Тень над Иннсмутом

           Themeretellinghelpsmetorestoreconfidenceinmyownfaculties;toreassuremyselfthatIwasnotthefirsttosuccumbtoacontagiousnightmarehallucination.Ithelpsme,too,inmakingupmymindregardingacertainterriblestepwhichliesaheadofme.

           IneverheardofInnsmouthtillthedaybeforeIsawitforthefirstand—sofar—lasttime.IwascelebratingmycomingofagebyatourofNewEngland—sightseeing,antiquarian,andgenealogical—andhadplannedtogodirectlyfromancientNewburyporttoArkham,whencemymother’sfamilywasderived.Ihadnocar,butwastravellingbytrain,trolleyandmotor-coach,alwaysseekingthecheapestpossibleroute.InNewburyporttheytoldmethatthesteamtrainwasthethingtotaketoArkham;anditwasonlyatthestationticket-office,whenIdemurredatthehighfare,thatIlearnedaboutInnsmouth.Thestout,shrewd-facedagent,whosespeechshewedhimtobenolocalman,seemedsympathetictowardmyeffortsateconomy,andmadeasuggestionthatnoneofmyotherinformantshadoffered.

           "Youcouldtakethatoldbus,Isuppose,"hesaidwithacertainhesitation,"butitain’tthoughtmuchofhereabouts.ItgoesthroughInnsmouth—youmayhaveheardaboutthat—andsothepeopledon’tlikeit.RunbyanInnsmouthfellow—JoeSargent—butnevergetsanycustomfromhere,orArkhameither,Iguess.Wonderitkeepsrunningatall.Is’poseit’scheapenough,butIneverseemor’ntwoorthreepeopleinit—nobodybutthoseInnsmouthfolk.Leavesthesquare—frontofHammond’sDrugStore—at10a.m.and7p.m.unlessthey’vechangedlately.Lookslikeaterriblerattletrap—I’veneverbeenonit."