Жах у музеї
Chapter 2
Ittreateditssacrificesratherpeculiarlyandhorribly,asyoushallsee. Mr.Rogershadmadeitfiendishlylife-like—eventothefaceofthevictim.”
Nowtremblingviolently,Jonesclungtothebrassrailinginfrontofthecurtainedniche. HealmostreachedouttostopOrabonawhenhesawthecurtainbeginningtoswingaside,butsomeconflictingimpulseheldhimback. Theforeignersmiledtriumphantly.
“Behold!”
Jonesreeledinspiteofhisgripontherailing.“
God!—greatGod!”
Fullytenfeethighdespiteashambling,crouchingattitudeexpressiveofinfinitecosmicmalignancy,amonstrosityofunbelievablehorrorwasshewnstartingforwardfromaCyclopeanivorythronecoveredwithgrotesquecarvings. Inthecentralpairofitssixlegsitboreacrushed,flattened,distorted,bloodlessthing,riddledwithamillionpunctures,andinplacessearedaswithsomepungentacid. Onlythemangledheadofthevictim,lollingupsidedownatoneside,revealedthatitrepresentedsomethingoncehuman.
Themonsteritselfneedednotitleforonewhohadseenacertainhellishphotograph. Thatdamnableprinthadbeenalltoofaithful;yetitcouldnotcarrythefullhorrorwhichlayinthegiganticactuality. Theglobulartorso—thebubble-likesuggestionofahead—thethreefishyeyes—thefoot-longproboscis—thebulginggills—themonstrouscapillationofasp-likesuckers—thesixsinuouslimbswiththeirblackpawsandcrab-likeclaws —God!thefamiliarityofthatblackpawendinginacrab-likeclaw!...
Orabona’ssmilewasutterlydamnable
