lovecraft, hp - the shadow over innsmouth

8/12/2019 Lovecraft, HP - The Shadow Over Innsmouth

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The Shadow Over Innsmouthby H.P. Lovecraft

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During the winter of 19!"# officia$s of the %edera$ government made a strange and secretinvestigation of certain conditions in the ancient &assachusetts sea'ort of Innsmouth. The 'ub$ic first

$earned of it in %ebruary( when a vast series of raids and arrests occurred( fo$$owed by the de$iberateburning and dynamiting " " under suitab$e 'recautions " " of an enormous number of crumb$ing( worm"eaten( and su''osed$y em'ty houses a$ong the abandoned waterfront. )nin*uiring sou$s $et thisoccurrence 'ass as one of the ma+or c$ashes in a s'asmodic war on $i*uor.

,eener news"fo$$owers( however( wondered at the 'rodigious number of arrests( the abnorma$$y $argeforce of men used in ma-ing them( and the secrecy surrounding the dis'osa$ of the 'risoners. o tria$s( oreven definite charges were re'orted/ nor were any of the ca'tives seen thereafter in the regu$ar gao$s of thenation. There were vague statements about disease and concentration cam's( and $aw about dis'ersa$ invarious nava$ and mi$itary 'risons( inn nothing 'ositive ever deve$o'ed. Innsmouth itse$f was $eft a$mostde'o'u$ated( and it is even now on$y beginning to show signs of a s$uggish$y revived e0istence.

om'$aints from many $ibera$ organi2ations were met with $ong confidentia$ discussions( andre'resentatives were ta-en on tri's to certain cam's and 'risons. 3s a resu$t( these societies becamesur'rising$y 'assive and reticent ews'a'er men were harder to manage( but seemed $arge$y to coo'eratewith the government in the end. On$y one 'a'er " " a tab$oid a$ways discounted because of its wi$d 'o$icy "" mentioned the dee' diving submarine that discharged tor'edoes downward in the marine abyss +ust

beyond Devi$ 4eef That item( gathered by chance in a haunt of Sai$ors( seemed indeed nether far"fetched/since the $ow( b$ac- reef $ieu a fu$$ mi$e and a ha$f out from Innsmouth Harbour.

Peo'$e around the country and in the nearby towns muttered a great dea$ among themse$ves( but said very$itt$e to the outer wor$d. They had ta$-ed about dying and ha$f"deserted Innsmouth for near$y a century(and nothing new cou$d be wi$der or more hideous than what they had whis'ered and hinted at years

before. &any things had taught them secretiveness( and there was no need to e0ert 'ressure on them.5esides( they rea$$y -new $itt$e/ for wide sa$t marshes( deso$ate and un'eo'$ed( -e't neighbors off fromInnsmouth on the $andward side.

5ut at $ast I am going to defy the ban on s'eech about this thing. 4esu$ts( I am certain( are so thoroughthat no 'ub$ic harm save a shoc- of re'u$sion cou$d ever accrue from a hinting of what was found by thosehorrified men at Innsmouth. 5esides( what was found might 'ossib$e have more than one e0'$anation. Ido not -now +ust how much of the who$e ta$e has been to$d even to me( and I have many reasons for notwishing to 'robe dee'er. %or my contact with this affair has been c$oser than that of any other $ayman(and I have carried away im'ressions which are yet to drive me to drastic measures.

It was I who f$ed frantica$$y out of Innsmouth in the ear$y morning hours of 6u$y 17( 19!( and whosefrightened a''ea$s for government in*uiry and action brought on the who$e re'orted e'isode. I waswi$$ing enough to stay mute whi$e the affair was fresh and uncertain/ but now that it is an o$d story( with

'ub$ic interest and curiosity gone( I have an odd craving to whis'er about those few frightfu$ hours in thati$$"rumored and evi$$y"shadowed sea'ort of death and b$as'hemous abnorma$ity. The mere te$$ing he$'sme to restore confidence in my own facu$ties/ to reassure myse$f that I was not the first to succumb to acontagious nightmare ha$$ucination. It he$'s me( too in ma-ing u' my mind regarding a certain terrib$e

ste' which $ies ahead of me.I never heard of Innsmouth ti$$ the day before I saw it for the first and " " so far " " $ast time. I wasce$ebrating my corning of age by a tour of ew 8ng$and " " sightseeing( anti*uarian( and genea$ogica$ " "and had '$anned to go direct$y from ancient ewbury'ort to 3r-ham( whence my mothers fami$y wasderived. I had no car( but was trave$$ing by train( tro$$ey and motor"coach( a$ways see-ing the chea'est

'ossib$e route. In ewbury'ort they to$d me that the steam train was the thing to ta-e to 3r-ham/ and itwas on$y at the station tic-et"office( when I demurred at. the high fare( that I $earned about Innsmouth.The stout( shrewd"faced agent( whose s'eech shewed him to be no $oca$ man( seemed sym'athetic towardmy efforts at economy( and made a suggestion that none of my other informants had offered.

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:;ou cou$d ta-e that o$d bus( I su''ose(: he said with a certain hesitation( :but it aint thought much ofhereabouts. It goes through Innsmouth " " you may have heard about that " " and so the 'eo'$e dont $i-e it.4un by an Innsmouth fe$$ow " " 6oe Sargent " " but never gets any custom from here( or 3r-ham either( Iguess.


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from hina or somewhere by the shi''ing. It sure$y was bad enough " " there was riots over it( and a$$sorts of ghast$y doings that I dont be$ieve ever got outside of town " " and it $eft the '$ace a awfu$ sha'e.

ever came bac-"there cant be moren == or A== 'eo'$e $iving there now. :5ut the rea$ thing behind theway fo$-s fee$ is sim'$y race 're+udice " " and I dont say Im b$aming those that ho$d it I hate thoseInnsmouth fo$-s myse$f( and I wou$dnt care to go to their town. I s'ose you -now " " though I can seeyoure a


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trash down South " " $aw$ess and s$y( and fu$$ of secret things. They get a $ot of fish and $obsters and doe0'orting by truc-. ?ueer how the fish swarm right there and nowhere e$se.

:obody can ever -ee' trac- of these 'eo'$e( and state schoo$ officia$s and census men have a devi$ of atime. ;ou can bet that 'rying strangers aint we$come around Innsmouth. Ive heard 'ersona$$y of morenone business or government man thats disa''eared there( and theres $oose ta$- of one who went cra2yand is out at Danvers now. They must have fi0ed u' some awfu$ scare for that fe$$ow.

:Thats why I wou$dnt go at night if I was you. Ive never been there and have no wish to go( but I guess adaytime tri' cou$dnt hurt you " " even though the 'eo'$e hereabouts wi$$ advise you not to ma-e it. Ifyoure +ust sightseeing( and $oo-ing for o$d"time stuff( Innsmouth ought to be *uite a '$ace for you.:

3nd so I s'ent 'art of that evening at the ewbury'ort Pub$ic Library $oo-ing u' data about Innsmouth.


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The $onger I $oo-ed( the more the thing fascinated me/ and in this fascination there was a curious$ydisturbing e$ement hard$y to she c$assified or accounted for. 3t first I decided that it was the *ueer other"wor$d$y *ua$ity of the art which made me uneasy. 3$$ other art ob+ects I had ever seen either be$onged tosome -nown racia$ or nationa$ stream( or e$se were conscious$y modernistic defiances of every recogni2edstream. This tiara was neither. It c$ear$y be$onged to some sett$ed techni*ue of infinite maturity and

'erfection( yet that techni*ue was utter$y remote from any " " 8astern or


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There were on$y three 'assengers " " dar-( un-em't men of su$$en visage and somewhat youthfu$ cast " "and when the vehic$e sto''ed they c$umsi$y shamb$ed out and began wa$-ing u' State Street in a si$ent(a$most furtive fashion. The driver a$so a$ighted( and I watched him as he went into the drug store to ma-esome 'urchase. This( I ref$ected( must be the 6oe Sargent mentioned by the tic-et"agent/ and even be"foreI noticed any detai$s there s'read over me a wave of s'ontaneous aversion which cou$d be neither chec-ednor e0'$ained. It sudden$y struc- me as very natura$ that the $oca$ 'eo'$e shou$d not wish to ride on a bus

owned and driven by this man( or to visit any oftener than 'ossib$e the habitat of such a man and his-insfo$-.


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3t $ast we $ost sight of P$um Is$and and saw the vast e0'anse of the o'en 3t$antic on our $eft. Our narrowcourse began to c$imb stee'$y( and I fe$t a singu$ar sense of dis*uiet in $oo-ing at the $one$y crest aheadwhere the rutted road"way met the s-y. It was as if the bus were about to -ee' on in its ascent( $eaving thesane earth a$together and merging with the un-nown arcana Of u''er air and cry'tica$ s-y. The sme$$ ofthe sea too- on ommous im'$ications( and the si$ent drivers bent( rigid bac- and narrow head becamemore and more hatefu$. 3s I $oo-ed at him I saw that the bac- of his head was a$most as hair$ess as hisface( having on$y a few stragg$ing ye$$ow strands u'on a grey scabrous surface.

Then we reached the crest and behe$d the outs'read va$$ey beyond( where the &anu0et +oins the sea +ustnorth of the $ong $ine of c$iffs that cu$minate in ,ings'ort Head and veer off toward a'e 3nn. On thefar misty hori2on I cou$d +ust ma-e out the di22y 'rofi$e of the Head( to''ed by the *ueer ancient house ofwhich so many $egends are to$d/ but for the moment a$$ my attention was ca'tured by the nearer 'anorama

+ust be$ow me. I had( I rea$i2ed( come face to face with rumour"shadowed Innsmouth.

It was a town of wide e0tent and dense construction( yet one with a 'ortentous dearth of visib$e $ife. %romthe tang$e of chimney"'ots scarce$y a wis' of smo-e came( and the three ta$$ stee'$es $oomed star- andun'ainted against the seaward hori2on. One of them was crumb$ing down at the to'( and in that andanother there were on$y b$ac- ga'ing ho$es where c$oc-"dia$s shou$d have been. The vast hudd$e ofsagging gambre$ roofs and 'ea-ed gab$es conveyed with offensive c$earness the idea of wormy decay( andas we a''roached a$ong the now descending road I cou$d see that many roofs had who$$y caved in. Therewere some $arge s*uare @eorgian houses( too( with hi''ed roofs( cu'o$as( and rai$ed :widows wa$-s.:These were most$y we$$ bac- from the water( and one or two seemed to be in moderate$y sound condition.Stretching in$and from among them I saw the rusted( grass"grown $ine of the abandoned rai$way( with$eaning te$egra'h"'o$es now devoid of wires( and the ha$f"obscured $ines of the o$d carriage roads to4ow$ey and I'swich.

The decay was worst c$ose to the waterfront( though in its very midst I cou$d s'y the white be$fry of afair$y we$$ 'reserved bric- structure which $oo-ed $i-e a sma$$ factory. The harbour( $ong c$ogged withsand( was enc$osed by an ancient stone brea-water/ on which I cou$d begin to discern the minute forms ofa few seated fishermen( and at whose end were what $oo-ed $i-e the foundations of a bygone $ight. house.3 sandy tongue had formed inside this barrier and u'on it I saw a few decre'it cabins( moored dories( andscattered $obster"'ots. The on$y dee' water seemed to be where the river 'oured out 'ast the be$friedstructure and turned southward to +oin the ocean at the brea-waters end.

Here and there the ruins of wharves +utted Out from the shore to end in indeterminate rottenness( thosefarthest south seeming the most decayed. 3nd far out at sea( des'ite a high tide( I g$im'sed a $ong( b$ac-$ine scarce$y rising above the water yet carrying a suggestion of odd $atent ma$ignancy. This( I -new( must

be Devi$ 4eef. 3s I $oo-ed( a subt$e( curious sense of bec-oning seemed su'eradded to re'u$sion/ andodd$y enough( I found this overtone more disturbing than the 'rimary im'ression.


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Soon cross streets and +unctions began to a''ear/ those on the $eft $eading to shoreward rea$ms of un'aveds*ua$or and decay( whi$e those on the right shewed vistas of de'arted grandeur. So far I had seen no

'eo'$e in the town( but there now came signs of a s'arse habitation " " curtained windows here and there(and an occasiona$ battered motorcar at the curb. Pavement and sidewa$-s were increasing$y we$$"defined(and though most of the houses were *uite o$d " " wood and bric- structures of the ear$y 19=1 century " "they were obvious$y -e't fit for habitation. 3t an amateur anti*uarian I a$most $ost my o$factory disgustand my fee$ing of menace and re'u$sion amidst this rich( una$tered surviva$ from the 'ast.

5ut I was not to reach my destination without one very strong im'ression of 'oignant$y disagreeab$e*ua$ity. The bus had come to a sort of o'en concourse or radia$ 'oint with churches on two sides and the

bedragg$ed remains of a circu$ar green in the centre( and I was $oo-ing at a $arge 'i$$ared ha$$ on theright"hand +unction ahead. The structures once white 'aint was now gray and 'ee$ing and the b$ac- andgo$d sign on the 'ediment was so faded that I cou$d on$y with difficu$ty ma-e out the words :8sotericOrder of Dagon:. This( then was the former &asonic Ha$$ now given over to a degraded cu$t. 3s Istrained to deci'her this inscri'tion my notice was distracted by the raucous tones of a crac-ed be$$ acrossthe street( and I *uic-$y turned to $oo- out the window on my side of the coach.

The sound came from a s*uat stone church of manifest$y $ater date than most of the houses( bui$t in ac$umsy @othic fashion and having a dis'ro'ortionate$y high basement with shuttered windos. Thongh thehands of its c$oc- were missing on the side I g$im'sed( I -new that those hoarse stro-es were to$$ing thehour of e$even. Then sudden$y a$$ thoughts of time were b$otted out by an onrushing image of shar'intensity and unaccountab$e horror which had sei2ed me before I -new what it rea$$y was. The door of thechurch basement was o'en( revea$ing a rectang$e of b$ac-ness inside. 3nd as I $oo-ed( a certain ob+ectcrossed or seemed to cross that dar- rectang$e/ burning into my brain a momentary conce'tion ofnightmare which was a$$ the more maddening because ana$ysis cou$d not shew a sing$e nightmarish*ua$ity in it.

It was a $iving ob+ect " " the first e0ce't the driver that I had seen since entering the com'act 'art of thetown " " and had I been in a steadier mood I wou$d have found nothing whatever of terror in it. $ear$y(as I rea$ised a moment $ater( ft was the 'astor/ c$ad in some 'ecu$iar vestments doubt$ess introduced sincethe Order of Dagon had modified the ritua$ of the $oca$ churches. The thing which had 'robab$y caughtmy first subconscious g$ance and su''$ied the touch of bi2arre horror was the ta$$ tiara he wore/ an a$moste0act du'$icate of the one &iss Ti$ton had shown me the 'revious evening. This( acting on myimagination( had su''$ied name$ess$y sinister *ua$ities to the indeterminate face and robed( shamb$ing

form beneath it. There was not( I soon decided( any reason why I shou$d have fe$t that shuddering touchof evi$ 'seudo"memory.

3 very thin s'rin-$ing of re'e$$ent"$oo-ing youngish 'eo'$e now became visib$e on the sidewa$-s " " $oneindividua$s( and si$ent -nots of two or three. The $ower f$oors of the crumb$ing houses sometimesharboured sma$$ sho's with dingy signs( and I noticed a 'ar-ed truc- or two as we ratt$ed a$ong. Thesound of waterfa$$s became more and more distinct( and 'resent$y I saw a fair$y dee' river"gorge ahead(s'anned by a wide( iron"rai$ed highway bridge beyond which a $arge s*uare o'ened out 3s we c$an-edover the bridge I $oo-ed out on both sides and observed some factory bui$dings on the edge of the grassy

b$uff or 'art way down. The water far be$ow was very abundant( and I cou$d see two vigorous sets of fa$$su'stream on my right and at $east one downstream on my $eft. %rom this 'oint the noise was *uitedeafening. Then we ro$$ed into the $arge semicircu$ar s*uare across the river and drew u' on the right"

hand side in front of a ta$$( cu'o$a crowned bui$ding with remnants of ye$$ow 'aint and with a ha$f"effacedsign 'roc$aiming it to be the @I$man House.

I was g$ad to get out of that bus( and at once 'roceeded to chec- my va$ise in the shabby hote$ $obby.There was on$y one 'erson in sight " " an e$der$y man without what I had come to ca$$ the :Innsmouth$oo-: " " and I decided not to as- him any of the *uestions which bothered me/ remembering that oddthings had been noticed in this hote$. Instead( I stro$$ed out on the s*uare( from which the bus had a$readygone( and studied the scene minute$y and a''raising$y.

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One side of the cobb$estoned o'en s'ace was the straight $ine of the river/ the other was a semicirc$e ofsIant"roofed bric- bui$dings of about the 1#== 'eriod( from which severa$ streets radiated away to thesoutheast( south( and southwest. Lam's were de'ressing$y few and sma$$ " " a$$ $ow"'oweredincandescents " " and I was g$ad that my '$ans ca$$ed for de'arture before dar-( even though I -new themoon wou$d be bright. The bui$dings were a$$ in fair condition( and inc$uded 'erha's a do2en sho's incurrent o'eration/ of which one was a grocery of the %irst ationa$ chain( others a disma$ restaurant( adrug store( and a who$esa$e fish"dea$ers office( and sti$$ another( at the eastward e0tremity of the s*uare

near the river an office d the towns on$y Industry " " the &arsh 4efining om'any. There were 'erha'sten 'eo'$e visib$e( and four or five automobi$es and motor truc-s stood scattered about I did not need to beto$d that this was the civic centre of Innsmouth. 8astward I cou$d catch b$ue g$im'ses of the harbour(against which rose the decaying remains of three once beautifu$ @eorgian stee'$es. 3nd toward the shoreon the o''osite ban- of the river I saw the white be$fry surmounting what I too- to be the &arsh refinery.

%or some reason or other I chose to ma-e my first in"*uiries at the chain grocery( whose 'ersonne$ wasnot $i-e$y to be native to Innsmouth. I found a so$itary boy of about seventeen in charge( and was '$easedto note the brightness and affabi$ity which 'romised cheerfu$ information. He seemed e0ce'tiona$$y eagerto ta$-( and I soon gathered that he did not $i-e the '$ace( its fishy sme$$( or its furtive 'eo'$e. 3 wordwith any outsider was a re$ief to him( He hai$ed from 3r-ham( boarded with a fami$y who came fromI'swich( and went bac- whenever he got a moment off. His fami$y did not $i-e him to wor- in Innsmouth(

but the chain had transferred him there and he did not wish to give u' his +ob.

There was( he said( no 'ub$ic $ibrary or chamber of commerce in Innsmouth( but I cou$d 'robab$y find myway about. The street I had come dawn was %edera$.


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who$e. It wou$d be hard( the youth im'$ied( to form any rea$ conc$usions regarding such a matter/ sinceone never came to -now the natives 'ersona$$y no matter how $ong one might $ive in Innsmouth.

The youth was certain that many s'ecimens even worse than the worst visib$e ones were -e't $oc-edindoors in some '$aces. Peo'$e sometimes heard the *ueerest -ind of sounds. The tottering waterfronthove$s north of the river were re'uted$y connected by hidden tunne$s( being thus a veritab$e warren ofunseen abnorma$ities.


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the eight oc$oc- coach for 3r-ham. The town( I cou$d see( formed a significant and e0aggerated e0am'$eof communa$ decay/ but being no socio$ogist I wou$d $imit my serious observations to the fie$d ofarchitecture.Thus I began my systematic though ha$f"bewi$dered tour of Innsmouths narrow( shadow"b$ighted ways.rossing the bridge and turning toward the roar of the $ower fa$$s( I 'assed c$ose to the &arsh refinery(which seemed to be odd$y free from the noise of industry. m$. bui$ding stood on the stee' river b$uff near a

bridge and an o'en conf$uence of streets which I too- to be the ear$iest civic center( dis'$aced after the4evo$ution by the 'resent Town S*uare.

4e"crossing the gorge on the &ain Street bridge( I struc- a region of utter desertion which somehow mademe shud"der. o$$a'sing hudd$es of gambre$ roofs formed a +agged and fantastic s-y$ine( above which rosethe ghou$ish( deca'itated stee'$e of an ancient church. Some houses a$ong &ain Street were tenanted( butmost were tight$y boarded u'. Down un'aved side streets I saw the b$ac-( ga'ing windows of desertedhove$s( many of which $eaned at 'eri$ous and incredib$e ang$es through the sin-ing of 'art of thefoundations. Those windows stared so s'ectra$$y that it too- courage to turn eastward toward thewaterfront. ertain$y( the terror of a deserted house swe$$s in geometrica$ rather than arithmetica$

'rogression as houses mu$ti'$y to form a city of star- deso$ation. The sight of such end$ess avenues offishy"eyed vacancy and death( and the thought of such $in-ed infinities of b$ac-( brooding com'artmentsgiven over to cob"webs and memories and the con*ueror worm( start u' vestigia$ fears and aversions thatnot even the stoutest 'hi$oso'hy can dis'erse.

%ish Street was as deserted as &ain( though it differed in having many bric- and stone warehouses sti$$ Ine0ce$$ent sha'e.


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gardens. The most sum'tuous of these " " with wide terraced 'arterres e0tending bac- the who$e way toLafayette Street " " I too- to be the home of O$d &an &arsh( the aff$icted refinery owner.

In a$$ these streets no $iving thing was visib$e( and I wondered at the com'$ete absence of cats and dogsfrom Innsmouth. 3nother thing which 'u22$ed and disturbed me( even in some of the best"'reservedmansions( was the tight$y shuttered condition of many third"story and attic windows. %urtiveness andsecretiveness seemed universa$ in this hushed city of a$ienage and death( and I cou$d not esca'e the

sensation of being watched from ambush on every hand by s$y( staring eyes that never shut

I shivered as the crac-ed stro-e of three sounded from a be$fry on my $eft. Too we$$ did I reca$$ the s*uatchurch from which those notes came %o$$owing


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and $oon rea$ised that he had begun to shuff$e wistfu$$y after me as I tinned into


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carvin " " ruins a$$ wore away $i-e theyd ben under the sea onct( an with 'icters of awfu$ monsters a$$over em.

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things daown har. 3n this is the im'ortant 'art( young fe$$er " " them as turned into fish things an wentinto the water wou$dnt never die. Them things never died e0ce' they was -i$t vio$ent.

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on( but them as didnt -now what twas a$$ abaout got -ind o swayed by what Obed had to say( and begunto ast him what he cud do to sit em on the way to the faith as ud bring em resu$ts.:

Here the o$d man fa$tered( mumb$ed( and $a'sed into a moody and a''rehensive si$ence/ g$ancingnervous$y over his shou$der and then turning bac- to stare fascinated$y at the distant b$ac- reef. Hey( heh( heh " " then +est te$$ me( young fe$$er( why a'n Obed an twenty oddother fo$-s used to row aout to Devi$ 4eef in the dead o night an chant things so $aoud ye cud hear em a$$over taown when the wind was right> Te$$ me that( hey> 3n te$$ me why Obed was a$$us dro''in heavy

things daown into the dee' water tother side o the reef whar the bottom shoots daown $i-e a c$iff Ioweraye -in saound> Te$$ me what he done with that funny"sha'ed $ead thinguma+ig as Hey(boy> 3n what did they a$$ haow$ on &ay"8ve( an( agin the ne0t Ha$$oween> 3n whyd the new church'arsons " " fe$$ers as used to he sai$ors " " wear them *ueer robes an cover their"se$ves with them go$d"$i-ethings Obed brung> Hey>:

The watery b$ue eyes were a$most savage and maniaca$ now( and the dirty white beard brist$ede$ectrica$$y. O$d Fado- 'robab$y saw me shrin- bac-( for he began to cac-$e evi$$y.

:Heh( heh( heh( hehE 5eginni to see hey> &ebbe yed $i-e to a ben me in them days( when I seed things atnight aout to sea from the cu'a$o to' o my haouse. Oh( I -in te$$ ye $itt$e 'itchers hev big ears( an I wantmissin nothin o what was gossi'ed abaout a'n Obed an the fo$-s aout to the reefE Heh( heh( hehEHaow abaout the night I too- my 'as shi's g$ass u' to the cu'a$o an seed the reef a"brist$in thic- withsha'es that dove off *uic- soons the moon ri2>

Obed an the fo$-s was in a dory( but them sha'es dove off the far side into the dee' water an never comeu' . . .

Haowd ye $i-e to be a $itt$e shaver a$one u' in a cu'o$a a"watchin sha'es as want human sha'es> . ..Heh> . . . Heh( heh( heh . . .:

The o$d man was getting hysterica$( and I began to shiver with a name$ess a$$arm. He $aid a gnar$ed c$awon my shou$"der( and it seemed to me that its sha-ing was not a$together that of mirth.

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:S'ose one night ye seed somethin heavy heaved offen Obeds dory beyond the reef and then $earnedne0t day a young fe$$er was missin from home. HeyE Did anybody ever see hide or hair o Hiram @i$managin. Did they> 3n ic- Pierce( an Lue$$y Heh( heh( heh( heh . . . Sha'es ta$-in sign $anguage with their hands . . . them as had ree$ hands . . .:


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:;ie$d u' enough sacrifices an savage -nic-"-nac-s an harbourage in the taown when they wanted it( antheyd $et we$$ enough a$one. Haowd ye $i-e to he $ivin in a taown $i-e this( with everything a"rottin an dyin( an boarded"u' monsters craw$in an b$eatin an bar-in an ho''in araoun b$ac- ce$$arsan attics every way ye turn> Hey> Haowd ye $i-e to hear the haow$in night arter night from the churchesan Order = Dagon Ha$$( an -now whats doin 'art o the haow$in> Haowd ye $i-e to hear what comes

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from that awfu$ reef every &ay"8ve an Ha$$owmass> Hey> Thin- the o$d mans cra2y( eh>


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Though the go$den $ight of $ate afternoon gave the ancient roofs and decre'it chimneys an air of mystic$ove$iness and 'eace( I cou$d not he$' g$ancing over my shou$der now and then. I wou$d sure$y be veryg$ad to get out of ma$odorous and fear"shadowed Innsmouth( and wished there were some other vehic$ethan the bus driven by that sinister"$oo-ing fe$$ow Sargent. ;et I did not hurry too 'reci'itate$y( for therewere architectura$ detai$s worth viewing at every dent corner/ and I cou$d easi$y( I ca$cu$ated( cover thenecessary distance in a ha$f"hour.

Studying the grocery youths ma' and see-ing a route I had not traversed before( I chose &arsh Streetinstead of State for my a''roach to Town S*uare. ear the corner of %a$$ street I began to see scatteredgrou's of furtive whis'erers( and when I fina$$y reached the S*uare I saw that a$most a$$ the $oiterers werecongregated around the door of the @i$man House. It seemed as if many bu$ging( watery( unwin-ing eyes$oo-ed odd$y at me as I c$aimed my va$ise in the $obby( and I ho'ed that none of these un'$easantcreatures wou$d be my fe$$ow"'assengers on the coach.

The bus( rather ear$y( ratt$ed in with three 'assengers somewhat before eight( and an evi$"$oo-ing fe$$owon the sidewa$- muttered a few indistinguishab$e words to the driver. Sargent threw out a mai$"bag and aro$$ of news'a'ers( and entered the hote$/ whi$e the 'assengers " " the same men whom I had seen arrivingin ewbury'ort that morning " " shamb$ed to the sidewa$- and e0changed some faint guttura$ words witha $oafer in a $anguage I cou$d have sworn was not 8ng$ish. I boarded the em'ty coach and too- the seat Ihad ta-en before( but was hard$y sett$ed before Sargent re"a''eared and began mumb$ing in a throatyvoice of 'acu$iar re'u$siveness.

I was( it a''eared( in very bad $uc-. There had been something wrong with the engine( des'ite thee0ce$$ent time made from ewbury'ort( and the bus cou$d not com'$ete the +ourney to 3r-ham. o( itcou$d not 'ossib$y be re'aired that night( nor was there any other way of getting trans'ortation out ofInnsmouth either to 3r-ham or e$sewhere. Sargent was sorry( but I wou$d have to sto' over at the @i$man.Probab$y the c$er- wou$d ma-e the 'rice easy for me( but there was nothing e$se to do. 3$most da2ed bythis sudden obstac$e( and vio$ent$y dreading the fa$$ of night in this decaying and ha$f"un$ighted town( I$eft the bus and reentered the hote$ $obby/ where the su$$en *ueer"$oo-ing night c$er- to$d me I cou$d have4oom A# on ne0t the to' f$oor " " $arge( but without running water " " for a do$$ar.

Des'ite what I had heard of this hote$ in ewbury'ort( I signed the register( 'aid my do$$ar( $et the c$er-ta-e my va$ise( and fo$$owed that sour( so$itary attendant u' three crea-ing f$ights of stairs 'ast dusty

corridors which seemed who$$y devoid of $ife. &y room was a disma$ rear one with two windows andbare( chea' furnishings( over$oo-ed a dingy court"yard otherwise hemmed in by $ow( deserted bric-b$oc-s( and commanded a view of decre'it westward"stretching roofs with a marshy countryside beyond.3t the end of the corridor was a bathroom " " a discouraging re$i*ue with ancient marb$e bow$( tin tub(faint e$ectric $ight( and musty wooded 'ane$ing around a$$ the '$umbing fi0tures.

It being sti$$ day$ight( I descended to the S*uare and $oo-ed around for a dinner of some sort/ noticing as Idid so the strange g$ances I received from the unwho$esome $oafers. Since the grocery was c$osed( I wasforced to 'atronise the restaurant I had shunned before/ a stoo'ed( narrow"headed man with staring(unwin-ing eyes( and a f$at"nosed wench with unbe$ievab$y thic-( c$umsy hands being in attendance. Theservice was a$$ of the counter ty'e( and it re$ieved me to find that much was evident$y served from cansand 'ac-ages. 3 bow$ of vegetab$e sou' with crac-ers was enough for me( and I soon headed bac- for mycheer$ess roam at the @i$man/ getting a evening 'a'er and a f$y"s'ec-ed maga2ine from the evi$"visagedc$er- at the ric-ety stand beside his des-.

3s twi$ight dee'ened I turned on the one feeb$e e$ectric bu$b over the chea'( iorn"framed bed( and tried asbest I cou$d to continue the reading I had begun. I fe$t it advisab$e to -ee' my mind who$esome$yoccu'ied( for ft wou$d not do to brood over the abnorma$ities of this ancient( b$ight "shadowed town whi$eI was sti$$ within its borders. The insane yarn I had heard from the aged drun-ard did not 'romise very

'$easant dreams( and I fe$t I must -ee' the image of his wi$d( watery eyes as far as 'ossib$e from myimagination.

3$so( I must not dwe$$ on what that factory ins'ector had to$d the ewbury'ort tic-et"agent about the@i$man House and the voices of its nocturna$ tenants " " not on that( nor on the face beneath the tiara in

=


21/33

the b$ac- church doorway/ the face for whose horror my conscious mind cou$d not account. It wou$d'erha's have been easier to -ee' my thoughts from disturbing to'ics had the room not been so gruesome$ymusty. 3s it was( the $etha$ mustiness b$ended hideous$y with the towns genera$ fishy odour and

'ersistent$y focussed ones fancy on death and decay.

3nother thing that disturbed me was the absence of a bo$t on the door of my room. One had been there(as mar-s c$ear$y shewed( but there were signs of recent remova$. o doubt it had been out of order( $i-e so

many other things in this decre'it edifice. In my nervousness I $oo-ed around and discovered a bo$t onthe c$othes'ress which seemed to be of the same si2e( +udging from the mar-s( as the one former$y on thedoor. To gain a 'artia$ re$ief from the genera$ tension I busied myse$f by transferring this hardware to thevacant '$ace with the aid of a handy three"in"one device inc$uding a screwdriver which I -e't on my -ey"ring. The bo$t fitted 'erfect$y( and I was somewhat re$ieved when I -new that I cou$d shoot it firm$y u'onretiring. ot that I had any rea$ a''rehension of its need( but that any symbo$ of security was we$come inan environment of this -ind. There were ade*uate bo$ts on the two $atera$ doors to connecting rooms( andthese I 'roceeded to fasten.

I did not undress( but decided to read ti$$ I was s$ee'y and then $ie down with on$y my coat( co$$ar( andshoes off. Ta-ing a 'oc-et f$ash $ight from my va$ise( I '$aced ft in my trousers( so that I cou$d read mywatch if I wo-e u' $ater in the dar-. Drowsiness( however( did not come/ and when I sto''ed to ana$ysemy thoughts I found to my dis*uiet that I was rea$$y unconscious$y $istening for something " " $istening forsomething which I dreaded but cou$d not name. That ins'ectors story must have wor-ed on myimagination more dee'$y than I had sus'ected. 3gain I tried to read( but found that I made no 'rogress.

3fter a time I seemed to hear the stairs and corridors crea- at interva$s as if with footste's( and wonderedif the other rooms were beginning to fi$$ u'. There were no voices( however( and it struc- me that therewas something subt$y furtive about the crea-ing. I did not $i-e it( and debated whether I had better try tos$ee' at a$$. This town had some *ueer 'eo'$e( and there had undoubted$y been severa$ disa''earances. Sure$y I had no $oo- of e0cessive

'ros'erity. Or were the towns fo$- rea$$y so resentfu$ about curious visitors> Had my obvious sightseeing(with its fre*uent ma'"consu$tations( aroused unfavorab$e notice. It occurred to me that I must be in ahigh$y nervous state to $et a few random crea-ings set me off s'ecu$ating in this fashion " " but I regrettednone the $ess that I was unarmed.

3t $ength( fee$ing a fatigue which had nothing of drowsiness in it( I bo$ted the new$y outfitted ha$$ door(

turned off the $ight( and threw myse$f down on the hard( uneven bed " " coat( co$$ar( shoes( and a$$. In thedar-ness every faint noise of the night seemed magnified( and a f$ood of doub$y un'$easant thoughts swe'tover me. I was sorry I had 'ut out the $ight( yet was too tired to rise and turn it on again. Then( after a$ong( dreary interva$( and 'refaced by a fresh crea-ing of stairs and corridor( there came that soft/damnab$y unmista-ab$e sound which seemed $i-e a ma$ign fu$fi$$ment of a$$ my a''rehensions.


22/33

The readiness with which I fe$$ into a '$an of action 'roves that I must have been subconscious$y fearingsome menace and considering 'ossib$e avenues of esca'e for hours. %rom the first I fe$t that the unseenfumb$er meant a danger not to be met or dea$t with( but on$y to be f$ed from as 'reci'itate$y as 'ossib$e.The one thing to do was to get out of that hote$ a$ive as *uic-$y as I cou$d( and through some channe$other than the front stairs and $obby.

4ising soft$y and throwing my f$ash$ight on the switch( I sought to $ight the bu$b over my bed in order to

choose and 'oc-et some be$ongings for a swift( va$ise$ess f$ight. othing( however( ha''ened/ and I sawthat the 'ower had been cut off. $ear$y( some cry'tic( evi$ movement was afoot on a $arge sca$e " " +ustwhat( I cou$d not say. 3s I stood 'ondering with my hand on the now use$ess switch I heard a muff$edcrea-ing on the f$oor be$ow( and thought I cou$d bare$y distinguish voices in conversation. 3 moment$ater I fe$t $ess sure that the dee'er sounds were voices( since the a''arent hoarse bar-ings and $oose"sy$$ab$ed croa-ings bore so $itt$e resemb$ance to recogni2ed human s'eech. Then I thought with renewedforce of what the factory ins'ector had heard in the night in this mou$dering and 'esti$entia$ bui$ding.

Having fi$$ed my 'oc-ets with the f$ash$ights aid( I 'ut on my hat and ti'toed to the windows to considerchances of descent. Des'ite the states safety regu$ations there was no fire esca'e on this side of the hote$(and I saw that my windows commanded on$y a sheer three story dro' to the cobb$ed courtyard. On theright and $eft( however( some ancient bric- business b$oc-s abutted on the hote$/ their s$ant roofs comingu' to a reasonab$e +um'ing distance from my fourth "story $eve$. To reach either of these $ines of

bui$dings I wou$d have to be in a room two from my own " " in one case on the north and in the other caseon the south " " and my mind instant$y set to wor- what chances I had of ma-ing the transfer.

I cou$d not( I decided( ris- an emergence into the corridor/ where my footste's wou$d sure$y be heard( andwhere the difficu$ties of entering the desired room wou$d be insu'erab$e. &y 'rogress( if it was to be madeat a$$( wou$d have to be through the $ess so$id$y"bui$t connecting doors of the rooms/ the $oc-s and bo$ts ofwhich I wou$d have to force vio$ent$y( using my shou$der as a battering"ram whenever they were setagainst me. This( I thought( wou$d be 'ossib$e owing to the ric-ety nature of the house and its fi0tures/ butI rea$ised I cou$d not do it noise$ess$y. I wou$d have to count on sheer s'eed( and the chance of getting to awindow before any hosti$e forces became coordinated enough to o'en the right door toward me with a

'ass"-ey. &y own outer door I reinforced by 'ushing the bureau against it " " $itt$e by $itt$e( in order toma-e a minimum of sound.

I 'erceived that my chances were very s$ender( and was fu$$y 're'ared for any ca$amity. 8ven getting to

another roof wou$d not so$ve the 'rob$em for there wou$d then remain the tas- of reaching the groundand esca'ing from the town. One thing in my favour was the deserted and ruinous state of the abuttingbui$ding and the number of s-y$ights ga'ing b$ac-$y o'en in each row.

@athering from the grocery boys ma' that the best route out of town was southward( I g$anced first at theconnecting door on the south side of the room. It was designed to o'en in my direction( hence I saw " "after drawing the bo$t and finding other fastening in '$ace " " it was not a favorab$e one for forcing.3ccording$y abandoning it as a route( I cautious$y moved the bedstead against it to ham'er any attac-which might be made on it $ater from the ne0t room. The door on the north was hung to o'en away fromme( and this " " though a test 'roved it to be $oc-ed or bo$ted from the other side " " I -new must be myroute. If I cou$d gain the roofs of the bui$dings in Paine Street and descend successfu$$y to the ground$eve$( I might 'erha's dart through the courtyard and the ad+acent or o''osite bui$ding. to


23/33

I was irreso$ute$y s'ecu$ating on when I had better attac- the northward door( and on how I cou$d $eastaudib$y manage it( when I noticed that the vague noises underfoot had given '$ace to a fresh and heaviercrea-ing of the stairs. 3 wavering f$ic-er of $ight shewed through my transom( and the boards of thecorridor began to groan with a 'onderous $oad. &uff$ed sounds of 'ossib$e voca$ origin a''roached( andat $ength a firm -noc- came at my outer door.

%or a moment I sim'$y he$d my breath and waited. 8ternities seemed to e$a'se( and the nauseous fishy

odour of my environment seemed to mount sudden$y and s'ectacu$ar$y. Then the -noc-ing was re'eated "" continuous$y( and with growing insistence. I -new that the time for action had come( and forthwith drewthe bo$t of the northward connecting door( bracing myse$f for the tas- of battering it o'en. The -noc-ingwa0ed $ouder( and I ho'ed that its vo$ume wou$d cover the sound of my efforts. 3t $ast beginning myattem't( I $unged again and again at the thin 'ane$ing with my $eft shou$der( heed$ess of shoc- or 'ain.The door resisted even more than I e0'ected( but I did not give in. 3nd a$$ the whi$e the c$amour at theouter door increased.

%ina$$y the connecting door gave( but with such a crash that I -new those outside must have heard.Instant$y the outside -noc-ing became a vio$ent battering( whi$e -eys sounded ominous$y in the ha$$ doorsof the rooms on both sides of me. 4ushing through the new$y o'ened conne0ion( I succeeded in bo$tingthe norther$y ha$$ door before the $oc- cou$d he turned/ but even as I did so I heard the ha$$ door of thethird room"the one from whose window I had ho'ed to reach the roof be$ow"being tried with a 'ass -ey.

%or an instant I fe$t abso$ute des'air( since my tra''ing in a chamber with no window egress seemedcom'$ete. 3 wave of a$most abnorma$ horror swe't over me( and invested with a terrib$e butune0'$ainab$e singu$arity the f$ash$ight"g$im'sed dust 'rints made by the intruder who had $ate$y tried mydoor from this room. Then( with a da2ed auto"matism which 'ersisted des'ite ho'e$essness( I made for thene0t connecting door and 'erformed the b$ind motion of 'ushing at it in an effort to get through and"granting that fastenings might be as 'rovidentia$$y intact as in this second room"bo$t the ha$$ door beyond

before the $oc- cou$d be turned from outside.

Sheer fortunate chance gave me my re'rieve " " for the connecting door before me was not on$y un$oc-edbut actua$$y a+ar. In a second I was though( and had my right -nee and shou$der against a ha$$ door whichwas visib$y o'ening inward. &y 'ressure too- the o'ener off guard( for the thing shut as I 'ushed( so thatI cou$d s$i' the we$$"conditioned bo$t as I had done with the other door. 3s I gained this res'ite I heard the

battering at the two other doors abate( whi$e a confused c$atter came from the connecting door I had

shie$ded with the bedstead. 8vident$y the bu$- of my assai$ants had entered the souther$y room and weremassing in a $atera$ attac-. 5ut at the same moment a 'ass -ey sounded in the ne0t door to the north( andI -new that a nearer 'eri$ was at hand.

The northward connecting door was wide o'en( but there was no time to thin- about chec-ing the a$readyturning $oc- in the ha$$. 3$$ I cou$d do was to shut and bo$t the o'en connecting door( as we$$ as its mateon the o''osite side " " 'ushing a bedstead against the one and a bureau against the other( and moving awashstand in front of the ha$$ door. I must( I saw( trust to such ma-eshift barriers to shie$d me ti$$ I cou$dget out the window and on the roof of the Paine Street b$oc-. 5ut even in this acute moment my chiefhorror was something a'art from the immediate wea-ness of my defenses. I was shuddering because notone of my 'ursuers( des'ite some hideous 'anting( grunting( and subdued bar-ings at odd interva$s( wasuttering an unmuff$ed or inte$$igib$e voca$ sound.

3s I moved the furniture and rushed toward the windows I heard a frightfu$ scurrying a$ong the corridor

toward the room north of me( and 'erceived that the southward battering had ceased. P$ain$y( most of myo''onents were about to concentrate against the feeb$e connecting door which they -new must o'endirect$y on me. Outside( the moon '$ayed on the ridge'o$e of the b$oc- be$ow( and I saw that the +um'wou$d be des'erate$y ha2ardous because of the stee' surface on which I must $and.

Surveying the conditions( I chose the more souther$y of the two windows as my avenue of esca'e/'$anning to $and on the inner s$o'e of the roof and ma-e for the nearest s-y"$ight. Once inside one of thedecre'it bric- structures I wou$d have to rec-on with 'ursuit/ but I ho'ed to descend and dodge in and outof yawning doorways a$ong the shadowed courtyard( eventua$$y getting to


24/33

The c$atter at the norther$y connecting door was now terrific( and I saw that the wea- 'ane$$ing wasbeginning to s'$inter. Obvious$y( the besiegers had brought some 'onderous ob+ect into '$ay as abattering"ram. The bedstead( how"ever( sti$$ he$d firm/ so that I had at $east a faint chance of ma-ing goodmy esca'e. 3s I o'ened the window I noticed that it was f$an-ed by heavy ve$our dra'eries sus'endedfrom a 'o$e by brass rings( and a$so that there was a $arge 'ro+ecting catch for the shutters on the e0terior.Seeing a 'ossib$e means of avoiding the dangerous +um'( I yan-ed at the hangings and brought them

down( 'o$e and a$$/ then *uic-$y hoo-ing two of the rings in the shutter catch and f$inging the dra'eryoutside. The heavy fo$ds reached fu$$y to the abutting roof( and I saw that the rings and catch wou$d be$i-e$y to bear my weight. So( c$imbing out of the window and down the im'rovised ro'e $adder( I $eft

behind me for ever the morbid and horror"infested fabric of the @i$man House.

I $anded safe$y on the $oose s$ates of the stee' roof( and succeeded in gaining the ga'ing b$ac- s-y$ightwithout a s$i'. @$ancing u' at the window I had $eft( I observed it was sti$$ dar-( though far across thecrumb$ing chimneys to the north I cou$d see $ights ominous$y b$a2ing in the Order of Dagon Ha$$( the5a'tist church( and the ongregationa$ church which I reca$$ed so shivering$y. There had seemed to beno one in the courtyard be$ow( and I ho'ed there wou$d be a chance to get away before the s'reading of agenera$ a$arm. %$ashing my 'oc-et $am' into the s-y$ight( I saw that there were no ste's down. Thedistance was s$ight( however( so I c$ambered over the brin- and dro''ed/ stri-ing a dusty f$oor $itteredwith crumb$ing bo0es and barre$s.

The '$ace was ghou$ish"$oo-ing( but I was 'ast minding such im'ressions and made at once for thestaircase revea$ed by my f$ash$ight " " after a hasty g$ance at my watch( which shewed the hour to be a.m. The ste's crea-ed( but seemed to$erab$y sound/ and I raced down 'ast a barn$i-e second storey to theground f$oor. The deso$ation was com'$ete( and on$y echoes answered my footfa$$s. 3t $ength I reachedthe $ower ha$$ at the end of which I saw a faint $uminous rectang$e mar-ing the ruined Paine Streetdoorway. Heading the other way( I found the bac- door a$so o'en/ and darted out and down five stoneste's to the grass"grown cobb$estones of the courtyard.

The moonbeams did not reach down here( but I cou$d +ust see my way about without using the f$ash$ight.Some of the windows on the @i$man House side were faint$y g$owing( and I thought I heard confusedsounds within.


25/33

I wa$-ed ra'id$y( soft$y( and c$ose to the ruined houses.


26/33

were b$oc-ed ahead of me( I must c$ear$y find another egress from Innsmouth. I 'aused and drew into aga'ing doorway( ref$ecting how $uc-y I was to have $eft the moon$it o'en s'ace before these 'ursuerscame down the 'ara$$e$ street.

3 second ref$ection was $ess comforting. Since the 'ursuit was down another street( it was '$ain that the'arty was not fo$$owing me direct$y. It had not seen me( but was sim'$y obeying a genera$ '$an of cuttingoff my esca'e. This( however( im'$ied that a$$ roads $eading out of $nnsmouth were simi$ar$y 'atro$$ed/ for

the 'eo'$e cou$d not have -nown what route I intended to ta-e. If this were So( I wou$d have to ma-e myretreat across country away from any road/ but how cou$d I do that in view of the marshy and cree-"ridd$ed nature of a$$ the surrounding region> %or a moment my brain ree$ed " " both from sheerho'e$essness and from a ra'id increase in the omni'resent fishy odour.

Then I thought of the abandoned rai$way to 4ow$ey( whose so$id $ine of ba$$asted/ weed"grown earth sti$$stretched off to the northwest from the crumb$ing station on the edge at the river"gorge. There was +ust achance that the townsfo$- wou$d not thin- of that/ since its briar"cho-ed desertion made it ha$f"im'assab$e( and the un$i-e$iest of a$$ avenues for a fugitive to choose. I had seen it c$ear$y from my hote$window and -new about how it $ay. &ost of its ear$ier $ength was uncomfortab$y visib$e from the 4ow$eyroad( and from high '$aces in the town itse$f/ but one cou$d 'erha's craw$ incons'icuous$y through theundergrowth. 3t any rate( it wou$d form my on$y chance of de$iverance( and there was nothing to do buttry it.

Drawing inside the ha$$ of my deserted she$ter( I once more consu$ted the grocery boys ma' with the aidof the f$ash$ight. The immediate 'rob$em was how to reach the ancient rai$way/ and I now saw that thesafest course was ahead to 5abson Street/ then west to Lafayette " " there edging around but not crossingan o'en s'ace homo$ogous to the one I had traversed " " and subse*uent$y bac- northward and westwardin a 2ig2agging $ine through Lafayette( 5ates( 3dam( and 5an- streets " " the $atter s-irting the rivergorge " " to the abandoned and di$a'idated station I had seen from my window. &y reason for going aheadto 5abson was that I wished neither to recross the ear$ier o'en s'ace nor to begin my westward coursea$ong a cross street as broad as South.

Starting once more( I crossed the street to the right"hand side in order to edge around into 5abeon asincons'icuous$y as 'ossib$e. oises sti$$ continued in %edera$ Street( and as I g$anced behind me I thoughtI saw a g$eam of $ight near the bui$ding through which I had esca'ed. 3n0ious to $eave


27/33

$ast moment I decided I had better s$ac-en my trot and ma-e the crossing as before in the shamb$ing gaitof an average Innsmouth native.


28/33

The marshy region began very abot$y( with the sing$e trac- on a $ow( grassy emban-ment where the weedygrowth was somewhat thinner. Then came a sort of is$and of higher ground( where the $ine 'assedthrough a sha$$ow o'en cut cho-ed with bushes and bramb$es. I was very g$ad of this 'artia$ she$ter( sinceat this 'oint the 4ow$ey road was uncomfortab$y near according to my window view. 3t the end of the cutit wou$d cross the trac- and swerve off to a safer distance/ but meanwhi$e I must be e0ceeding$y carefu$. Iwas by this time than-fu$$y certain that the rai$way itse$f was not 'atro$$ed.

6ust before entering the cut I g$anced behind me( but saw no 'ursuer. The ancient s'ires and roofs ofdecaying Inns"month g$eamed $ove$y and etherea$ in the magic ye$$ow moon$ight( and I thought of howthey must have $oo-ed in the o$d days before the shadow feI$. Then( as my ga2e circ$ed in$and from thetown( something $ess tran*ui$ arrested my notice and he$d me immobi$e for a second.

Did theyhave dogs after a$$> So far I had seen none of the $ower anima$s in $nnsmouth. That f$o''ing or 'atteringwas monstrous " " I cou$d not $oo- u'on the degenerate creatures res'onsib$e for it I wou$d -ee' my eyesshut ti$$ the sound receded toward the west. The horde was very c$ose now " " air fou$ with their hoarsesnar$ings( and the ground a$most sha-ing with their a$ien"rhythmed footfa$$s. &y breath near$y ceased tocome( and I 'ut every ounce of wi$$"'ower into the tas- of ho$ding my eye$ids down.

#


29/33

I am not even yet wi$$ing to say whether what fo$$owed was a hideous actua$ity or on$y a nightmareha$$ucination. The $ater action of the government( after my frantic a''ea$s( wou$d tend to confirm it as amonstrous truth/ but cou$d not an ha$$ucination have been re'eated under the *uasi"hy'notic s'e$$ of thatancient( haunted( and shadowed town> Such '$aces have strange 'ro'erties( and the $egacy of insane$egend might we$$ have acted on more than one human imagination amidst those dead( stench"cursedstreets and hudd$es of rotting roofs and crumb$ing stee'$es. Is it not 'ossib$e that the germ of an actua$

contagious madness $ur-s in the de'ths of that shadow over Innsmouth> The government men never found 'oor Fado-( and haveno con+ectures to ma-e as to what became of him. Is it

'ossib$e that even my $atest fear is sheer de$usion>

5ut I must try to te$$ what I thought I saw that night under the moc-ing ye$$ow moon " " saw surging andho''ing down the 4ow$ey road in '$ain sight in front of me as I crouched among the wi$d bramb$es ofthat deso$ate rai$way cut. Of course my reso$ution to -ee' my eyes shut had fai$ed. It was foredoomed tofai$ure " " for who cou$d crouch b$ind$y whi$e a $egion of croa-ing( baying entities of un-nown sourcef$o''ed noisome$y 'ast( scarce$y more than a hundred yards away>

I thought I was 're'ared for the worst( and I rea$$y ought to have been 're'ared considering what I hadseen before.

&y other 'ursuers had been accursed$y abnorma$ " " so shou$d I not have been ready to face astrengthening of the abnorma$ e$ement/ to $oo-. u'on forms in which there was no mi0ture of the norma$at a$$> I did not o'en my eyes unti$ the raucous c$amour came $oud$y from a 'oint obvious$y straightahead. Then I -new that a $ong section of them must be '$ain$y in sight where the sides of the cutf$attened @irt and the road crossed the trac- " " and I cou$d no $onger -ee' myse$f from sam'$ingwhatever honor that $eering ye$$ow moon might have to shew.

It was the end( for whatever remains to me of $ife on the surface of this earth( of every vestige of menta$'eace and confidence in the integrity of nature and of the human mind. othing that I cou$d haveimagined " " nothing( even( that I cou$d have gathered had I credited o$d Fado-s cra2y ta$e in the most$itera$ way " " wou$d be in any way com'arab$e to the demoniac( b$as'hemous rea$ity that I saw " " or

be$ieve I saw. I have tied to hint what it was in order to 'ost'one the horror of writing it down ba$d$y. anit be 'ossib$e that dim '$anet has actua$$y s'awned such things/ that human eyes have tru$y seen( as

ob+ective f$esh( what man has hitherto -nown on$y in febri$e 'hantasy and tenuous $egend>

3nd yet I saw them in a $imit$ess stream"f$o''ing( ho''ing( croa-ing( b$eating " " urging inhuman$ythrough the s'ectra$ moon$ight in a grotes*ue( ma$ignant saraband of fantastic nightmare. 3nd some ofthem had ta$$ tiaras of that name$ess whitish"go$d meta$ . . . and some were strange$y robed . . . and one(who $ed the way( was c$ad in a ghou$ish$y hum'ed b$ac- coat and stri'ed trousers( and had a mans fe$that 'erched on the sha'e$ess thing that answered for a head.

I thin- their 'redominant co$our was a greyish"green( though they had white be$$ies. They were most$yshiny and s$i''ery( but the ridges of their bac-s were sca$y. Their forms vague$y suggested the anthro'oid(whi$e their heads were the heads of fish( with 'rodigious bu$ging eyes that never c$osed. 3t the sides oftheir nec-s were 'a$'itating gi$$s( and their $ong 'aws were webbed. They ho''ed irregu$ar$y( sometimeson two $egs and sometimes on four. I was somehow g$ad that they had no more than four $imbs. Theircroa-ing( baying voices( c$ear$y wed tar articu$ate s'eech( he$d a$$ the dar- shades of e0'ression which

their staring faces $ac-ed.

5ut for a$$ of their monstrousness they were not unfami$iar to me. I -new too we$$ what they must be " "for was not the memory of the evi$ tiara at ewbury'ort sti$$ fresh> They were the b$as'hemous fish"frogsof the name$ess design " " $iving and horrib$e " " and as I saw them I -new a$so of what that hum'ed(tiaraed 'riest in the b$ac- church basement had fearsome$y reminded me. Their number was 'astguessing. It seemed to me that there were $imit$ess swarms of them and certain$y my momentary g$im'secou$d have shewn on$y the $east fraction. In another instant everything was b$otted out by a mercifu$ fit offainting/ the first I had ever had.

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C

It was a gent$e day$ight rain that awa-ed me front my stu'or in the brush"grown rai$way cut( and when Istaggered out to the roadway ahead I saw no trace of any 'rints in the fresh mud. The fishy odour( too(was gone( Innsmouths ruined roofs and to''$ing stee'$es $oomed u' grey$y toward the southeast( but not a$iving creature did I s'y in a$$ the deso$ate sa$t marshes around. &y watch was sti$$ going( and to$d me

that the hour was 'ast noon.

The rea$ity of what I had been through was high$y uncertain in my mind( but I fe$t that something hideous$ay in the bac-ground. I must get away from evi$"shadowed Innsmouth " " and according$y I began to testmy cram'ed( wearied 'owers of $ocomotion. Des'ite wea-ness hunger( horror( and bewi$derment I foundmyse$f after a time ab$e to wa$-/ so started s$ow$y a$ong the muddy road to 4ow$ey. 5efore evening I wasin vi$$age( getting a mea$ and 'roviding myse$f with 'resentab$e c$oths. I caught the night train to3r-ham( and the ne0t day ta$-ed $ong and earnest$y with government officia$s there/ a 'rocess I $aterre'eated in 5oston.


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I did not e0act$y re$ish this tas-( for the atmos'here of the


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great"great"grandmother> 5ut 'erha's this was a$$ madness. Those whitish"go$d ornaments might easi$yhave been bought from some Innsmouth sai$or by the father of my great"grand"mother( whoever he was.3nd that $oo- in the staring"eyed faces of my grandmother and se$f"s$ain unc$e might be sheer fancy onmy 'art " " sheer fancy( bo$stered u' by the Innsmouth shadow which had so dar-$y co$oured myimagination. 5ut why had my unc$e -i$$ed himse$f after an ancestra$ *uest in ew 8ng$and>

%or more than two years $ fought off these ref$ections with 'artia$ success. &y father secured me a '$ace in

an insurance office( and I buried myse$f in routine as dee'$y as 'ossib$e. In the winter of 19="1(however( the dreams began. They were very s'arse and insidious at first( but increased in fre*uency andvividness as the wee-s went by. @reat watery s'aces o'ened out before me( and I seemed to wanderthrough titanic sun-en 'orticos and $abyrinths of weedy cyc$o'ean wa$$s with grotes*ue fishes as mycom'anions. Then the other sha'es began to a''ear( fi$$ing me with name$ess honor the moment I awo-e.5ut during the dreams they did not horrify me at a$$ " " I was one with them/ wearing their unhumantra''ings( treading their a*ueous ways( and 'raying monstrous$y at their evi$ sea"bottom tem'$es.

There was much more than I cou$d remember( but even what I did remember each morning wou$d beenough to stam' me as a madman or a genius if ever I dared write it down. Some frightfu$ inf$uence( Ife$t( was see-ing gradua$$y to drag me out of the sane wor$d of who$esome $ife into u' namab$e abysses of

b$ac-ness and a$ienage/ and the 'rocess to$d heavi$y on me. &y hea$th and a''earance grew steadi$yworse( ti$$ fina$$y I was forced to give u' my 'osition and ado't the static( sec$uded $ife of an inva$id.Some odd nervous aff$iction had me in its gri'( and I found myse$f at times a$most unab$e to shut my eyes.

It was then that I began to study the mirror with mounting a$arm. The s$ow ravages of disease are not'$easant to watch( but in my case there was something subt$er and more 'u22$ing in the bac-ground. &yfather seemed to notice it( too( for he began $oo-ing at me curious$y and a$most affrighted$y.


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lovecraft, hp - the shadow over innsmouth

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