Ужас Данвича

           thecursedVoicesofAzazelandBuzrael,ofBeelzebubandBelial,beingheardnowfromunderGroundbyaboveaScoreofcredibleWitnessesnowliving. ImyselfdidnotmorethanaFortnightagocatchaveryplainDiscourseofevillPowersintheHillbehindmyHouse; whereintherewereaRattlingandRolling,Groaning,Screeching,andHissing,suchasnoThingsofthisEarthcouldraiseup,andwhichmustneedshavecomefromthoseCavesthatonlyblackMagickcandiscover,andonlytheDivellunlock". 

           Mr.Hoadleydisappearedsoonafterdeliveringthissermon,butthetext,printedinSpringfield,isstillextant. Noisesinthehillscontinuedtobereportedfromyeartoyear,andstillformapuzzletogeologistsandphysiographers. 

           Othertraditionstelloffoulodoursnearthehill-crowningcirclesofstonepillars,andofrushingairypresencestobeheardfaintlyatcertainhoursfromstatedpointsatthebottomofthegreatravines; whilestillotherstrytoexplaintheDevil’sHopYard—ableak,blastedhillsidewherenotree,shrub,orgrass-bladewillgrow. Then,too,thenativesaremortallyafraidofthenumerouswhippoorwillswhichgrowvocalonwarmnights. Itisvowedthatthebirdsarepsychopompslyinginwaitforthesoulsofthedying,andthattheytimetheireeriecriesinunisonwiththesufferer’sstrugglingbreath. Iftheycancatchthefleeingsoulwhenitleavesthebody,theyinstantlyflutterawaychitteringindaemoniaclaughter; butiftheyfail,theysubsidegraduallyintoadisappointedsilence. 

           Thesetales,ofcourse,areobsoleteandridiculous;becausetheycomedownfromveryoldtimes. Dunwichisindeedridiculouslyold—olderbyfarthananyofthecommunitieswithinthirtymilesofit.