Жах Данвіча
Chapter 8
IwonderhowIshalllookwhentheearthisclearedandtherearenoearthbeingsonit. HethatcamewiththeAkloSabaothsaidImaybetransfiguredtherebeingmuchofoutsidetoworkon.
MorningfoundDrArmitageinacoldsweatofterrorandafrenzyofwakefulconcentration. Hehadnotleftthemanuscriptallnight,butsatathistableundertheelectriclightturningpageafterpagewithshakinghandsasfastashecoulddecipherthecryptictext. Hehadnervouslytelephonedhiswifehewouldnotbehome,andwhenshebroughthimabreakfastfromthehousehecouldscarcelydisposeofamouthful. Allthatdayhereadon,nowandthenhaltedmaddeninglyasareapplicationofthecomplexkeybecamenecessary. Lunchanddinnerwerebroughthim,butheateonlythesmallestfractionofeither. Towardthemiddleofthenextnighthedrowsedoffinhischair,butsoonwokeoutofatangleofnightmaresalmostashideousasthetruthsandmenacestoman’sexistencethathehaduncovered.
OnthemorningofSeptemberfourthProfessorRiceandDrMorganinsistedonseeinghimforawhile,anddepartedtremblingandashen-grey. Thateveninghewenttobed,butsleptonlyfitfully. Wednesday—thenextday—hewasbackatthemanuscript,andbegantotakecopiousnotesbothfromthecurrentsectionsandfromthosehehadalreadydeciphered. Inthesmallhoursofthatnighthesleptalittleinaeasychairinhisoffice,butwasatthemanuscriptagainbeforedawn. Sometimebeforenoonhisphysician,DrHartwell,calledtoseehimandinsistedthatheceasework.
