Жах Данвіча
Chapter 10
HesawthatRice,fromtheparty’spointofadvantageaboveandbehindtheentity,hadanexcellentchanceofspreadingthepotentpowderwithmarvellouseffect.
Thosewithoutthetelescopesawonlyaninstant’sflashofgreycloud—acloudaboutthesizeofamoderatelylargebuilding—nearthetopofthemountain. Curtis,whoheldtheinstrument,droppeditwithapiercingshriekintotheankle-deepmudoftheroad. Hereeled,andwouldhavecrumbledtothegroundhadnottwoorthreeothersseizedandsteadiedhim. Allhecoulddowasmoanhalf-inaudibly.
‘Oh,oh,greatGawd...that...that...’
Therewasapandemoniumofquestioning,andonlyHenryWheelerthoughttorescuethefallentelescopeandwipeitcleanofmud. Curtiswaspastallcoherence,andevenisolatedreplieswerealmosttoomuchforhim.
‘Bigger’nabarn...allmadeo’squirmin’ropes...hullthingsorto’shapedlikeahen’seggbigger’nanythingwithdozenso’legslikehogs-headsthathaffshutupwhentheystep... nothin’solidabaoutit—alllikejelly,an’madeo’sep’ritwrigglin’ropespushedclosttogether...greatbulgin’eyesalloverit... tenortwentymaouthsortrunksa-stickin’aoutallalongthesides,bigasstove-pipesanalla-tossin’anopenin’an’shuttin’... allgrey,withkinderblueorpurplerings...an’GawditHeaven—thathafffaceontop...’
Thisfinalmemory,whateveritwas,provedtoomuchforpoorCurtis; andhecollapsedcompletelybeforehecouldsaymore.
