Жах у музеї

           Therewerelumpishhybridthingswhichonlyfantasycouldspawn,mouldedwithdevilishskill,andcolouredinahorriblylife-likefashion. 

           Somewerethefiguresofwell-knownmyth—gorgons,chimaeras,dragons,cyclops,andalltheirshuddersomecongeners. Othersweredrawnfromdarkerandmorefurtivelywhisperedcyclesofsubterraneanlegend—black,formlessTsathoggua,many-tentacledCthulhu,proboscidianChaugnarFaugn,andotherrumouredblasphemiesfromforbiddenbooksliketheNecronomicon,theBookofEibon,ortheUnaussprechlichenKultenofvonJunzt. ButtheworstwerewhollyoriginalwithRogers,andrepresentedshapeswhichnotaleofantiquityhadeverdaredtosuggest. Severalwerehideousparodiesonformsoforganiclifeweknow,whileothersseemedtakenfromfeverishdreamsofotherplanetsandothergalaxies. ThewilderpaintingsofClarkAshtonSmithmightsuggestafew—butnothingcouldsuggesttheeffectofpoignant,loathsometerrorcreatedbytheirgreatsizeandfiendishlycunningworkmanship,andbythediabolicallycleverlightingconditionsunderwhichtheywereexhibited. 

           StephenJones,asaleisurelyconnoisseurofthebizarreinart,hadsoughtoutRogershimselfinthedingyofficeandworkroombehindthevaultedmuseumchamber—anevil-lookingcryptlighteddimlybydustywindowssetslit-likeandhorizontalinthebrickwallonalevelwiththeancientcobblestonesofahiddencourtyard. Itwasherethattheimageswererepaired—here,too,wheresomeofthemhadbeenmade.