Случай Чарльза Декстера Варда

           Atthetime,thefirstconnectedideainhismindwasanidleparagraphfromsomeoftheoldCurwendatahehaddigestedlongbefore;aphraseusedbySimonorJedediahOrneinthatportentousconfiscatedlettertothebygonesorcerer:

           ’Certainely,therewasNoth’gbutyeliveliestAwfulnessinthatwhichH.rais’duppfromWhathecou’dgatheronlieapartof.’

           Then,horriblysupplementingratherthandisplacingthisimage,therecamearecollectionofthoseancientlingeringrumorsanenttheburned,twistedthingfoundinthefieldsaweekaftertheCurwenraid.CharlesWardhadoncetoldthedoctorwhatoldSlocumsaidofthatobject;thatitwasneitherthoroughlyhuman,norwhollyalliedtoanyanimalwhichPawtuxetfolkhadeverseenorreadabout.

           Thesewordshummedinthedoctor’smindasherockedtoandfro,squattingonthenitrousstonefloor.Hetriedtodrivethemout,andrepeatedtheLord’sPrayertohimself;eventuallytrailingoffintoamnemonichodge-podgelikethemodernisticWasteLandofMr.T.S.Eliot,andfinallyrevertingtotheoft-repeateddualformulahehadlatelyfoundinWard’sundergroundlibrary:’Y’ai’ng’ngah,Yog-Sothoth’andsoontillthefinalunderlinedZhro.

           Itseemedtosoothehim,andhestaggeredtohisfeetafteratime;lamentingbitterlyhisfright-losttorchandlookingwildlyaboutforanygleamoflightintheclutchinginkinessofthechillyair.