Хребты безумия
II
AfterthatPabodie,themen,andIhungbreathlesslyoverthereceiver. Thoughtofthistitanicmountainrampartsevenhundredmilesawayinflamedourdeepestsenseofadventure;andwerejoicedthatourexpedition,ifnotourselvespersonally,hadbeenitsdiscoverers. InhalfanhourLakecalledusagain:
"Moulton’splaneforceddownonplateauinfoothills,butnobodyhurtandperhapscanrepair. Shalltransferessentialstootherthreeforreturnorfurthermovesifnecessary,butnomoreheavyplanetravelneededjustnowMountainssurpassanythinginimagination. AmgoingupscoutinginCarroll’splane,withallweightout.
"Youcan’timagineanythinglikethis. Highestpeaksmustgooverthirty-fivethousandfeet. Everestoutoftherunning. AtwoodtoworkoutheightwiththeodolitewhileCarrollandIgoup. Probablywrongaboutcones,forformationslookstratified. PossiblypreCambrianslatewithotherstratamixedin. Queerskylineeffects-regularsectionsofcubesclingingtohighestpeaks. Wholethingmarvelousinred-goldlightoflowsun. Likelandofmysteryinadreamorgatewaytoforbiddenworldofuntroddenwonder. Wishyouwereheretostudy."
Thoughitwastechnicallysleepingtime,notoneofuslistenersthoughtforamomentofretiring. ItmusthavebeenagooddealthesameatMcMurdoSound,wherethesupplycacheandtheArkhamwerealsogettingthemessages; forCaptainDouglasgaveoutacallcongratulatingeverybodyontheimportantfind,andSherman,thecacheoperator,secondedhissentiments. Weweresorry,ofcourse,aboutthedamagedaeroplane,buthopeditcouldbeeasilymended. Then,at11P.M.,cameanothercallfromLake:
