Загублений світ
It was Dreadful in the Forest
TherewasnodifficultyaboutthedirectioninwhichIshouldreturnforallalongIhadkeptthelittlebrookuponmyleft,anditopenedintothecentrallakewithinastone’s-throwoftheboulderuponwhichIhadbeenlying.Isetoff,therefore,inhighspirits,forIfeltthatIhaddonegoodworkandwasbringingbackafinebudgetofnewsformycompanions.Foremostofall,ofcourse,werethesightofthefierycavesandthecertaintythatsometroglodyticraceinhabitedthem.ButbesidesthatIcouldspeakfromexperienceofthecentrallake.Icouldtestifythatitwasfullofstrangecreatures,andIhadseenseverallandformsofprimevallifewhichwehadnotbeforeencountered.IreflectedasIwalkedthatfewmenintheworldcouldhavespentastrangernightoraddedmoretohumanknowledgeinthecourseofit.
Iwasploddinguptheslope,turningthesethoughtsoverinmymind,andhadreachedapointwhichmayhavebeenhalf-waytohome,whenmymindwasbroughtbacktomyownpositionbyastrangenoisebehindme.Itwassomethingbetweenasnoreandagrowl,low,deep,andexceedinglymenacing.Somestrangecreaturewasevidentlynearme,butnothingcouldbeseen,soIhastenedmorerapidlyuponmyway.Ihadtraversedhalfamileorsowhensuddenlythesoundwasrepeated,stillbehindme,butlouderandmoremenacingthanbefore.Myheartstoodstillwithinmeasitflashedacrossmethatthebeast,whateveritwas,mustsurelybeafterME.Myskingrewcoldandmyhairroseatthethought.
