Жах Данвіча

           ‘Inbreeding?’Armitagemutteredhalf-aloudtohimself. ‘GreatGod,whatsimpletons! ShowthemArthurMachen’sGreatGodPanandthey’llthinkitacommonDunwichscandal! Butwhatthing—whatcursedshapelessinfluenceonoroffthisthree-dimensionalearth—wasWilburWhateley’sfather? BornonCandlemas—ninemonthsafterMayEveof1912,whenthetalkaboutthequeerearthnoisesreachedcleartoArkham—whatwalkedonthemountainsthatMaynight? WhatRoodmashorrorfasteneditselfontheworldinhalf-humanfleshandblood?’ 

           DuringtheensuingweeksDrArmitagesetabouttocollectallpossibledataonWilburWhateleyandtheformlesspresencesaroundDunwich. HegotincommunicationwithDrHoughtonofAylesbury,whohadattendedOldWhateleyinhislastillness,andfoundmuchtoponderoverinthegrandfather’slastwordsasquotedbythephysician. AvisittoDunwichVillagefailedtobringoutmuchthatwasnew; butaclosesurveyoftheNecronomicon,inthosepartswhichWilburhadsoughtsoavidly,seemedtosupplynewandterriblecluestothenature,methods,anddesiresofthestrangeevilsovaguelythreateningthisplanet. TalkswithseveralstudentsofarchaicloreinBoston,andletterstomanyotherselsewhere,gavehimagrowingamazementwhichpassedslowlythroughvarieddegreesofalarmtoastateofreallyacutespiritualfear. AsthesummerdrewonhefeltdimlythatsomethingoughttobedoneaboutthelurkingterrorsoftheupperMiskatonicvalley,andaboutthemonstrousbeingknowntothehumanworldasWilburWhateley.