Жах у музеї
Chapter 2
Theutter,insaneconfidenceandsincerityinthatcrazedwhisperweredamnablycontagious. Imagination,withsuchastimulus,couldfindanactivemenaceinthedevilishwaxfigurethatlurkedunseenjustbeyondtheheavyplanking. Eyeingthedoorinunholyfascination,Jonesnoticedthatitboreseveraldistinctcracks,thoughnomarksofviolenttreatmentwerevisibleonthisside. Hewonderedhowlargearoomorclosetlaybehindit,andhowthewaxenfigurewasarranged. Themaniac’sideaofatankandrunwaywasascleverasallhisotherimaginings.
Then,inoneterribleinstant,Jonescompletelylostthepowertodrawabreath. TheleatherbelthehadseizedforRogers’furtherstrappingfellfromhislimphands,andaspasmofshiveringconvulsedhimfromheadtofoot. HemighthaveknowntheplacewoulddrivehimmadasithaddrivenRogers—andnowhewasmad. Hewasmad,forhenowharbouredhallucinationsmoreweirdthananywhichhadassailedhimearlierthatnight. Themadmanwasbiddinghimhearthesplashingofamythicalmonsterinatankbeyondthedoor—andnow,Godhelphim,hedidhearit!
RogerssawthespasmofhorrorreachJones’sfaceandtransformittoastaringmaskoffear. Hecackled.
“Atlast,fool,youbelieve! Atlastyouknow! YouhearItandItcomes! Getmemykeys,fool—wemustdohomageandserveIt!”
ButJoneswaspastpayingattentiontoanyhumanwords,madorsane. Phobicparalysisheldhimimmobileandhalf-conscious,withwildimagesracingphantasmagoricallythroughhishelplessimagination. Therewasasplashing.
