X

           Manypeoplewillprobablyjudgeuscallousaswellasmadforthinkingaboutthenorthwardtunnelandtheabysssosoonafteroursomberdiscovery,andIamnotpreparedtosaythatwewouldhaveimmediatelyrevivedsuchthoughtsbutforaspecificcircumstancewhichbrokeinuponusandsetupawholenewtrainofspeculations. WehadreplacedthetarpaulinoverpoorGedneyandwerestandinginakindofmutebewildermentwhenthesoundsfinallyreachedourconsciousness—thefirstsoundswehadheardsincedescendingoutoftheopenwherethemountainwindwhinedfaintlyfromitsunearthlyheights. Well-knownandmundanethoughtheywere,theirpresenceinthisremoteworldofdeathwasmoreunexpectedandunnervingthananygrotesqueorfabuloustonescouldpossiblyhavebeen—sincetheygaveafreshupsettingtoallournotionsofcosmicharmony. 

           HaditbeensometraceofthatbizarremusicalpipingoverawiderangewhichLake’sdissectionreporthadledustoexpectinthoseothers—andwhich,indeed,ouroverwroughtfancieshadbeenreadingintoeverywindhowlwehadheardsincecomingonthecamphorror—itwouldhavehadakindofhellishcongruitywiththeaeon-deadregionaroundus. Avoicefromotherepochsbelongsinagraveyardofotherepochs. Asitwas,however,thenoiseshatteredallourprofoundlyseatedadjustments—allourtacitacceptanceoftheinnerantarcticasawasteutterlyandirrevocablyvoidofeveryvestigeofnormallife. Whatweheardwasnotthefabulousnoteofanyburiedblasphemyofelderearthfromwhosesupernaltoughnessanage-deniedpolarsunhadevokedamonstrousresponse.