Жах Данвіча
Chapter 3
Wilburwasgrowingupuncannily,sothathelookedlikeaboyoftenasheenteredhisfourthyear. Hereadavidlybyhimselfnow;buttalkedmuchlessthanformerly. Asettledtaciturnitywasabsorbinghim,andforthefirsttimepeoplebegantospeakspecificallyofthedawninglookofevilinhisgoatishface. Hewouldsometimesmutteranunfamiliarjargon,andchantinbizarrerhythmswhichchilledthelistenerwithasenseofunexplainableterror. Theaversiondisplayedtowardshimbydogshadnowbecomeamatterofwideremark,andhewasobligedtocarryapistolinordertotraversethecountrysideinsafety. Hisoccasionaluseoftheweapondidnotenhancehispopularityamongsttheownersofcanineguardians.
ThefewcallersatthehousewouldoftenfindLaviniaaloneonthegroundfloor,whileoddcriesandfootstepsresoundedintheboarded-upsecondstorey. Shewouldnevertellwhatherfatherandtheboyweredoingupthere,thoughoncesheturnedpaleanddisplayedanabnormaldegreeoffearwhenajocosefish-pedlartriedthelockeddoorleadingtothestairway. ThatpedlartoldthestoreloungersatDunwichVillagethathethoughtheheardahorsestampingonthatfloorabove. Theloungersreflected,thinkingofthedoorandrunway,andofthecattlethatsoswiftlydisappeared. ThentheyshudderedastheyrecalledtalesofOldWhateley’syouth,andofthestrangethingsthatarecalledoutoftheearthwhenabullockissacrificedatthepropertimetocertainheathengods. IthadforsometimebeennoticedthatdogshadbeguntohateandfearthewholeWhateleyplaceasviolentlyastheyhatedandfearedyoungWilburpersonally.
In1917thewarcame,andSquireSawyerWhateley,aschairmanofthelocaldraftboard,hadhardworkfindingaquotaofyoungDunwichmenfiteventobesenttodevelopmentcamp.
