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Chapter 6
Theextentofthishowlingcanbejudgedfromthespaceitreceivedinthepapersthenextday,buttothoseintheWardhouseholditwasovershadowedbytheodorwhichinstantlyfollowedit;ahideous,all-pervasiveodorwhichnonofthemhadeversmeltbeforeorhaveeversmeltsince.Inthemidstofthismephiticfloodtherecameaveryperceptibleflashlikethatoflightning,whichwouldhavebeenblindingandimpressivebutforthedaylightaround;andthenwasheardthevoicethatnolistenercaneverforgetbecauseofitsthunderousremoteness,itsincredibledepth,anditseldritchdissimilaritytoCharlesWard’svoice.Itshookthehouse,andwasclearlyheardbyatleasttwoneighborsabovethehowlingofthedogs.Mrs.Ward,whohadbeenlisteningindespairoutsideherson’slockedlaboratory,shiveredassherecognizeditshellishimports;forCharleshadtoldofitsevilfameindarkbooks,andofthemannerinwhichithadthundered,accordingtotheFennerletter,abovethedoomedPawtuxetfarmhouseonthenightofJosephCurwen’sannihilation.Therewasnomistakingthatnightmarephrase,forCharleshaddescribedittoovividlyintheolddayswhenhehadtalkedfranklyofhisCurweninvestigations.Andyetitwasonlythisfragmentofanarchaicandforgottenlanguage:’DIESMIESJESCHETBOENEDOESEFDOUVEMAENITEMAUS.’
Closeuponthisthunderingtherecameamomentarydarkeningofthedaylight,thoughsunsetwasstillanhourdistant,andthenapuffofaddedodordifferentfromthefirstbutequallyunknownandintolerable.