Жах у музеї

           Wildtalesandsuggestionsofritesandsacrificestonamelesseldergodscontinued,andnowandthenRogerswouldleadhisguesttooneofthehideousblasphemiesinthescreened-offalcoveandpointoutfeaturesdifficulttoreconcilewitheventhefinesthumancraftsmanship. Jonescontinuedhisvisitsthroughsheerfascination,thoughheknewhehadforfeitedhishost’sregard. AttimeshewouldtrytohumourRogerswithpretendedassenttosomemadhintorassertion,butthegauntshowmanwasseldomtobedeceivedbysuchtactics. 

           ThetensioncametoaheadlaterinSeptember. Joneshadcasuallydroppedintothemuseumoneafternoon,andwaswanderingthroughthedimcorridorswhosehorrorswerenowsofamiliar,whenheheardaverypeculiarsoundfromthegeneraldirectionofRogers’workroom. Othersheardit,too,andstartednervouslyastheechoesreverberatedthroughthegreatvaultedbasement. Thethreeattendantsexchangedoddglances;andoneofthem,adark,taciturn,foreign-lookingfellowwhoalwaysservedRogersasarepairerandassistantdesigner,smiledinawaywhichseemedtopuzzlehiscolleaguesandwhichgratedveryharshlyonsomefacetofJones’ssensibilities. Itwastheyelporscreamofadog,andwassuchasoundascouldbemadeonlyunderconditionsoftheutmostfrightandagonycombined. Itsstark,anguishedfrenzywasappallingtohear,andinthissettingofgrotesqueabnormalityitheldadoublehideousness. Jonesrememberedthatnodogswereallowedinthemuseum.