Зов Ктулху
The Tale of Inspector Legrasse
Thetipsofthewingstouchedthebackedgeoftheblock,theseatoccupiedthecentre,whilstthelong,curvedclawsofthedoubled-up,crouchinghindlegsgrippedthefrontedgeandextendedaquarterofthewaydowntowardthebottomofthepedestal. Thecephalopodheadwasbentforward,sothattheendsofthefacialfeelersbrushedthebacksofhugeforepawswhichclaspedthecroucher’selevatedknees. Theaspectofthewholewasabnormallylife-like,andthemoresubtlyfearfulbecauseitssourcewassototallyunknown. Itsvast,awesome,andincalculableagewasunmistakable; yetnotonelinkdiditshewwithanyknowntypeofartbelongingtocivilisation’syouth—orindeedtoanyothertime. Totallyseparateandapart,itsverymaterialwasamystery; forthesoapy,greenish-blackstonewithitsgoldenoriridescentflecksandstriationsresemblednothingfamiliartogeologyormineralogy. Thecharactersalongthebasewereequallybaffling; andnomemberpresent,despitearepresentationofhalftheworld’sexpertlearninginthisfield,couldformtheleastnotionofeventheirremotestlinguistickinship. They,likethesubjectandmaterial,belongedtosomethinghorriblyremoteanddistinctfrommankindasweknowit; somethingfrightfullysuggestiveofoldandunhallowedcyclesoflifeinwhichourworldandourconceptionshavenopart.
Andyet,asthemembersseverallyshooktheirheadsandconfesseddefeatattheInspector’sproblem,therewasonemaninthatgathering whosuspectedatouchofbizarrefamiliarityinthemonstrousshapeandwriting,andwhopresentlytoldwithsomediffidenceoftheoddtrifleheknew.
ThispersonwasthelateWilliamChanningWebb,ProfessorofAnthropologyinPrincetonUniversity,andanexplorerofnoslightnote.
