Зов Ктулху / The Call of Cthulhu. Уровень 2

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Johansen’s voyage began just as he told it to the vice-admiralty. The Emma left Auckland on February 20th. The ship felt the full force of the earthquake-born tempest. Once more under control, the ship was making good progress. The Alert stopped the ship on March 22nd. I could feel the mate’s regret as he wrote of the bombardment and sinking. He speaks with significant horror of the dark cult-fiends on the Alert. Then they went forward driven by curiosity. They sailed in their captured yacht under Johansen’s command. The men saw a great stone pillar sticking out of the sea. In S. Latitude 47°9’, W. Longitude l23°43’, they came upon a coastline of mingled mud, ooze, and weedy Cyclopean masonry which can be nothing less than the tangible substance of earth’s supreme terror. It was the nightmare corpse-city of R’lyeh. This city was built in measureless ages behind history by the vast, loathsome creatures that came down from the dark stars. There lay great Cthulhu and his hordes, hidden in green slimy vaults. They were sending out at last the thoughts that spread fear to the dreams of the sensitive. These thoughts called imperiously to the faithful to come on a pilgrimage of liberation and restoration. All this Johansen did not suspect, but he soon saw enough!

I suppose that only a single mountain-top, the hideous monolith-crowned citadel actually emerged from the waters. Here great Cthulhu was buried. When I think what else lies there I almost want to kill myself. Johansen and his men were awed by the cosmic majesty of this dripping Babylon of elder demons. They probably guessed that it was nothing of this planet. Awe at the unbelievable size of the greenish stone blocks, at the height of the great carven monolith, and at the identity of the colossal statues and bas-reliefs with the queer image found in the shrine on the Alert, is visible in every line of the frightened description. Johansen had no idea of futurism. But his description of the city was very similar to it: great stone surfaces, vast angles, horrible images and hieroglyphs. The whole geometry of this place was not normal, just like in Wilcox awful dream.

Johansen and his men landed at a sloping mud-bank on this monstrous Acropolis. They climbed slipperily up over titan oozy blocks. Even the sun seemed distorted. The menace was lurking in the corners of this carven rock.

It was Rodriguez the Portuguese[62 - Rodriguez the Portuguese – Португалец Родригез] who climbed up the foot of the monolith. He shouted of what he found. The rest followed him. They looked curiously at the immense carved door with the squid-dragon bas-relief. It was, Johansen said, like a great barn-door. But they could not decide whether it lay flat like a trap-door[63 - trap-door – дверь-люк] or slantwise like an outside cellar-door. As Wilcox said, the geometry of the place was all wrong. The sea and the ground were not horizontal, because the relative position of everything else seemed phantasmally variable.

Briden pushed at the stone in several places without result. Then Donovan studied the edge and pressed each point separately. He climbed along the grotesque stone moulding. The door was impossibly vast. Then, very softly and slowly, the acre-great panel began to go down; and they saw that it was balanced. Everyone watched the queer recession of the monstrously carven portal. In this prismatic distortion it moved in a diagonal way.

The aperture was black. The odour that rose from the newly opened depths was intolerable. Hawkins thought he heard a nasty, slopping sound down there. Everyone listened. Everyone was listening still when It appeared. It gropingly squeezed Its gelatinous green immensity through the black doorway into the tainted outside air of that poison city of madness[64 - It gropingly squeezed Its gelatinous green immensity through the black doorway – наощупь стало выдавливать Свою зеленую, желеобразную безмерность через черный дверной проем].

Of the six men who never reached the ship, two died of fear immediately. The Thing cannot be described. There is no language for such abysms of shrieking and immemorial lunacy[65 - abysms of shrieking and immemorial lunacy – пучин кричащего вневременного безумия]. It contradicted all matter, force, and cosmic order. A mountain walked or stumbled. God! No wonder that across the earth a great architect went mad, and poor Wilcox raved with fever in that telepathic instant. The Thing of the idols, the green, sticky spawn of the stars, awaked to claim his own[66 - to claim his own – заявить свои права]. The stars were right again. What an age-old cult failed to do, a band of innocent sailors did by accident. After millions of years great Cthulhu was loose again. And It was ravening for delight.

The flabby claws swept three men up before anybody turned. They were Donovan, Guerrera, and Angstrom. Parker slipped as the other three were running to the boat. Johansen swears he was swallowed up by a masonry. When Briden and Johansen reached the boat, and pulled desperately for the Alert, the mountainous monstrosity flopped down the slimy stones and was floundering at the edge of the water.

Slowly, amidst the distorted horrors of that indescribable scene, the Alert began to sail. Then on the masonry of that shore great Cthulhu slid greasily into the water and began to pursue. Briden looked back and went mad. He was laughing till death found him one night in the cabin while Johansen was wandering deliriously.

But Johansen did not surrender. He knew that the Thing could surely overtake the Alert. So he set the engine for full speed, and reversed the wheel. The brave Norwegian drove his vessel head on against the pursuing jelly. The awful squid-head came to the bowsprit but Johansen drove on relentlessly.

There was a horrific bursting as of an exploding bladder, a stench as of a thousand opened graves. There was a sound that the chronicler could not put on paper. For an instant the ship was hidden by an acrid green cloud. And – God in heaven! The distance widened every second as the Alert gained impetus from its mounting steam.

That was all. After that Johansen only watched the idol in the cabin and prepared some food for himself and the laughing maniac. He did not try to navigate, for he was completely exhausted. Then came the storm of April 2nd. He lost his consciousness.

One day came rescue – the Vigilant, the vice-admiralty court, the streets of Dunedin, and the long voyage back home to the old house. He did not tell anything. Everybody would call him mad. He wrote of what he knew before death came. Death will be a boon if only it deletes the memories.

That was the document I read. Now I placed it in the tin box beside the bas-relief and the papers of Professor Angell. This record of mine will be placed with them. I do not think my life will be long. As my uncle went, as poor Johansen went, so I shall go. I know too much, and the cult still lives.

Cthulhu still lives, too, I suppose, again in that chasm of stone which shielded him since the sun was young. His accursed city is sunken once more. I know it because the Vigilant sailed over the spot after the April storm; but his ministers on earth still bellow and prance and slay around idol-capped monoliths in lonely places. Who knows the end? What rose may sink. What sank may rise. It waits and dreams in the deep, and decay spreads over the tottering cities of men. A time will come… – but I must not and cannot think about it! Let me pray that, if I do not survive this manuscript, my executors let nobody read this.

Howard Phillips Lovecraft

At the Mountains of Madness

I

I don’t want to tell the reasons why I oppose the invasion of the Antarctic – with its vast fossil hunt and its melting of the ancient ice caps. But I must do so. I can understand clearly that my story will seem extravagant and incredible. But there are photographs, both ordinary and aerial, and they will help me. They are vivid and graphic. Of course, some people can say that it is all fakery. And there are ink drawings, but somebody may laugh at them and call them obvious impostures.

I must rely on the judgment and standing of the few scientific leaders. They have, on the one hand, sufficient independence of thought. On the other hand, they have sufficient influence to deter the exploring world in general from any over-ambitious program[67 - to deter the exploring world in general from any over-ambitious program – дабы удержать исследователей от чересчур поспешных и опрометчивых предприятий] in the region of those mountains of madness. It is pity that[68 - It is pity that – очень жаль, что] ordinary men like myself and my colleagues are connected only with a small university. That’s why we have little chance to make an impression in the controversial matters[69 - to make an impression in the controversial matters – повлиять, когда речь идет о противоречивых материях].

In the strictest sense, we are not specialists in these fields. Miskatonic University[70 - Miscatonic University – Мискатоникский университет (вымышленный университет, часто встречающийся в произведениях Г.Ф. Лавкрафта, расположенный в городе Аркхеме(тоже вымышленном), штат Массачусетс, США)] sent me as a geologist. The aim of our expedition was to secure deep-level specimens of rock and soil from various parts of the Antarctic continent. We had a remarkable drill that was designed by Professor Frank H. Pabodie[71 - Professor Frank H. Pabodie – Профессор Фрэнк Х. Пэбоди] of our engineering department. I hoped, as a geologist, that this new mechanical device will discover the materials, unacceptable by the ordinary methods of collection. And I had no wish to be a pioneer in any other field than this.

Pabodie’s drilling apparatus was unique and radical in its lightness, portability, and capacity. Only three sledges carried steel head, jointed rods[72 - jointed rods – складной хвостовик бура], gasoline motor, collapsible wooden derrick[73 - collapsible wooden derrick – разборная деревянная буровая вышка], dynamiting paraphernalia[74 - dynamiting paraphernalia – принадлежности для взрывных работ], cords, rubbish-removal auger[75 - rubbish-removal auger – бур для удаления отработанной породы], and sectional piping for bores five inches wide and up to one thousand feet deep. This was possible due to aluminum alloy used by Pabodie. Four large aeroplanes were able to transport our entire expedition from a base at the edge of the great ice barrier to various inland points.

We planned to explore a great area in one season. We were operating mostly in the mountain ranges and on the plateau south of Ross Sea[76 - Ross Sea – Море Росса]. These were regions explored by Shackleton, Amundsen, Scott, and Byrd[77 - Shackleton, Amundsen, Scott, and Byrd – исследователи Антарктиды Шеклтон, Амундсен, Скотт, и Берд.]. We expected to get a quite unprecedented amount of material – especially in the pre-Cambrian[78 - pre-Cambrian – докембрийский период, длившийся 4 млрд. лет (самая ранняя часть геологической истории Земли, которая предшествовала кембрийскому периоду (около 540 млн. лет назад)] strata. We wished also to obtain a variety of the upper fossiliferous rocks. The primal life history of this realm of ice and death is of the highest importance to our knowledge of the earth’s past. The Antarctic continent was once temperate and even tropical. We hoped to expand that information about its flora and fauna in variety, accuracy, and detail.

The public knows of the Miskatonic Expedition through our frequent reports to the Arkham Advertiser and Associated Press[79 - ArkhamAdvertiser and AssociatedPress – газеты «Аркхэм Адвертайзер» и «Ассошиэйтед Пресс»], and through the later articles of Pabodie and myself. There were four men from the University – Pabodie, Lake of the biology department[80 - Lake of the biology department – Лэйк от кафедры биологии], Atwood of the physics department[81 - Atwood of the physics department – Этвуд от кафедры физики] – also a meteorologist – and myself. I was representing geology and was a nominal leader. There were also sixteen assistants: seven graduate students from Miskatonic and nine skilled mechanics. Of these sixteen, twelve were qualified aeroplane pilots. Most of them were competent wireless operators as well. Eight of them understood navigation with compass and sextant, as did Pabodie, Atwood, and I. In addition, of course, our two ships were fully manned[82 - were fully manned – были полностью укомплектованы командами].

The Nathaniel Derby Pickman Foundation[83 - The Nathaniel Derby Pickman Foundation – Фонд Натаниэля Дерби Пикмэна] financed the expedition. The dogs, sledges, machines, camp materials, and unassembled parts of our five planes were delivered in Boston. There our ships were loaded. We were marvelously well-equipped for our specific purposes. As the newspapers told, we sailed from Boston Harbor on September 2nd, 1930. We took a leisurely course down the coast and through the Panama Canal, and stopped at Samoa and Hobart, Tasmania [84 - Panama Canal… Samoa and Hobart, Tasmania – Панамский канал… Самоа и Хобарт, Тасмания.]. There we got final supplies. Our ship captains were J. B. Douglas[85 - J. B. Douglas – Дж. Б. Дуглас], commanding the brig Arkham, and Georg Thorfinnssen[86 - Georg Thorfinnssen – Георг Торфинсен], commanding the Miskatonic. They both were veteran whalers in Antarctic waters.

At about 62° South Latitude we noticed our first icebergs. These were table-like objects with vertical sides. Just before reaching the Antarctic circle[87 - the Antarctic circle – Южный полярный круг], which we crossed on October 20th with appropriately ceremonies, field ice [88 - field ice – лед, плавающий в воде, айсберги] considerably troubled us. The falling temperature bothered me considerably after our long voyage through the tropics. Very often the curious atmospheric effects enchanted me vastly. Distant bergs became the battlements of unimaginable cosmic castles.

We were pushing through the ice. Finally, we regained open water at South Latitude 67°, East Longitude 175°. On the morning of October 26th, a snow-clad mountain chain appeared on the south. That was an outpost of the great unknown continent and its cryptic world of frozen death. These peaks were obviously the Admiralty Range discovered by Ross[89 - the Admiralty Range discovered by Ross – горы Адмиралтейства, открытые Россом]. Our task was to round Cape Adare[90 - Cape Adare – мыс Адэр] and sail down the east coast of Victoria Land[91 - Victoria Land – земля Виктории (регион Антарктиды)] to our base on the shore of McMurdo Sound[92 - McMurdo Sound – покрытый льдом пролив Мак-Мердо в Антарктиде, отправная точка экспедиции Скотта], at the foot of the volcano Erebus in South Latitude 77° 9’.

The last part of the voyage was vivid and fancy-stirring. Great barren peaks of mystery, white snow, bluish ice and water lanes, and black bits of exposed granite slope. Something about the scene reminded me of the strange and disturbing Asian paintings of Nicholas Roerich[93 - Nicholas Roerich – Николай Рерих (1874–1947) русский художник, философ-мистик, путешественник и общественный деятель. Провел ряд экспедиций в Азию, вдохновивших его на множество картин.], and of the disturbing descriptions of the evil plateau of Leng[94 - the evil plateau of Leng – зловещее плато Ленг (вымышленное)]. These descriptions appear in the dreaded Necronomicon of the mad Arab Abdul Alhazred[95 - the dreaded Necronomicon of the mad Arab Abdul Alhazred – ужасный Некрономикон безумного араба Абдула Альхазреда (придуманная Лавкрафтом книга, не существовавшая в реальности, но на которую он и писатели его круга регулярно ссылались)]. I was rather sorry, later on, that I looked into that monstrous book at the college library.

On the 7th of November, we passed Franklin Island[96 - Franklin Island – остров Франклина, небольшой остров в море Росса. Населен пингвинами.]. The next day the cones of Mts. Erebus and Terror on Ross Island[97 - Mts. Erebus and Terror on Ross Island – горы Эребус и Террор на острове Росса в Антарктиде, названные в честь кораблей экспедиции Дж. Кл. Росса] appeared, with the long line of the Parry Mountains[98 - Parry Mountains – горы Перри(обычно выделяют одну гору Перри в горах Стрибога)] beyond. There was a white line of the great ice barrier. It was rising perpendicularly to a height of two hundred feet like the rocky cliffs of Quebec. It marked the end of southward navigation. In the afternoon we entered McMurdo Sound and stood off the coast near the Mt. Erebus. Beyond it rose the white, ghostlike height of Mt. Terror, ten thousand, nine hundred feet in altitude.

One of the graduate assistants – a brilliant young fellow named Danforth[99 - Danforth – Данфорт] – noticed lava on the snowy slope. On the barren shore, and on the lofty ice barrier in the background, myriads of grotesque penguins walked.

We used small boats and landed on Ross Island shortly after midnight on the morning of the 9th. Then we prepared to unload supplies. Our camp on the frozen shore below the volcano’s slope was only a provisional one. Headquarters were situated aboard the Arkham. We landed all our drilling apparatus, dogs, sledges, tents, provisions, gasoline tanks, experimental ice-melting outfit[100 - experimental ice-melting outfit – экспериментальное оборудование для растапливания льда], cameras, both ordinary and aerial, aeroplane parts, and other accessories, including three small portable wireless devices – besides those in the planes. These devices helped us to communicate with the Arkham’s large device from any part of the Antarctic continent that we wanted to visit. The ship’s radio was communicating with the outside world. It was able to convey press reports to the Arkham Advertiser’s powerful wireless station on Kingsport Head, Massachusetts[101 - Kingsport Head, Massachusetts – Кингспорт Хэд, Массачусетс]. We hoped to complete our work during an Antarctic summer. Otherwise we planned to winter on the Arkham and send the Miskatonic north for another summer’s supplies.

I need not repeat what the newspapers already published about our early work. The health of our party – twenty men and fifty-five Alaskan sledge dogs – was remarkable. Of course we did not encounter really destructive temperatures or windstorms.

We reached Beardmore Glacier[102 - Beardmore Glacier – Ледник Бирдмора, через который экспедиция Скотта достигла Южного Полюса.], the largest valley glacier in the world. The frozen sea changed to a mountainous coast line. We were eight thousand, five hundred feet above sea-level. When experimental drillings revealed solid ground only twelve feet down through the snow and ice at certain points, we made considerable use of the small melting apparatus.

In certain sandstones we found some highly interesting fossil fragments. We found ferns, seaweeds, and mollusks. They were very important for the region’s primordial history. There was also a queer triangular, striated marking[103 - a queer triangular, striated marking – странная бороздчатая отметка треугольной формы], about a foot in greatest diameter. Lake, as a biologist, found these curious marking unusually puzzling and provocative. To my geological eye it looked not unlike some of the ripple effects common in the sedimentary rocks[104 - ripple effects common in the sedimentary rocks – эффект ряби, обычный для для осадочных пород]. Since slate is no more than a metamorphic formation, I saw no reason for extreme wonder.

On January 6th, 1931, Lake, Pabodie, Danforth, the other six students, and myself flew directly over the South pole in two planes. There was a high wind. This was, as the papers said, one of several observation flights. Distant mountains floated in the sky as enchanted cities. Often the whole white world dissolved into a gold, silver, and scarlet land of dreams under the magic of the low midnight sun.

We resolved to carry out our original plan. We wanted to fly five hundred miles eastward and establish a new base. Our health remained excellent. It was now midsummer. With haste and care we will be able to conclude work by March and avoid a tedious wintering through the long Antarctic night. There were some severe windstorms but we escaped the damage. No doubt, we had our good luck. But this good luck was almost strange.

Lake insisted on a westward – or rather, northwestward – trip before our shift to the new base. He was too much interested in that triangular marking in the slate. He was strangely convinced that the marking was the print of some bulky, unknown, and unclassifiable organism of advanced evolution. Lake thought that this rock was probably Cambrian or even pre-Cambrian. It meant that this advanced organism existed in times when there was only unicellular life[105 - unicellular life – одноклеточная жизнь]. So these fragments, with their odd marking, were five hundred million – a thousand million years old.

II

The journey of January 11th to 18th with Pabodie and five others brought up more and more of the Archaean slate[106 - the Archaean slate – сланец Архейского эона, в котором появилась жизнь на Земле]. Even I was interested in evident fossil markings in that unbelievably ancient stratum. These markings, however, were of very primitive life forms. Therefore I did not like Lake’s idea to explore further. However I did not say no to his idea. But I decided not to accompany the northwestward party despite Lake’s plea for my geological advice. While they were gone, I remained at the base with Pabodie and five men. We were working out final plans for the eastward shift[107 - We were working out final plans for the eastward shift – Мы обсуждали подробности запланированного перемещения на восток].

Lake’s expedition into the unknown sent out reports from the shortwave transmitters on the planes. The start was made January 22nd at 4 A.M. The first wireless message that we received came only two hours later. Lake spoke of descending and starting an ice-melting and boring at a point some three hundred miles away from us. Six hours later a second message told of the frantic work. They found more slate fragments with these markings.

Three hours later a brief bulletin announced the resumption of the flight. I protested against it, because it was too risky. But Lake was extremely excited, and said that his new specimens were worth it. I saw that I was unable to stop him. And it was frightening, because he went deeper and deeper into that treacherous white desert. It was putting the whole expedition to the risk.

Then, in about an hour and a half more, came even more excited message from Lake’s plane. It almost made me sorry that I did not went too:

“10:05 P.M. On the wing[108 - On the wing – С борта]. After snowstorm, appeared mountain range ahead higher than any hitherto seen. May equal Himalayas[109 - May equal Himalayas – Могут сравниться с Гималаями]. Probable Latitude 76° 15’, Longitude 113° 10’ E. Takes all the horizon. Two smoking cones. All peaks black and bare of snow. Strong wind impedes navigation.”

After that Pabodie, the men and I stood breathlessly by the receiver. Thought of these titanic mountains seven hundred miles away inflamed our deepest sense of adventure. In half an hour Lake called us again:

“The plane forced down on plateau in foothills[110 - The plane forced down on plateau in foothills – Самолету пришлось приземлиться на плато у подножья]. Nobody hurt and perhaps can repair it. We will transfer things to other three planes. You can’t imagine anything like this. Highest peaks must go over thirty-five thousand feet. Atwood will work with theodolite while Carroll and I will go up[111 - Atwood will work with theodolite while Carroll and I will go up – Этвуд измерит высоту теодолитом, пока мы с Кэрроллом начнем подъём]. Possibly pre-Cambrian slate[112 - pre-Cambrian slate – докембрийские сланцы] with other strata mixed in. Queer skyline effects – regular sections of cubes clinging to highest peaks[113 - Queer skyline effects – regular sections of cubes clinging to highest peaks – Горизонт выглядит странно – словно к горам пристали наросты правильной кубической формы]. Like land of mystery in a dream or gateway to forbidden world. Wish you were here to study[114 - Wish you were here to study – Жаль, что вы не тут].”

Though it was sleeping-time, not one of us went to bed. We were sorry, of course, about the damaged aeroplane. But it will be fixed easily, of course. Then, at 11 P.M., came another call from Lake:

“Up with Carroll over highest foothills. Frightful to climb, and hard to go at this altitude. But it’s worth it. Main summits exceed Himalayas, and very queer. Range looks like pre-Cambrian slate, with plain signs of many other strata. Odd formations on slopes of highest mountains. Great low square blocks with exactly vertical sides, and rectangular lines of low, vertical ramparts, like the old Asian castles. Impressive from distance. Carroll thought they were formed of smaller separate pieces, but that is probably an illusion.

Parts, especially upper parts, seem lighter than any visible strata on slopes. If you fly near you can see many cave-mouths, some unusually regular in outline, square or semicircular. You must come and investigate. I saw rampart squarely on top of one peak. Height seems about thirty thousand to thirty-five thousand feet. I am up twenty-one thousand, five hundred myself, in devilish, gnawing cold. Wind whistles and pipes, but no danger to fly.”

We replied that we will join Lake as soon as he sends a plane. It was obvious now that the character of the expedition changed. So it was possible that there is no need in eastward flight, after all, this season.

Lake called me later. He decided to let the camp stay where damaged plane landed. The ice sheet was very thin, with dark ground visible here and there. Lake spoke of the majesty of the whole scene, and the queer state of his sensations. The height of the five tallest peaks was from thirty thousand to thirty-four thousand feet. The camp lay a little more than five miles from the higher foothills. Lake was clearly afraid of windstorms from the mountains. I traced a note of subconscious alarm in his words. He asked us to hurry to come to this strange region. He was going to rest now, after a continuous day’s work.

In the morning we came to an agreement. One of Lake’s planes will come to my base for Pabodie, the five men, and myself, as well as for all the fuel it could carry. Pabodie and I were preparing to close our base for a short or long period. Some of our conical tents were already reinforced by blocks of hard snow. Now we decided to complete the job and to make a permanent base. I sent a message that Pabodie and I will be ready for the northwestward journey after one day’s work and one night’s rest.

But we stopped after 4 P.M. because Lake began to send the most extraordinary and excited messages. He resolved to do some local boring as part of the expedition’s general program. In three hours young Gedney – the acting foreman[115 - young Gedney – the acting foreman – юный Гедни, руководивший работами] – rushed into the camp with the shocking news.

They struck a cave. The layer was not more than seven or eight feet deep. But it extended off in all directions. Its roof and floor were equipped with large stalactites and stalagmites. The most important things were shells and bones. This mix contained representatives of many Cretaceous[116 - Cretaceous – меловой период, последний период мезозойской эры; начался около 145 млн. лет назад, закончился 66 млн. лет назад.], Eocene[117 - Eocene – эоцен, вторая геологическая эпоха палеогенового периода; начался около 56 млн. лет назад и закончился 33,9 млн. лет назад.], and other animal species. It would take a year[118 - It would take a year – Понадобился бы целый год] for the greatest paleontologist to count or classify them. Mollusks, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and early mammals – great and small, known and unknown. No wonder Gedney ran back to the camp. No wonder everyone else dropped work and ran headlong to a new-found gateway to secrets of inner earth and vanished ages.