Зов Ктулху
The Horror in Clay
Asitwas,lackingtheiroriginalletters, Ihalfsuspectedthecompilerofhavingaskedleadingquestions, orofhavingeditedthecorrespondenceincorroborationofwhathehadlatentlyresolvedtosee. ThatiswhyIcontinuedtofeelthatWilcox, somehowcognisantoftheolddatawhichmyunclehadpossessed, hadbeenimposingontheveteranscientist. Theseresponsesfromaesthetestoldadisturbingtale. FromFebruary28thtoApril2ndalargeproportionofthemhaddreamedverybizarrethings, theintensityofthedreamsbeingimmeasurablythestrongerduringtheperiodofthesculptor’sdelirium. Overafourthofthosewhoreportedanything,reportedscenes andhalf-soundsnotunlikethosewhichWilcoxhaddescribed; andsomeofthedreamersconfessedacutefearofthegiganticnamelessthingvisible towardthelast. Onecase,whichthenotedescribeswithemphasis,wasverysad. Thesubject,awidelyknownarchitectwithleaningstowardtheosophyandoccultism, wentviolentlyinsaneonthedateofyoungWilcox’sseizure, andexpiredseveralmonthslaterafterincessantscreamings tobesavedfromsomeescapeddenizenofhell. Hadmyunclereferredtothesecasesbynameinsteadofmerelybynumber, Ishouldhaveattemptedsomecorroborationandpersonalinvestigation; butasitwas,Isucceededintracingdownonlyafew. Allofthese,however,boreoutthenotesinfull. Ihaveoftenwonderedifalltheobjectsoftheprofessor’squestioningfeltaspuzzledasdidthisfraction. Itiswellthatnoexplanationshalleverreachthem.
Thepresscuttings,asIhaveintimated, touchedoncasesofpanic, mania,andeccentricityduringthegivenperiod. ProfessorAngellmusthaveemployedacuttingbureau, forthenumberofextractswastremendousandthesourcesscatteredthroughouttheglobe. HerewasanocturnalsuicideinLondon, wherealonesleeperhadleapedfromawindowafterashockingcry.
