Жах Данвіча
Chapter 4
ThatHallowe’enthehillnoisessoundedlouderthanever,andfireburnedonSentinelHillasusual; butpeoplepaidmoreattentiontotherhythmicalscreamingofvastflocksofunnaturallybelatedwhippoorwillswhichseemedtobeassembledneartheunlightedWhateleyfarmhouse. Aftermidnighttheirshrillnotesburstintoakindofpandemoniaccachinnationwhichfilledallthecountryside,andnotuntildawndidtheyfinallyquietdown. Thentheyvanished,hurryingsouthwardwheretheywerefullyamonthoverdue.Whatthismeant,noonecouldquitebecertaintilllater. Noneofthecountryfolkseemedtohavedied—butpoorLaviniaWhateley,thetwistedalbino,wasneverseenagain.
Inthesummerof1927Wilburrepairedtwoshedsinthefarmyardandbeganmovinghisbooksandeffectsouttothem. SoonafterwardsEarlSawyertoldtheloungersatOsborn’sthatmorecarpentrywasgoingonintheWhateleyfarmhouse. Wilburwasclosingallthedoorsandwindowsonthegroundfloor,andseemedtobetakingoutpartitionsasheandhisgrandfatherhaddoneupstairsfouryearsbefore. Hewaslivinginoneofthesheds,andSawyerthoughtheseemedunusuallyworriedandtremulous. Peoplegenerallysuspectedhimofknowingsomethingabouthismother’sdisappearance,andveryfeweverapproachedhisneighbourhoodnow. Hisheighthadincreasedtomorethansevenfeet,andshowednosignsofceasingitsdevelopment.
