Жах Данвіча
Chapter 2
Mamie’svisitwasfranklyoneofcuriosity,andhersubsequenttalesdidjusticetoherobservations; butZechariahcametoleadapairofAlderneycowswhichOldWhateleyhadboughtofhissonCurtis. Thismarkedthebeginningofacourseofcattle-buyingonthepartofsmallWilbur’sfamilywhichendedonlyin1928,whentheDunwichhorrorcameandwent; yetatnotimedidtheramshackleWhateleybarnseemovercrowdedwithlivestock. Therecameaperiodwhenpeoplewerecuriousenoughtostealupandcounttheherdthatgrazedprecariouslyonthesteephillsideabovetheoldfarm-house,andtheycouldneverfindmorethantenortwelveanaemic,bloodless-lookingspecimens. Evidentlysomeblightordistemper,perhapssprungfromtheunwholesomepasturageorthediseasedfungiandtimbersofthefilthybarn,causedaheavymortalityamongsttheWhateleyanimals. Oddwoundsorsores,havingsomethingoftheaspectofincisions,seemedtoafflictthevisiblecattle; andonceortwiceduringtheearliermonthscertaincallersfanciedtheycoulddiscernsimilarsoresaboutthethroatsofthegrey,unshavenoldmanandhisslattemly,crinkly-hairedalbinodaughter.
InthespringafterWilbur’sbirthLaviniaresumedhercustomaryramblesinthehills,bearinginhermisproportionedarmstheswarthychild. PublicinterestintheWhateleyssubsidedaftermostofthecountryfolkhadseenthebaby,andnoonebotheredtocommentontheswiftdevelopmentwhichthatnewcomerseemedeverydaytoexhibit. Wilbur’sgrowthwasindeedphenomenal,forwithinthreemonthsofhisbirthhehadattainedasizeandmuscularpowernotusuallyfoundininfantsunderafullyearofage. Hismotionsandevenhisvocalsoundsshowedarestraintanddeliberatenesshighlypeculiarinaninfant,andnoonewasreallyunpreparedwhen,atsevenmonths,hebegantowalkunassisted,withfalteringswhichanothermonthwassufficienttoremove.
