Chapter 2

           ItwasverygraduallythatIregainedmysensesafterthateldritchflightthroughstygianspace. Theprocesswasinfinitelypainful,andcoloredbyfantasticdreamsinwhichmyboundandgaggedconditionfoundsingularembodiment. TheprecisenatureofthesedreamswasveryclearwhileIwasexperiencingthem, butbecameblurredinmyrecollectionalmostimmediatelyafterward,andwassoonreducedtothemerestoutlinebytheterribleevents—realorimaginary—whichfollowed. IdreamedthatIwasinthegraspofagreatandhorriblepaw;ayellow,hairy,five-clawedpawwhichhadreachedoutoftheearthtocrushandengulfme. AndwhenIstoppedtoreflectwhatthepawwas,itseemedtomethatitwasEgypt. InthedreamIlookedbackattheeventsoftheprecedingweeks, andsawmyselfluredandenmeshedlittlebylittle,subtlyandinsidiously,bysomehellishghoul-spiritoftheelderNilesorcery; somespiritthatwasinEgyptbeforeevermanwas,andthatwillbewhenmanisnomore. 

           IsawthehorrorandunwholesomeantiquityofEgypt,andthegrislyallianceithasalwayshadwiththetombsandtemplesofthedead. Isawphantomprocessionsofpriestswiththeheadsofbulls,falcons,cats,andibises; phantomprocessionsmarchinginterminablythroughsubterraneouslabyrinthsandavenuesoftitanicpropylaeabesidewhichamanisasafly, andofferingunnamablesacrificetoindescribablegods. Stonecolossimarchedinendlessnightanddroveherdsofgrinningandrosphinxesdowntotheshoresofillimitablestagnantriversofpitch.