Зов Ктулху
The Horror in Clay
Ithadbeenlocked, andIdidnotfindthekeytill itoccurredtometoexaminethepersonalring whichtheprofessorcarriedalwaysinhispocket. ThenindeedIsucceededinopeningit, butwhenIdidsoseemedonlytobeconfrontedbyagreaterandmorecloselylockedbarrier. Forwhatcouldbethemeaningofthequeerclaybas-relief andthedisjointedjottings,ramblings,andcuttingswhichIfound? Hadmyuncle,inhislatteryears,becomecredulousofthemostsuperficialimpostures? Iresolvedtosearchouttheeccentricsculptor responsibleforthisapparentdisturbanceofanoldman’speaceofmind.
Thebas-reliefwasaroughrectanglelessthananinchthick andaboutfivebysixinchesinarea;obviouslyofmodernorigin. Itsdesigns,however,werefarfrommoderninatmosphereandsuggestion; foralthoughthevagariesofcubismandfuturismaremanyandwild, theydonotoftenreproducethatcrypticregularity whichlurksinprehistoricwriting. Andwritingofsomekindthebulkofthesedesignsseemedcertainlytobe; thoughmymemory,despitemuchfamiliaritywiththepapersandcollectionsofmyuncle, failedinanywaytoidentifythisparticularspecies, orevenhintatitsremotestaffiliations.
Abovetheseapparenthieroglyphicswasafigure ofevidentlypictorialintent, thoughitsimpressionisticexecutionforbadeaveryclearideaofitsnature. Itseemedtobeasortofmonster,orsymbolrepresentingamonster, ofaformwhichonlyadiseasedfancycouldconceive. IfIsaythatmysomewhatextravagantimaginationyieldedsimultaneouspicturesofanoctopus, adragon,andahumancaricature, Ishallnotbeunfaithfultothespiritofthething.
