Thesetwascertainlyanoddone: ice-cladhills,dogsledges,meninfurs,andvasttumbledruinsagainstabackgroundofsnow—ruinswhosebizarreoutlinesandenormousstoneblockscouldhardlybeaccountedfor.