TheDreamQuestOfUnknownKadath

ByH.P.Lovecraft

THEDREAMQUESTOFUNKNOWNKADATH

ThreetimesRandolphCarterdreamedof themarvelouscity,andthreetimeswashesnatchedawaywhilestillhepausedon thehigh terraceabove it.Allgoldenandlovelyitblazedinthesunset,withwalls,temples,colonnadesandarchedbridgesofveinedmarble,silver-basinedfountainsofprismaticsprayinbroad squares and perfumed gardens, and wide streets marching betweendelicate trees and blossom-laden urns and ivory statues in gleaming rows;while on steep northward slopes climbed tiers of red roofs and old peakedgables harboring little lanes of grassy cobbles. Itwas a fever of thegods, afanfareofsupernaltrumpetsandaclashofimmortalcymbals.Mysteryhungabout it as clouds about a fabulous unvisitedmountain; and asCarter stoodbreathlessandexpectantonthatbalustradedparapettheresweptuptohimthepoignancy and suspense of almost-vanishedmemory, the pain of lost thingsandthemaddeningneedtoplaceagainwhatoncehadbeenanawesomeandmomentousplace.Heknew that forhim itsmeaningmustoncehavebeen supreme; though inwhatcycleorincarnationhehadknownit,orwhetherindreamorinwaking,hecouldnottell.Vaguelyitcalledupglimpsesofafarforgottenfirstyouth,whenwonderandpleasurelayinallthemysteryofdays,anddawnandduskalike strode forth prophetic to the eager sound of lutes and song, unclosingfierygatestowardfurtherandsurprisingmarvels.Buteachnightashestoodon thathighmarble terracewith thecuriousurnsandcarvenrailand lookedoffoverthathushedsunsetcityofbeautyandunearthlyimmanencehefeltthebondageofdream's tyrannousgods; for innowisecouldhe leave that lofty

spot, or descend thewidemarmoreal flights flung endlessly down towherethosestreetsofelderwitcherylayoutspreadandbeckoning.Whenforthethirdtimeheawakenedwiththoseflightsstillundescendedandthosehushedsunset streets stilluntraversed,heprayed longandearnestly tothehiddengodsofdreamthatbroodcapriciousabovethecloudsonunknownKadath,inthecoldwastewherenomantreads.Butthegodsmadenoanswerandshowednorelenting,nordidtheygiveanyfavoringsignwhenheprayedto themindream,andinvokedthemsacrificially throughthebeardedpriestsofNashtandKaman-Thah,whosecavern-templewith itspillarof flame liesnot far from the gates of the waking world. It seemed, however, that hisprayersmust have been adversely heard, for after even the first of them heceasedwhollytobeholdthemarvelouscity;asifhisthreeglimpsesfromafarhadbeenmereaccidentsoroversights,andagainstsomehiddenplanorwishofthegods.Atlength,sickwithlongingforthoseglitteringsunsetstreetsandcrypticalhilllanes among ancient tiled roofs, nor able sleeping or waking to drive themfromhismind,Carter resolved togowithboldentreatywhithernomanhadgone before, and dare the icy deserts through the dark to where unknownKadath,veiledincloudandcrownedwithunimaginedstars,holdssecretandnocturnaltheonyxcastleoftheGreatOnes.In light slumber he descended the seventy steps to the cavern of flame andtalkedof thisdesign to thebeardedpriestsNashtandKaman-Thah.And thepriestsshook theirpshent-bearingheadsandvowed itwouldbe thedeathofhissoul.TheypointedoutthattheGreatOneshadshownalreadytheirwish,and that it is not agreeable to them to be harassed by insistent pleas. Theyremindedhim,too,thatnotonlyhadnomaneverbeentoKadath,butnomanhad ever suspected in what part of space it may lie; whether it be in thedreamlands aroundour ownworld, or in those surrounding someunguessedcompanion of Fomalhaut or Aldebaran. If in our dreamland, it mightconceivablybereached,butonlythreehumansoulssincetimebeganhadevercrossedandrecrossedtheblackimpiousgulfstootherdreamlands,andofthatthree, two had come back quite mad. There were, in such voyages,incalculable localdangers;aswellas that shocking finalperilwhichgibbersunmentionablyoutsidetheordereduniverse,wherenodreamsreach;thatlastamorphousblightofnethermostconfusionwhichblasphemesandbubblesatthecenterofallinfinity—theboundlessdaemonsultanAzathoth,whosenamenolipsdarespeakaloud,andwhognawshungrilyininconceivable,unlightedchambersbeyond timeamidst themuffled,maddeningbeatingofviledrumsand the thin, monotonous whine of accursed flutes; to which detestablepounding and piping dance slowly, awkwardly, and absurdly the giganticUltimate gods, the blind, voiceless, tenebrous, mindless Other gods whosesoulandmessengeristhecrawlingchaosNyarlathotep.Of these thingswasCarterwarnedby thepriestsNashtandKaman-Thah inthecavernofflame,butstillheresolvedtofindthegodsonunknownKadath

inthecoldwaste,whereverthatmightbe,andtowinfromthemthesightandremembrance and shelter of the marvelous sunset city. He knew that hisjourneywouldbestrangeandlong,andthattheGreatOneswouldbeagainstit;butbeingoldinthelandofdreamhecountedonmanyusefulmemoriesanddevices to aid him. So asking a formal blessing of the priests and thinkingshrewdlyonhis course, heboldlydescended the sevenhundred steps to theGateofDeeperSlumberandsetoutthroughtheEnchantedWood.Inthetunnelsofthattwistedwood,whoselowprodigiousoakstwinegropingboughs and shine dimwith the phosphorescence of strange fungi, dwell thefurtive and secretive Zoogs; who knowmany obscure secrets of the dreamworldandafewofthewakingworld,sincethewoodattwoplacestouchesthelandsofmen,thoughitwouldbedisastroustosaywhere.Certainunexplainedrumors, events, and vanishments occur among men where the Zoogs haveaccess,andit iswell thattheycannottravelfaroutsidetheworldofdreams.Butoverthenearerpartsofthedreamworldtheypassfreely,flittingsmallandbrownandunseenandbearingbackpiquanttalestobeguilethehoursaroundtheirhearths in theforest theylove.Mostof themlive inburrows,butsomeinhabitthetrunksofthegreattrees;andalthoughtheylivemostlyonfungiitis muttered that they have also a slight taste for meat, either physical orspiritual, for certainlymanydreamershaveentered thatwoodwhohavenotcomeout.Carter, however, hadno fear; forhewas anolddreamer andhadlearnt their fluttering language and made many a treaty with them; havingfoundthroughtheirhelpthesplendidcityofCelephaisinOoth-NargaibeyondtheTanarianHills,wherereignshalftheyearthegreatKingKuranes,amanhe had known by another name in life.Kuraneswas the one soulwho hadbeentothestar-gullsandreturnedfreefrommadness.Threadingnow the lowphosphorescentaislesbetween thosegigantic trunks,Cartermade fluttering sounds in themannerof theZoogs, and listenednowandthenforresponses.Herememberedoneparticularvillageofthecreatureswasintheskepticalofthewood,whereacircleofgreatmossystonesinwhatwasonceacleaning tellsofolderandmore terribledwellers long forgotten,and toward this spothehastened.He tracedhiswayby thegrotesque fungi,whichalwaysseembetternourishedasoneapproachesthedreadcirclewhereelder beings danced and sacrificed. Finally the great light of those thickerfungirevealedasinistergreenandgreyvastnesspushingupthroughtheroofoftheforestandoutofsight.Thiswasthenearestofthegreatringofstones,and Carter knew hewas close to the Zoog village. Renewing his flutteringsound,hewaitedpatiently;andwasatlastrewardedbyanimpressionofmanyeyeswatchinghim.ItwastheZoogs,foroneseestheirweirdeyeslongbeforeonecandiscerntheirsmall,slipperybrownoutlines.Outtheyswarmed,fromhiddenburrowandhoneycombedtree,tillthewholedim-littenregionwasalivewiththem.SomeofthewilderonesbrushedCarterunpleasantly, and one even nipped loathsomely at his ear; but these lawlessspiritsweresoonrestrainedbytheirelders.TheCouncilofSages,recognizing

the visitor, offered a gourd of fermented sap from a haunted tree unlike theothers,whichhadgrownfromaseeddroptdownbysomeoneon themoon;and as Carter drank it ceremoniously a very strange colloquy began. TheZoogsdidnot,unfortunately,knowwherethepeakofKadathlies,norcouldthey even say whether the cold waste is in our dreamworld or in another.RumorsoftheGreatOnescameequallyfromallpoints;andonemightonlysaythattheywerelikeliertobeseenonhighmountainpeaksthaninvalleys,sinceonsuchpeakstheydancereminiscentlywhenthemoonisaboveandthecloudsbeneath.ThenoneveryancientZoogrecalledathingunheard-ofbytheothers;andsaidthatinUlthar,beyondtheRiverSkai,therestilllingeredthelastcopyofthoseinconceivably old Pnakotic Manuscripts made by waking men in forgottenborealkingdomsandborne into the landofdreamswhen thehairycannibalGnophkehs overcamemany-templedOlathoe and slew all the heroes of thelandofLomar.Thosemanuscriptshesaid,toldmuchofthegods,andbesides,inUltharthereweremenwhohadseenthesignsofthegods,andevenoneoldpriestwhohadscaledagreatmountaintobeholdthemdancingbymoonlight.Hehadfailed,thoughhiscompanionhadsucceededandperishednamelessly.SoRandolphCarterthankedtheZoogs,whoflutteredamicablyandgavehimanother gourd ofmoon-treewine to takewith him, and set out through thephosphorescentwood for theother side,where the rushingSkai flowsdownfrom the slopes of Lerion, and Hatheg and Nir and Ulthar dot the plain.Behindhim, furtiveandunseen,creptseveralof thecuriousZoogs; for theywished to learn what might befall him, and bear back the legend to theirpeople.Thevastoaksgrewthickerashepushedonbeyondthevillage,andhelooked sharply for acertain spotwhere theywould thin somewhat, standingquitedeadordyingamongtheunnaturallydensefungiandtherottingmouldandmushylogsoftheirfallenbrothers.Therehewouldturnsharplyaside,foratthatspotamightyslabofstonerestsontheforestfloor;andthosewhohavedaredapproachitsaythatitbearsanironringthreefeetwide.Rememberingthearchaiccircleofgreatmossyrocks,andwhatitwaspossiblysetupfor,theZoogs do not pause near that expansive slab with its huge ring; for theyskeptical that all which is forgotten need not necessarily be dead, and theywouldnotliketoseetheslabriseslowlyanddeliberately.Carter detoured at the proper place, and heard behind him the frightenedflutteringofsomeofthemoretimidZoogs.Hehadknowntheywouldfollowhim,sohewasnotdisturbed;foronegrowsaccustomedto theanomaliesofthesepryingcreatures.Itwastwilightwhenhecametotheedgeofthewood,and the strengthening glow told him it was the twilight of morning. OverfertileplainsrollingdowntotheSkaihesawthesmokeofcottagechimneys,andoneveryhandwerethehedgesandploughedfieldsandthatchedroofsofapeacefulland.Oncehestoppedatafarmhousewellforacupofwater,andallthedogsbarkedaffrightedlyattheinconspicuousZoogsthatcreptthroughthegrassbehind.Atanotherhouse,wherepeoplewerestirring,heaskedquestions

about the gods, andwhether they danced often uponLerion; but the farmerandhiswilewouldonlymaketheElderSignandtellhimthewaytoNirandUlthar.At noon hewalked through the one broad high street ofNir,which he hadoncevisitedandwhichmarkedhisfarthestformertravelsinthisdirection;andsoonafterwardhecametothegreatstonebridgeacrosstheSkai,intowhosecentralpiecethemasonshadsealedalivinghumansacrificewhentheybuiltitthirteen-hundredyearsbefore.Onceontheotherside,thefrequentpresenceofcats (who all arched their backs at the trailing Zoogs) revealed the nearneighborhoodofUlthar;forinUlthar,accordingtoanancientandsignificantlaw, nomanmay kill a cat.Very pleasantwere the suburbs ofUlthar,withtheirlittlegreencottagesandneatlyfencedfarms;andstillpleasanterwasthequainttownitself,withitsoldpeakedroofsandoverhangingupperstoriesandnumberless chimney-pots and narrow hill streets where one can see oldcobbleswheneverthegracefulcatsaffordspaceenough.Carter,thecatsbeingsomewhat dispersed by the half-seen Zoogs, picked his way directly to themodestTempleoftheElderOneswherethepriestsandoldrecordsweresaidto be; and once within that venerable circular tower of ivied stone—whichcrownsUlthar'shighesthill—hesoughtoutthepatriarchAtal,whohadbeenup the forbidden peak Hatheg-Kia in the stony desert and had come downagainalive.Atal,seatedonanivorydaisinafestoonedshrineatthetopofthetemple,wasfully threecenturiesold;butstillverykeenofmindandmemory.FromhimCarter learnedmany things about the gods, butmainly that they are indeedonlyEarth'sgods, ruling feeblyourowndreamlandandhavingnopowerorhabitation elsewhere.Theymight,Atal said, heed aman's prayer if in goodhumor; but one must not think of climbing to their onyx stronghold atopKadath in the cold waste. It was lucky that no man knew where Kadathtowers, for the fruitsofascending itwouldbeverygrave.Atal's companionBanni theWisehadbeendrawnscreaming into the sky forclimbingmerelytheknownpeakofHatheg-Kia.WithunknownKadath,ifeverfound,matterswouldbemuchworse;foralthoughEarth'sgodsmaysometimesbesurpassedbyawisemortal,theyareprotectedbytheOtherGodsfromOutside,whomitisbetternottodiscuss.Atleasttwiceintheworld'shistorytheOtherGodssettheirsealuponEarth'sprimalgranite;once inantediluvian times,asguessedfromadrawing in thosepartsof thePnakoticManuscripts tooancient toberead,andonceonHatheg-KiawhenBarzaitheWisetriedtoseeEarth'sgodsdancingbymoonlight.So,Atal said, itwouldbemuchbetter to letallgodsaloneexceptintactfulprayers.Carter,thoughdisappointedbyAtal'sdiscouragingadviceandbythemeagerhelptobefoundinthePnakoticManuscriptsandtheSevenCrypticalBooksofHsan,didnotwhollydespair.Firsthequestioned theoldpriestabout thatmarvelous sunset city seen from the railed terrace, thinking that perhaps hemightfinditwithoutthegods'aid;butAtalcouldtellhimnothing.Probably,

Atal said, the place belonged to his especial dream world and not to thegenerallandofvisionthatmanyknow;andconceivablyitmightbeonanotherplanet. In thatcaseEarth'sgodscouldnotguidehim if theywould.But thiswasnot likely,sincethestoppingof thedreamsshowedprettyclearly that itwassomethingtheGreatOneswishedtohidefromhim.ThenCarterdidawickedthing,offeringhisguilelesshostsomanydraughtsof themoon-winewhich theZoogshadgivenhim that theoldmanbecameirresponsibly talkative. Robbed of his reserve, poor Atal babbled freely offorbidden things; tellingof agreat image reportedby travelers as carvedonthesolidrockof themountainNgranek,onthe isleofOriabin theSouthernSea,andhintingthatitmaybealikenesswhichEarth'sgodsoncewroughtoftheir own features in the days when they danced by moonlight on thatmountain.Andhehiccoughedlikewisethatthefeaturesofthatimageareverystrange,sothatonemighteasilyrecognizethem,andthattheyaresuresignsoftheauthenticraceofthegods.NowtheuseofallthisinfindingthegodsbecameatonceapparenttoCarter.ItisknownthatindisguisetheyoungeramongtheGreatOnesoftenespousethe daughters ofmen, so that around the borders of the coldwastewhereinstandsKadaththepeasantsmustallbeartheirblood.Thisbeingso,thewaytofind that waste must be to see the stone face on Ngranek and mark thefeatures;then,havingnotedthemwithcare,tosearchforsuchfeaturesamonglivingmen.Where they are plainest and thickest, theremust thegodsdwellnearest;andwhateverstonywasteliesbackofthevillagesinthatplacemustbethatwhereinstandsKadath.MuchoftheGreatOnesmightbelearntinsuchregions,andthosewiththeirbloodmight inherit littlememories very useful to a seeker. Theymight notknow their parentage, for the gods so dislike to be known amongmen thatnone can be foundwhohas seen their faceswittingly; a thingwhichCarterrealizedevenashesought toscaleKadath.But theywouldhavequeer loftythoughts misunderstood by their fellows, and would sing of far places andgardenssounlikeanyknowneveninthedreamlandthatcommonfolkwouldcall them fools; and from all this one could perhaps learn old secrets ofKadath,orgainhintsofthemarveloussunsetcitywhichthegodsheldsecret.Andmore,onemightincertaincasesseizesomewell-lovedchildofagodashostage; or even capture some young god himself, disguised and dwellingamongstmenwithacomelypeasantmaidenashisbride.Atal, however, did not know how to findNgranek on its isle ofOriab; andrecommendedthatCarterfollowthesingingSkaiunderitsbridgesdowntotheSouthern Sea; where no burgess of Ulthar has ever been, but whence themerchants come in boats or with long caravans of mules and two-wheeledcarts.There is agreatcity there,Dylath-Leen,but inUlthar its reputation isbadbecauseoftheblackthree-bankedgalleysthatsailtoitwithrubiesfromnoclearlynamedshore.Thetradersthatcomefromthosegalleystodealwiththejewelersarehuman,ornearlyso,buttherowersareneverbeheld;anditis

notthoughtwholesomeinUltharthatmerchantsshouldtradewithblackshipsfromunknownplaceswhoserowerscannotbeexhibited.Bythe timehehadgiven this informationAtalwasverydrowsy,andCarterlaid him gently on a couch of inlaid ebony and gathered his long bearddecorouslyonhischest.Ashe turned togo,heobserved thatnosuppressedfluttering followedhim,andwonderedwhy theZoogshadbecomeso lax intheircuriouspursuit.Thenhenoticedall thesleekcomplacentcatsofUltharlicking their chops with unusual gusto, and recalled the spitting andcaterwaulinghehadfaintlyheard,inlowerpartsofthetemplewhileabsorbedin the old priest's conversation. He recalled, too, the evilly hungry way inwhichanespeciallyimpudentyoungZooghadregardedasmallblackkitteninthecobbledstreetoutside.Andbecausehelovednothingonearthmorethansmall black kittens, he stooped and petted the sleek cats of Ulthar as theylickedtheirchops,anddidnotmournbecausethoseinquisitiveZoogswouldescorthimnofarther.Itwassunsetnow,soCarterstoppedatanancient innonasteep littlestreetoverlookingthe lower town.Andashewentoutonthebalconyofhisroomandgazeddownattheseaofredtiledroofsandcobbledwaysandthepleasantfieldsbeyond,allmellowandmagicalintheslantedlight,hesworethatUltharwould be a very likely place to dwell in always,were not thememory of agreater sunset city ever goading one onward toward unknown perils. Thentwilight fell, and the pink walls of the plastered gables turned violet andmystic,andlittleyellowlightsfloateduponebyonefromoldlatticewindows.Andsweetbellspealed in. the temple towerabove,and thefirststarwinkedsoftly above the meadows across the Skai. With the night came song, andCarternoddedasthelutanistspraisedancientdaysfrombeyondthefiligreedbalconiesand tesselatedcourtsof simpleUlthar.And theremighthavebeensweetnesseveninthevoicesofUlthar'smanycats,butthattheyweremostlyheavy and silent from strange feasting. Some of them stole off to thosecrypticalrealmswhichareknownonlytocatsandwhichvillagerssayareonthemoon'sdarkside,whitherthecatsleapfromtallhousetops,butonesmallblack kitten crept upstairs and sprang in Carter's lap to purr and play, andcurled up near his feet when he lay down at last on the little couchwhosepillowswerestuffedwithfragrant,drowsyherbs.In themorningCarter joinedacaravanofmerchantsbound forDylath-LeenwiththespunwoolofUltharandthecabbagesofUlthar'sbusyfarms.Andforsix days they rode with tinkling bells on the smooth road beside the Skai;stopping somenights at the inns of little quaint fishing towns, andonothernightscampingunderthestarswhilesnatchesofboatmen'ssongscamefromtheplacidriver.Thecountrywasverybeautiful,withgreenhedgesandgrovesandpicturesquepeakedcottagesandoctagonalwindmills.On theseventhdayablurofsmokeroseon thehorizonahead,and then thetallblacktowersofDylath-Leen,whichisbuiltmostlyofbasalt.Dylath-Leenwith its thin angular towers looks in the distance like a bit of the Giant's

Causeway,anditsstreetsaredarkanduninviting.Therearemanydismalsea-tavernsnearthemyriadwharves,andallthetownisthrongedwiththestrangeseamenofeverylandonearthandofafewwhicharesaidtobenotonearth.CarterquestionedtheoddlyrobedmenofthatcityaboutthepeakofNgranekontheisleofOriab,andfoundthattheyknewofitwell.Ships came fromBaharna on that island, one being due to return thither inonlyamonth,andNgranekisbuttwodays'zebra-ridefromthatport.Butfewhad seen the stone face of the god, because it is on a very difficult side ofNgranek,whichoverlooksonlysheercragsandavalleyofsinisterlava.Oncethegodswereangeredwithmenonthatside,andspokeof thematter to theOtherGods.It was hard to get this information from the traders and sailors in Dylath-Leen's sea taverns, because they mostly preferred to whisper of the blackgalleys.Oneofthemwasdueinaweekwithrubiesfromitsunknownshore,and the townsfolkdreadedtosee itdock.Themouthsof themenwhocamefromittotradeweretoowide,andthewaytheirturbanswerehumpedupintwopointsabovetheirforeheadswasinespeciallybadtaste.AndtheirshoesweretheshortestandqueeresteverseenintheSixKingdoms.Butworstofallwas thematter of the unseen rowers. Those three banks of oarsmoved toobrisklyandaccuratelyandvigorouslytobecomfortable,anditwasnotrightforashiptostayinportforweekswhilethemerchantstraded,yettogivenoglimpseofitscrew.Itwasnotfairtothetavern-keepersofDylath-Leen,ortothe grocers andbutchers, either; for not a scrapof provisionswas ever sentaboard.ThemerchantstookonlygoldandstoutblackslavesfromPargacrossthe river.Thatwasall theyever took, thoseunpleasantly featuredmerchantsand their unseen rowers; never anything from the butchers and grocers, butonlygoldandthefatblackmenofPargwhomtheyboughtbythepound.Andtheodorsfromthosegalleyswhichthesouthwindblewinfromthewharvesare not to be described.Only by constantly smoking strong thagweed couldeventhehardiestdenizenoftheoldsea-tavernsbearthem.Dylath-Leenwouldnever have tolerated the black galleys had such rubies been obtainableelsewhere,butnomine inallBarth'sdreamlandwasknowntoproduce theirlike.Of these things Dylath-Leen's cosmopolitan folk chiefly gossiped whilstCarterwaitedpatientlyfortheshipfromBaharna,whichmightbearhimtotheislewhereoncarvenNgranek towers loftyandbarren.Meanwhilehedidnotfall to seek through thehauntsof far travelers forany tales theymighthaveconcerningKadathinthecoldwasteoramarvelouscityofmarblewallsandsilverfountainsseenbelowterracesinthesunset.Ofthesethings,however,helearnednothing;thoughheoncethoughtthatacertainoldslant-eyedmerchantlookedqueerlyintelligentwhenthecoldwastewasspokenof.Thismanwasreputed to tradewith thehorrible stonevillageson the icydesert plateauofLeng,whichnohealthyfolkvisitandwhoseevilfiresareseenatnightfromafar. He was even rumored to have dealt with that High-Priest Not To Be

Described,whichwearsayellowsilkenmaskoveritsfaceanddwellsallalonein a prehistoric stone monastery. That such a person might well have hadnibblingtrafficwithsuchbeingsasmayconceivablydwellinthecoldwastewasnot tobedoubted,butCartersoonfound that itwasnousequestioninghim.Thentheblackgalleyslippedintotheharborpastthebasaltwaleandthetalllighthouse, silent and alien, and with a strange stench that the south winddrove into the town. Uneasiness rustled through the taverns along thatwaterfront,andafterawhilethedarkwide-mouthedmerchantswithhumpedturbans and short feet clumped stealthily ashore to seek the bazaars of thejewelers.Carterobservedthemclosely,anddislikedthemmorethelongerhelookedat them.Thenhesaw themdrive thestoutblackmenofPargup thegangplank grunting and sweating into that singular galley, andwondered inwhat lands—or if in any lands at all—those fat pathetic creaturesmight bedestinedtoserve.And on the third evening of that galley's stay one of the uncomfortablemerchantsspoketohim,smirkingsinfullyandhintingofwhathehadheardinthe taverns ofCarter's quest.He appeared to have knowledge too secret forpublic telling; and although the sound of his voicewas unbearably hateful,Carter felt that the loreofsofara travelermustnotbeoverlooked.Hebadehimthereforebehisguestinlockedchambersabove,anddrewoutthelastofthe Zoogs' moon-wine to loosen his tongue. The strange merchant drankheavily,butsmirkedunchangedbythedraught.Thenhedrewforthacuriousbottle with wine of his own, and Carter saw that the bottle was a singlehollowed ruby, grotesquely carved in patterns too fabulous to becomprehended.Heofferedhiswine tohishost,and thoughCarter tookonlytheleastsip,hefeltthedizzinessofspaceandthefeverofunimaginedjungles.Allthewhiletheguesthadbeensmilingmoreandmorebroadly,andasCarterslipped into blankness the last thing he saw was that dark odious faceconvulsedwith evil laughter and somethingquiteunspeakablewhereoneofthe two frontalpuffsof thatorange turbanhadbecomedisarrangedwith theshakingsofthatepilepticmirth.Carter next had consciousness amidst horrible odors beneath a tent-likeawningonthedeckofaship,withthemarvelouscoastsoftheSouthernSeaflying by in unnatural swiftness.Hewas not chained, but three of the darksardonic merchants stood grinning nearby, and the sight of those humps intheir turbans made him almost as faint as did the stench that filtered upthroughthesinisterhatches.Hesawslippasthimthegloriouslandsandcitiesofwhichafellow-dreamerofearth—alighthouse-keeperinancientKingsport—hadoftendiscoursedintheolddays,andrecognizedthetempledterracesofZak, abode of forgotten dreams; the spires of infamous Thalarion, thatdaemon-city of a thousand wonders where the eidolon Lathi reigns; thecharnelgardensofZura,landofpleasuresunattained,andthetwinheadlandsofcrystal,meetingaboveinaresplendentarch,whichguardtheskepticalof

Sona-Nyl,blessedlandoffancy.Pastallthesegorgeouslandsthemalodorousshipflewunwholesomely,urgedby the abnormal strokes of those unseen rowers below.And before the daywas done Carter saw that the steersman could have no other goal than theBasalt Pillars of theWest, beyondwhich simple folk say splendidCathurialies,butwhichwisedreamerswellknowarethegatesofamonstrouscataractwhereintheoceansofearth'sdreamlanddropwhollytoabysmalnothingnessandshoot through theemptyspaces towardotherworldsandotherstarsandthe awful voids outside the ordered universe where the daemon sultanAzathothgnawshungrily inchaosamidpoundingandpipingandthehellishdancing of the Other Gods, blind, voiceless, tenebrous, and mindless, withtheirsoulandmessengerNyarlathotep.Meanwhile the threesardonicmerchantswouldgivenowordof their intent,thoughCarterwellknewthattheymustbeleaguedwiththosewhowishedtoholdhimfromhisquest.It isunderstoodinthelandofdreamthattheOtherGods havemany agentsmoving amongmen; and all these agents, whetherwhollyhumanorslightlylessthanhuman,areeagertoworkthewillofthoseblind and mindless things in return for the favor of their hideous soul andmessenger, the crawling chaos Nyarlathotep. So Carter inferred that themerchantsof thehumped turbans,hearingofhisdaringsearch for theGreatOnesintheircastleofKadath,haddecidedtotakehimawayanddeliverhimto Nyarlathotep for whatever nameless bounty might be offered for such aprize.Whatmightbethelandofthosemerchantsinourknownuniverseorinthe eldritch spaces outside,Carter could not guess; nor could he imagine atwhathellishtrysting-placetheywouldmeetthecrawlingchaostogivehimupandclaimtheirreward.Heknew,however,thatnobeingsasnearlyhumanasthese would dare approach the ultimate nighted throne of the daemonAzathothintheformlesscentralvoid.At thesetofsun themerchants licked theirexcessivelywide lipsandglaredhungrily and one of them went below and returned from some hidden andoffensive cabin with a pot and basket of plates. Then they squatted closetogetherbeneaththeawningandatethesmokingmeatthatwaspassedaround.ButwhentheygaveCarteraportion,hefoundsomethingveryterribleinthesize and shape of it; so that he turned even paler than before and cast thatportionintotheseawhennoeyewasonhim.Andagainhethoughtofthoseunseenrowersbeneath,andofthesuspiciousnourishmentfromwhichtheirfartoomechanicalstrengthwasderived.ItwasdarkwhenthegalleypassedbetwixttheBasaltPillarsoftheWestandthe sound of the ultimate cataract swelled portentous from ahead. And thesprayofthatcataractrosetoobscurethestars,andthedeckgrewdamp,andthevesselreeledinthesurgingcurrentofthebrink.Thenwithaqueerwhistleandplungetheleapwastaken,andCarterfelttheterrorsofnightmareasearthfell awayand thegreat boat shot silent and comet-like intoplanetary space.Never before hadheknownwhat shapeless black things lurk and caper and

flounderallthroughtheaether,leeringandgrinningatsuchvoyagersasmaypass,andsometimesfeelingaboutwithslimypawswhensomemovingobjectexcites theircuriosity.Theseare thenameless larvaeof theOtherGods,andlikethemareblindandwithoutmind,andpossessedofsingularhungersandthirsts.ButthatoffensivegalleydidnotaimasfarasCarterhadfeared,forhesoonsawthatthehelmsmanwassteeringacoursedirectlyforthemoon.Themoonwasacrescentshininglargerandlargerastheyapproachedit,andshowingitssingularcratersandpeaksuncomfortably.Theshipmadefortheedge,anditsoon became clear that its destination was that secret and mysterious sidewhich is always turnedaway fromearth, andwhichno fullyhumanperson,saveperhapsthedreamerSnireth-Ko,haseverbeheld.ThecloseaspectofthemoonasthegalleydrewnearprovedverydisturbingtoCarter,andhedidnotlikethesizeandshapeoftheruinswhichcrumbledhereandthere.Thedeadtemples on themountainswere so placed that they could have glorified nosuitable or wholesome gods, and in the symmetries of the broken columnsthereseemedtobesomedarkandinnermeaningwhichdidnotinvitesolution.Andwhat the structure and proportions of the oldenworshipers could havebeen,Cartersteadilyrefusedtoconjecture.Whentheshiproundedtheedge,andsailedoverthoselandsunseenbyman,there appeared in the queer landscape certain signs of life, and Carter sawmany low, broad, round cottages in fields of grotesque whitish fungi. Henoticed that these cottages had no windows, and thought that their shapesuggested the huts of Esquimaux. Then he glimpsed the oily waves of asluggishsea,andknewthatthevoyagewasoncemoretobebywater—oratleastthroughsomeliquid.Thegalleystruckthesurfacewithapeculiarsound,andtheoddelasticwaythewavesreceiveditwasveryperplexingtoCarter.Theynowslidalongatgreatspeed,oncepassingandhailinganothergalleyofkindredform,butgenerallyseeingnothingbutthatcuriousseaandaskythatwasblackandstar-strewneventhoughthesunshonescorchinglyinit.There presently rose ahead the jagged hills of a leprous-looking coast, andCartersawthethickunpleasantgreytowersofacity.Thewaytheyleanedandbent, themanner inwhichtheywereclustered,andthefact that theyhadnowindowsatall,wasverydisturbing to theprisoner;andhebitterlymournedthefollywhichhadmadehimsipthecuriouswineofthatmerchantwiththehumpedturban.Asthecoastdrewnearer,andthehideousstenchofthatcitygrewstronger,hesawuponthejaggedhillsmanyforests,someofwhosetreeshe recognized as akin to that solitary moon-tree in the enchanted wood ofearth,fromwhosesapthesmallbrownZoogsfermenttheircuriouswine.Cartercouldnowdistinguishmovingfiguresonthenoisomewharvesahead,and thebetterhe saw them theworsehebegan to fearanddetest them.Fortheywerenotmenatall,orevenapproximatelymen,butgreatgrayish-whiteslipperythingswhichcouldexpandandcontractatwill,andwhoseprincipalshape—thoughitoftenchanged—wasthatofasortoftoadwithoutanyeyes,

but with a curious vibrating mass of short pink tentacles on the end of itsblunt, vague snout. These objects were waddling busily about the wharves,movingbalesandcratesandboxeswithpreternatural strength,andnowandthenhoppingonoroffsomeanchoredgalleywithlongoarsintheirforepaws.Andnowandthenonewouldappeardrivingaherdofclumpingslaves,whichindeed were approximate human beings with wide mouths like thosemerchantswhotradedinDylath-Leen;onlytheseherds,beingwithoutturbansorshoesorclothing,didnotseemsoveryhumanafterall.Someoftheslaves—thefatterones,whomasortofoverseerwouldpinchexperimentally—wereunloadedfromshipsandnailed incrateswhichworkerspushedinto the lowwarehousesorloadedongreatlumberingvans.Onceavanwashitchedanddrivenoff,andthe,fabulousthingwhichdrewitwassuchthatCartergasped,evenafterhavingseentheothermonstrositiesofthathatefulplace.Nowandthenasmallherdofslavesdressedandturbanedlikethedarkmerchantswouldbedrivenaboardagalley,followedbyagreatcrew of the slippery toad-things as officers, navigators, and rowers. AndCarter saw that the almost-human creatures were reserved for the moreignominious kinds of servitudewhich required no strength, such as steeringandcooking,fetchingandcarrying,andbargainingwithmenontheearthorotherplanetswhere they traded.These creaturesmusthavebeenconvenientonearth,fortheyweretrulynotunlikemenwhendressedandcarefullyshodandturbaned,andcouldhaggleintheshopsofmenwithoutembarrassmentorcurious explanations. But most of them, unless lean or ill-favored, wereunclothedandpackedincratesanddrawnoffinlumberinglorriesbyfabulousthings.Occasionally other beingswere unloaded and crated; some very likethesesemi-humans,somenotsosimilar,andsomenotsimilaratall.AndhewonderedifanyofthepoorstoutblackmenofPargwerelefttobeunloadedandcratedandshippedinlandinthoseobnoxiousdrays.Whenthegalleylandedatagreasy-lookingquayofspongyrockanightmarehordeoftoad-thingswiggledoutofthehatches,andtwoofthemseizedCarteranddraggedhimashore.Thesmellandaspectofthatcityarebeyondtelling,andCarterheldonlyscatteredimagesofthetiledstreetsandblackdoorwaysandendlessprecipicesofgreyverticalwallswithoutwindows.At lengthhewasdraggedwithina lowdoorwayandmade toclimbinfinitesteps inpitchblackness.Itwas,apparently,allonetothetoad-thingswhetheritwerelightordark.Theodoroftheplacewasintolerable,andwhenCarterwaslockedintoachamberandleftalonehescarcelyhadstrengthtocrawlaroundandascertainitsformanddimensions.Itwascircular,andabouttwentyfeetacross.Fromthenontimeceasedtoexist.Atintervalsfoodwaspushedin,butCarterwouldnottouchit.Whathisfatewouldbe,hedidnotknow;buthefeltthathewasheldforthecomingofthatfrightfulsoulandmessengerofinfinity'sOtherGods, the crawling chaos Nyarlathotep. Finally, after an unguessed span ofhoursordays,thegreatstonedoorswungwideagain,andCarterwasshoveddownthestairsandoutintothered-littenstreetsofthatfearsomecity.Itwas

night on themoon, and all through the townwere stationed slaves bearingtorches.Inadetestablesquareasortofprocessionwasformed;tenofthetoad-thingsand twenty-four almost human torch-bearers, eleven on either side, and oneeachbeforeandbehind.Carterwasplacedinthemiddleoftheline;fivetoad-things ahead and five behind, and one almost-human torch-bearer on eithersideofhim.Certainofthetoad-thingsproduceddisgustinglycarvenflutesofivoryandmadeloathsomesounds.Tothathellishpipingthecolumnadvancedout of the tiled streets and into nighted plains of obscene fungi, sooncommencingtoclimboneofthelowerandmoregradualhillsthatlaybehindthe city. That on some frightful slope or blasphemous plateau the crawlingchaoswaited,Cartercouldnotdoubt;andhewishedthatthesuspensemightsoonbeover.Thewhiningofthoseimpiousfluteswasshocking,andhewouldhavegivenworldsforsomeevenhalf-normalsound;butthesetoad-thingshadnovoices,andtheslavesdidnottalk.Then through that star-specked darkness there did come a normal sound. Itrolled from the higher hills, and from all the jagged peaks around it wascaughtupandechoedinaswellingpandemoniacchorus.Itwasthemidnightyellofthecat,andCarterknewatlastthattheoldvillagefolkwererightwhentheymade lowguesses about the cryptical realmswhich are knownonly tocats, and to which the elders among cats repair by stealth nocturnally,springingfromhighhousetops.Verily,itistothemoon'sdarksidethattheygotoleapandgambolonthehillsandconversewithancientshadows,andhereamidstthatcolumnoffetidthingsCarterheardtheirhomely,friendlycry,andthought of the steep roofs and warm hearths and little lighted windows ofhome.NowmuchofthespeechofcatswasknowntoRandolphCarter,andinthisfarterribleplaceheuttered thecry thatwassuitable.But thatheneednothavedone, for evenashis lipsopenedheheard the choruswaxanddrawnearer,andsawswiftshadowsagainstthestarsassmallgracefulshapesleapedfromhilltohillingatheringlegions.Thecalloftheclanhadbeengiven,andbeforethefoulprocessionhadtimeeventobefrightenedacloudofsmotheringfurandaphalanxofmurderousclawsweretidallyandtempestuouslyuponit.Theflutes stopped, and there were shrieks in the night. Dying almost-humansscreamed,andcatsspitandyowledandroared,butthetoad-thingsmadeneverasoundastheirstinkinggreenichoroozedfatallyuponthatporousearthwiththeobscenefungi.Itwasastupendoussightwhilethetorcheslasted,andCarterhadneverbeforeseensomanycats.Black,grey,andwhite;yellow,tiger,andmixed;common,Persian,andMarix;Thibetan,Angora,andEgyptian;allwerethereinthefuryof battle, and there hovered over them some trace of that profound andinviolatesanctitywhichmadetheirgoddessgreatinthetemplesofBubastis.Theywould leap seven strong at the throat of an almost-human or the pinktentacledsnoutofatoad-thinganddragitdownsavagelytothefungousplain,

wheremyriadsoftheirfellowswouldsurgeoveritandintoitwiththefrenziedclaws and teeth of a divine battle-fury. Carter had seized a torch from astricken slave, but was soon overborne by the surging waves of his loyaldefenders.Thenhe lay in theutterblacknesshearing theclangorofwarandtheshoutsofthevictors,andfeelingthesoftpawsofhisfriendsastheyrushedtoandfrooverhiminthefray.Atlastaweandexhaustionclosedhiseyes,andwhenheopenedthemagainitwasuponastrangescene.Thegreat shiningdiscof theearth, thirteen timesgreaterthanthatofthemoonasweseeit,hadrisenwithfloodsofweirdlightover the lunar landscape; and across all those leagues of wild plateau andraggedcresttheresquattedoneendlessseaofcatsinorderlyarray.Circleoncircletheyreached,andtwoorthreeleadersoutoftherankswerelickinghisfaceandpurringtohimconsolingly.Ofthedeadslavesandtoad-thingstherewerenotmanysigns,butCarterthoughthesawonebonealittlewayoffintheopenspacebetweenhimandthewarriors.Carternowspokewiththeleadersinthesoftlanguageofcats,andlearnedthathisancientfriendshipwiththespecieswaswellknownandoftenspokenofintheplaceswherecatscongregate.HehadnotbeenunmarkedinUltharwhenhepassedthrough,andthesleekoldcatshadrememberedhowhepattedthemaftertheyhadattendedtothehungryZoogswholookedevillyatasmallblackkitten.Andtheyrecalled,too,howhehadwelcomedtheverylittlekittenwhocametoseehimattheinn,andhowhehadgivenitasaucerofrichcreaminthemorningbeforehe left.Thegrandfatherof thatvery littlekittenwas theleaderofthearmynowassembled,forhehadseentheevilprocessionfromafarhillandrecognizedtheprisonerasaswornfriendofhiskindonearthandinthelandofdream.Ayowlnowcamefromthefartherpeak,andtheoldleaderpausedabruptlyinhisconversation.Itwasoneofthearmy'soutposts,stationedonthehighestofthemountainstowatchtheonefoewhichEarth'scatsfear;theverylargeandpeculiarcatsfromSaturn,whoforsomereasonhavenotbeenobliviousofthecharmofourmoon'sdarkside.Theyareleaguedbytreatywiththeeviltoad-things,andarenotoriouslyhostiletoourearthlycats;sothatatthisjunctureameetingwouldhavebeenasomewhatgravematter.After a brief consultation of generals, the cats rose and assumed a closerformation,crowdingprotectinglyaroundCarterandpreparingtotakethegreatleapthroughspacebacktothehousetopsofourearthanditsdreamland.Theold field-marshal advisedCarter to lethimselfbebornealong smoothly andpassively in themassed ranks of furry leapers, and told him how to springwhentherestsprangandlandgracefullywhentherestlanded.Healsoofferedtodeposithiminanyspothedesired,andCarterdecidedonthecityofDylath-Leenwhence the black galley had set out; for hewished to sail thence forOriabandthecarvencrestNgranek,andalsotowarnthepeopleofthecitytohavenomoretrafficwithblackgalleys,ifindeedthattrafficcouldbetactfullyandjudiciouslybrokenoff.Then,uponasignal,thecatsallleapedgracefully

with their friendpackedsecurely in theirmidst;while inablackcaveonanunhallowed summit of themoon-mountains still vainly waited the crawlingchaosNyarlathotep.Theleapofthecatsthroughspacewasveryswift;andbeingsurroundedbyhiscompanionsCarterdidnot see this time thegreatblack shapelessnesses thatlurk and caper and flounder in the abyss.Before he fully realizedwhat hadhappenedhewasbackinhisfamiliarroomattheinnatDylath-Leen,andthestealthy, friendly cats were pouring out of the window in streams. The oldleaderfromUltharwasthelasttoleave,andasCartershookhispawhesaidhewouldbe able to get homeby cockcrow.Whendawn came,Carterwentdownstairsandlearnedthataweekhadelapsedsincehiscaptureandleaving.TherewasstillnearlyafortnighttowaitfortheshipboundtowardOriab,andduring that time he said what he could against the black galleys and theirinfamous ways.Most of the townsfolk believed him; yet so fond were thejewelersofgreat rubies thatnonewouldwhollypromise tocease traffickingwith thewide-mouthedmerchants. If aught of evil ever befallsDylath-Leenthroughsuchtraffic,itwillnotbehisfault.In about a week the desiderate ship put in by the black wale and talllighthouse, andCarterwas glad to see that shewas a barque ofwholesomemen,withpainted sides andyellow lateen sails and agrey captain in silkenrobes. Her cargo was the fragrant resin of Oriab's inner groves, and thedelicatepotterybakedby theartistsofBahama,andthestrange littlefigurescarved fromNgranek's ancient lava. For this theywere paid in thewool ofUltharand the iridescent textilesofHathegand the ivory that theblackmencarveacrosstheriverinParg.CartermadearrangementswiththecaptaintogotoBaharnaandwastoldthatthevoyagewouldtaketendays.Andduringhisweekofwaitinghe talkedmuchwith that captainofNgranek, andwas toldthat very few had seen the carven face thereon; but that most travelers arecontent to learn its legends from old people and lava-gatherers and image-makersinBaharnaandafterwardsayintheirfarhomesthattheyhaveindeedbeheldit.Thecaptainwasnotevensurethatanypersonnowlivinghadbeheldthatcarvenface,forthewrongsideofNgranekisverydifficultandbarrenandsinister,andtherearerumorsofcavesnearthepeakwhereindwellthenight-gaunts.But thecaptaindidnotwish tosay justwhatanight-gauntmightbelike,sincesuchcattleareknowntohauntmostpersistentlythedreamsofthosewho think toooftenof them.ThenCarterasked thatcaptainaboutunknownKadathinthecoldwaste,andthemarveloussunsetcity,butofthesethegoodmancouldtrulytellnothing.CartersailedoutofDylath-Leenoneearlymorningwhenthetideturned,andsaw the first raysof sunriseon the thinangular towersof thatdismalbasalttown.Andfortwodaystheysailedeastwardinsightofgreencoasts,andsawoften thepleasant fishing towns that climbedup steeplywith their red roofsand chimney-pots from old dreaming wharves and beaches where nets laydrying.Butonthethirddaytheyturnedsharplysouthwheretherollofwater

was stronger, and soon passed from sight of any land.On the fifth day thesailorswerenervous,butthecaptainapologizedfortheirfears,sayingthattheshipwasabouttopassovertheweedywallsandbrokencolumnsofasunkencitytoooldformemory,andthatwhenthewaterwasclearonecouldseesomany moving shadows in that deep place that simple folk disliked it. Headmitted, moreover, that many ships had been lost in that part of the sea;havingbeenhailedwhenquiteclosetoit,butneverseenagain.Thatnightthemoonwasverybright,andonecouldseeagreatwaydowninthewater.Therewassolittlewindthattheshipcouldnotmovemuch,andtheoceanwasverycalm.LookingovertherailCartersawmanyfathomsdeepthedomeof thegreat temple,and in frontof itanavenueofunnaturalsphinxesleadingtowhatwasonceapublicsquare.Dolphinssportedmerrilyinandoutoftheruins,andporpoisesreveledclumsilyhereandthere,sometimescomingtothesurfaceandleapingclearoutofthesea.Astheshipdriftedonalittletheflooroftheoceanroseinhills,andonecouldclearlymarkthelinesofancientclimbingstreetsandthewashed-downwallsofmyriadlittlehouses.Then the suburbs appeared, and finally a great lone building on a hill, ofsimplerarchitecturethantheotherstructures,andinmuchbetterrepair.Itwasdarkandlowandcoveredfoursidesofasquare,withatowerateachcorner,apaved court in the skeptical, and small curious round windows all over it.Probablyitwasofbasalt,thoughweedsdrapedthegreaterpart;andsuchwasitslonelyandimpressiveplaceonthatfarhillthatitmayhavebeenatempleor a monastery. Some phosphorescent fish inside it gave the small roundwindowsanaspectofshining,andCarterdidnotblamethesailorsmuchfortheirfears.Thenbythewaterymoonlighthenoticedanoddhighmonolithinthemiddleof that central court, and saw that somethingwas tied to it.Andwhenaftergettingatelescopefromthecaptain'scabinhesawthatthatboundthingwasasailorinthesilkrobesofOriab,headdownwardandwithoutanyeyes,hewasgladthatarisingbreezesoontooktheshipaheadtomorehealthypartsofthesea.ThenextdaytheyspokewithashipwithvioletsailsboundforZar,inthelandofforgottendreams,withbulbsofstrangecoloredliliesforcargo.Andontheevening of the eleventh day they came in sight of the isle of Oriab withNgranekrisingjaggedandsnow-crownedinthedistance.Oriabisaverygreatisle, and its port of Bahama a mighty city. The wharves of Bahama are ofporphyry,andthecityrisesingreatstoneterracesbehindthem,havingstreetsofstepsthatarefrequentlyarchedoverbybuildingsandthebridgesbetweenbuildings.ThereisagreatcanalwhichgoesunderthewholecityinatunnelwithgranitegatesandleadstotheinlandlakeofYath,onwhosefarthershorearethevastclay-brickruinsofaprimalcitywhosenameisnotremembered.AstheshipdrewintotheskepticalateveningthetwinbeaconsThonandThalgleamed a welcome, and in all the million windows of Bahama's terracesmellowlightspeepedoutquietlyandgraduallyasthestarspeepoutoverheadin the dusk, till that steep and climbing seaport became a glittering

constellation hung between the stars of heaven and the reflections of thosestarsinthestillskeptical.Thecaptain,afterlanding,madeCarteraguestinhisownsmallhouseontheshoresofYathwheretherearofthetownslopesdowntoit;andhiswifeandservantsbroughtstrangetoothsomefoodsforthetraveler'sdelight.Andinthedays after that Carter asked for rumors and legends of Ngranek in all thetaverns and public placeswhere lava-gatherers and image-makersmeet, butcouldfindnoonewhohadbeenupthehigherslopesorseenthecarvenface.Ngranek was a hard mountain with only an accursed valley behind it, andbesides, one could never depend on the certainty that night-gaunts arealtogetherfabulous.When the captain sailed hack to Dylath-Leen Carter took quarters in anancient tavern openingon an alley of steps in the original part of the town,whichisbuiltofbrickandresemblestheruinsofYath'sfarthershore.HerehelaidhisplansfortheascentofNgranek,andcorrelatedallthathehadlearnedfromthelava-gatherersabouttheroadsthither.Thekeeperofthetavernwasavery oldman, and had heard somany legends that hewas a great help.Heeven tookCarter to an upper room in that ancient house and showedhim acrudepicturewhichaskepticalhadscratchedontheclaywallintheolddayswhenmenwerebolderandlessreluctanttovisitNgranek'shigherslopes.Theoldtavern-keeper'sgreat-grandfatherhadheardfromhisgreat-grandfatherthatthe skeptical who scratched that picture had climbedNgranek and seen thecarven face, here drawing it for others to behold, butCarter had very greatdoubts,sincethelargeroughfeaturesonthewallwerehastyandcareless,andwholly overshadowed by a crowd of little companion shapes in the worstpossibletaste,withhornsandwingsandclawsandcurlingtails.Atlast,havinggainedalltheinformationhewaslikelytogaininthetavernsandpublicplacesofBaharna,CarterhiredazebraandsetoutonemorningontheroadbyYath'sshoreforthoseinlandpartswhereintowersstonyNgranek.On his right were rolling hills and pleasant orchards and neat little stonefarmhouses, andhewasmuch remindedof those fertile fields that flank theSkai. By evening he was near the nameless ancient ruins on Yath's farthershore, and though old lava-gatherers had warned him not to camp there atnight,hetetheredhiszebratoacuriouspillarbeforeacrumblingwallandlaidhisblanketinashelteredcornerbeneathsomecarvingswhosemeaningnonecould decipher. Around him hewrapped another blanket, for the nights arecold inOriab;andwhenuponawakingoncehe thoughthefelt thewingsofsomeinsectbrushinghisfacehecoveredhisheadaltogetherandsleptinpeacetillrousedbythemagahbirdsindistantresingroves.Thesunhadjustcomeupoverthegreatslopewhereonleaguesofprimalbrickfoundations and worn walls and occasional cracked pillars and pedestalsstretcheddowndesolatetotheshoreofYath,andCarterlookedaboutforhistethered zebra. Great was his dismay to see that docile beast stretchedprostratebeside thecuriouspillar towhich ithadbeen tied, andstillgreater

was he vexed on finding that the steed was quite dead, with its blood allsucked away through a singular wound in its throat. His pack had beendisturbed, and several shiny knickknacks taken away, and all round on thedusty soil'were greatwebbed footprints forwhichhe couldnot in anywayaccount.Thelegendsandwarningsoflava-gatherersoccurredtohim,andhethoughtofwhathadbrushedhisfaceinthenight.ThenheshoulderedhispackandstrodeontowardNgranek,thoughnotwithoutashiverwhenhesawclosetohimasthehighwaypassedthroughtheruinsagreatgapingarchlowinthewallofanold temple,withsteps leadingdownintodarknessfarther thanhecouldpeer.Hiscoursenowlayuphill throughwilderandpartlywoodedcountry,andhesaw only the huts of charcoal-burners and the camp of thosewho gatheredresin from the groves. Thewhole air was fragrantwith balsam, and all themagahbirdssangblithelyas theyflashedtheirsevencolors in thesun.Nearsunset he cameon a newcampof lava-gatherers returningwith laden sacksfromNgranek'slowerslopes;andherehealsocamped,listeningtothesongsandtalesofthemen,andoverhearingwhattheywhisperedaboutacompaniontheyhadlost.Hehadclimbedhightoreachamassoffinelavaabovehim,andatnightfalldidnot return tohis fellows.When they lookedforhimthenextdaytheyfoundonlyhisturban,norwasthereanysignonthecragsbelowthathehadfallen.Theydidnotsearchanymore,becausetheoldmanamongthemsaiditwouldbeofnouse.Nooneeverfoundwhatthenight-gauntstook,thoughthosebeaststhemselvesweresouncertainastobealmostfabulous.Carteraskedthemifnight-gauntssuckedbloodand liked shiny things and leftwebbed footprints, but they allshook their heads negatively and seemed frightened at his making such aninquiry.Whenhesawhowtaciturntheyhadbecomeheaskedthemnomore,butwenttosleepinhisblanket.Thenextdayherosewiththelava-gatherersandexchangedfarewellsastheyrodewestandherodeeastonazebraheboughtofthem.Theiroldermengavehimblessingsandwarnings,andtoldhimhehadbetternotclimbtoohighonNgranek,butwhilehethankedthemheartilyhewasinnowisedissuaded.ForstilldidhefeelthathemustfindthegodsonunknownKadath;andwinfromthemawaytothathauntingandmarvelouscityinthesunset.Bynoon,afteralong uphill ride, he came upon some abandoned brick villages of the hill-peoplewhohadoncedweltthusclosetoNgranekandcarvedimagesfromitssmooth lava. Here they had dwelt till the days of the old tavernkeeper'sgrandfather, but about that time they felt that their presence was disliked.Theirhomeshadcreptevenupthemountain'sslope,andthehighertheybuiltthemorepeople theywouldmisswhen the sun rose.At last theydecided itwouldbebettertoleavealtogether,sincethingsweresometimesglimpsedinthedarknesswhichnoonecouldinterpretfavorably;sointheendallofthemwentdowntotheseaanddweltinBahama,inhabitingaveryoldquarterandteaching theirsons theoldartof image-makingwhich to thisday theycarry

on.Itwasfromthesechildrenoftheexiledhill-peoplethatCarterhadheardthe best tales about Ngranek when searching through Bahama's ancienttaverns.All this time the great gaunt side of Ngranek was looming up higher andhigher asCarter approached it. Therewere sparse trees on the lower slopesand feeble shrubs above them, and then the bare hideous rock rose spectralintothesky,tomixwithfrostandiceandeternalsnow.Cartercouldseetheriftsandruggednessofthatsombrestone,anddidnotwelcometheprospectofclimbingit.Inplacesthereweresolidstreamsoflava,andscoriacheapsthatlitteredslopesandledges.Ninetyaeonsago,beforeeventhegodshaddanceduponitspointedpeak,thatmountainhadspokenwithfireandroaredwiththevoicesoftheinnerthunders.Nowittoweredallsilentandsinister,bearingonthe hidden side that secret titan imagewhereof rumor told.And therewerecavesinthatmountain,whichmightbeemptyandalonewithelderdarkness,ormight—iflegendspoketruly—holdhorrorsofaformnottobesurmised.ThegroundslopedupwardtothefootofNgranek,thinlycoveredwithscruboaks and ash trees, and strewn with bits of rock, lava, and ancient cinder.Therewerethecharredembersofmanycamps,wherethelava-gathererswerewonttostop,andseveralrudealtarswhichtheyhadbuilteithertopropitiatetheGreatOnesortowardoffwhattheydreamedofinNgranek'shighpassesand labyrinthine caves. At evening Carter reached the farthermost pile ofembersandcampedforthenight,tetheringhiszebratoasaplingandwrappinghimselfwellinhisblanketsbeforegoingtosleep.Andallthroughthenightavoonithhowleddistantlyfromtheshoreofsomehiddenpool,butCarterfeltnofearofthatamphibiousterror,sincehehadbeentoldwithcertaintythatnotoneofthemdaresevenapproachtheslopeofNgranek.IntheclearsunshineofmorningCarterbeganthelongascent,takinghiszebraasfarasthatusefulbeastcouldgo,buttyingittoastuntedashtreewhenthefloor of the thinwoodbecame too steep.Thereafter he scrambledup alone;first through the forestwith its ruinsofoldvillages inovergrownclearings,and thenover the toughgrasswhereanemicshrubsgrewhereand there.Heregrettedcomingclearof the trees, since theslopewasveryprecipitousandthe whole thing rather dizzying. At length he began to discern all thecountryside spreadout beneathhimwhenever he looked about; thedesertedhutsoftheimage-makers,thegrovesofresintreesandthecampsofthosewhogathered from them, the woodswhere prismaticmagahs nest and sing, andevenahintveryfarawayoftheshoresofYathandofthoseforbiddingancientruinswhosenameisforgotten.Hefounditbestnottolookaround,andkepton climbing and climbing till the shrubs became very sparse and therewasoftennothingbutthetoughgrasstoclingto.Then the soil becamemeager,withgreat patchesofbare rock croppingout,andnowandthenthenestofacondorinacrevice.Finallytherewasnothingat all but the bare rock, and had it not been very rough andweathered, hecouldscarcelyhaveascendedfarther.Knobs,ledges,andpinnacles,however,

helpedgreatly;anditwascheeringtoseeoccasionallythesignofsomelava-gatherer scratched clumsily in the friable stone, and know that wholesomehumancreatureshadbeentherebeforehim.Afteracertainheightthepresenceofmanwasfurthershownbyhandholdsandfootholdshewnwheretheywereneeded, and by little quarries and excavations where some choice vein orstreamoflavahadbeenfound.Inoneplaceanarrowledgehadbeenchoppedartificially to an especially rich deposit far to the right of the main line ofascent.OnceortwiceCarterdaredtolookaround,andwasalmoststunnedbythe spread of landscape below.All the island betwixt him and the coast layopentohissight,withBaharna'sstoneterracesandthesmokeofitschimneysmysticalinthedistance.AndbeyondthattheillimitableSouthernSeawithallitscurioussecrets.Thusfartherehadbeenmuchwindingaroundthemountain,sothatthefartherandcarvensidewasstillhidden.Carternowsawaledgerunningupwardandtotheleftwhichseemedtoheadthewayhewished,andthiscoursehetookinthe hope that it might prove continuous. After ten minutes he saw it wasindeednocul-de-sac,butthatitledsteeplyoninanarcwhichwould,unlesssuddenlyinterruptedordeflected,bringhimafterafewhours'climbingtothatunknown southern slope overlooking the desolate crags and the accursedvalleyoflava.Asnewcountrycameintoviewbelowhimhesawthatitwasbleakerandwilderthanthoseseawardlandshehadtraversed.Themountain'sside, too,was somewhatdifferent; beingherepiercedbycurious cracks andcavesnotfoundonthestraighterroutehehadleft.Someofthesewereabovehim and some beneath him, all opening on sheerly perpendicular cliffs andwhollyunreachablebythefeetofman.Theairwasverycoldnow,butsohardwastheclimbingthathedidnotmindit.Onlytheincreasingraritybotheredhim, and he thought that perhaps itwas thiswhich had turned the heads ofother travelers and excited those absurd tales of night-gaunts whereby theyexplainedthelossofsuchclimbersasfellfromtheseperilouspaths.Hewasnotmuchimpressedbytravelers'tales,buthadagoodcurvedscimitarincaseofanytrouble.AlllesserthoughtswerelostinthewishtoseethatcarvenfacewhichmightsethimonthetrackofthegodsatopunknownKadath.At last, in the fearsome iciness of upper space, he came round fully to thehiddensideofNgranekandsaw in infinitegulfsbelowhim the lessercragsandsterileabyssesoflavawhichmarkedoldenwrathoftheGreatOnes.Therewasunfolded,too,avastexpanseofcountrytothesouth;butitwasadesertlandwithout fair fieldsorcottagechimneys,andseemed tohavenoending.Notraceoftheseawasvisibleonthisside,forOriabisagreatisland.Blackcavernsandoddcreviceswerestillnumerousonthesheerverticalcliffs,butnone of themwas accessible to a climber. There now loomed aloft a greatbeetlingmasswhichhamperedtheupwardview,andCarterwasforamomentshakenwithdoubt lest itprove impassable.Poised inwindyinsecuritymilesaboveearth,withonlyspaceanddeathononesideandonlyslipperywallsofrock on the other, he knew for a moment the fear that makes men shun

Ngranek'shiddenside.Hecouldnotturnround,yetthesunwasalreadylow.Iftherewerenowayaloft,thenightwouldfindhimcrouchingtherestill,andthedawnwouldnotfindhimatall.Buttherewasaway,andhesawitindueseason.Onlyaveryexpertdreamercould have used those imperceptible footholds, yet to Carter they weresufficient. Surmounting now the outward-hanging rock, he found the slopeabovemucheasier than thatbelow, sinceagreatglacier'smeltinghad left agenerousspacewithloamandledges.Totheleftaprecipicedroppedstraightfromunknownheightstounknowndepths,withacave'sdarkmouthjustoutofreachabovehim.Elsewhere,however,themountainslantedbackstrongly,andevengavehimspacetoleanandrest.Hefeltfromthechillthathemustbenearthesnowline,andlookeduptoseewhatglitteringpinnaclesmightbeshining in that late ruddysunlight.Surelyenough,therewasthesnowuncountedthousandsoffeetabove,andbelowitagreatbeetlingcraglikethat.hehadjustclimbed;hangingthereforeverinboldoutline. And when he saw that crag he gasped and cried out aloud, andclutchedatthejaggedrockinawe;forthetitanbulgehadnotstayedasearth'sdawn had shaped it, but gleamed red and stupendous in the sunsetwith thecarvedandpolishedfeaturesofagod.Sternandterribleshonethatfacethatthesunsetlitwithfire.Howvastitwasnomindcanevermeasure,butCarterknewatoncethatmancouldneverhavefashioned it. It was a god chiseled by the hands of the gods, and it lookeddownhaughty andmajestic upon the seeker.Rumor had said itwas strangeandnot tobemistaken,andCartersaw that itwas indeedso; for those longnarroweyesandlong-lobedears,andthatthinnoseandpointedchin,allspokeofaracethatisnotofmenbutofgods.He clung overawed in that lofty and perilous eyrie, even though itwas thiswhichhehadexpectedandcometofind;forthereisinagod'sfacemoreofmarvel than prediction can tell, and when that face is vaster than a greattemple and seen looking downward at sunset in the cryptic silences of thatupperworldfromwhosedarklavaitwasdivinelyhewnofold,themarvelissostrongthatnonemayescapeit.Here,too,wastheaddedmarvelofrecognition;foralthoughhehadplannedtosearch all dreamland over for thosewhose likeness to this facemightmarkthemasthegod'schildren,henowknewthatheneednotdoso.Certainly,thegreatfacecarvenonthatmountainwasofnostrangesort,butthekinofsuchashehadseenofteninthetavernsoftheseaportCelephaiswhichliesinOoth-Nargai beyond the Tanarian Hills and is ruled over by that King KuraneswhomCarteronceknew inwaking life.Everyyear sailorswith sucha facecameindarkshipsfromthenorthtotradetheironyxforthecarvedjadeandspungoldandlittleredsingingbirdsofCelephais,anditwasclearthatthesecouldbenoothersthanthehall-godshesought.Wheretheydwelt,theremustthecoldwastelieclose,andwithinitunknownKadathanditsonyxcastlefortheGreatOnes.SotoCelephaishemustgo,fardistantfromtheisleofOriab,

andinsuchpartsaswouldtakehimbacktoDylath-TeenanduptheSkai tothebridgebyNir,andagainintotheenchantedwoodoftheZoogs,whencetheway would bend northward through the garden lands by Oukranos to thegilded spires of Thran, where he might find a galleon bound over theCerenarianSea.Butduskwasnowthick,andthegreatcarvenfacelookeddownevensternerinshadow.Perchedonthatledgenightfoundtheseeker;andintheblacknesshemightneithergodownnorgoup,butonly standandclingand shiver inthatnarrowplacetillthedaycame,prayingtokeepawakelestsleeploosehisholdandsendhimdownthedizzymilesofairtothecragsandsharprocksoftheaccursedvalley.Thestarscameout,butsaveforthemtherewasonlyblacknothingness in his eyes; nothingness leagued with death, against whosebeckoninghemightdonomore thancling to the rocksand leanbackawayfromanunseenbrink.Thelastthingofearththathesawinthegloamingwasa condor soaring close to the westward precipice beside him, and dartingscreamingawaywhenitcamenearthecavewhosemouthyawnedjustoutofreach.Suddenly,withoutawarningsoundinthedark,Carterfelthiscurvedscimitardrawnstealthilyoutofhisbeltbysomeunseenhand.Thenhehearditclatterdownovertherocksbelow.AndbetweenhimandtheMilkyWayhethoughthe saw a very terrible outline of something noxiously thin and horned andtailedandbat-winged.Otherthings,too,hadbeguntoblotoutpatchesofstarswestofhim,asifaflockofvagueentitieswereflappingthicklyandsilentlyoutof that inaccessiblecavein thefaceof theprecipice.Thenasortofcoldrubbery arm seizedhis neck and something else seizedhis feet, andhewaslifted inconsideratelyup and swungabout in space.Anotherminute and thestarsweregone,andCarterknewthatthenight-gauntshadgothim.They bore him breathless into that cliffside cavern and through monstrouslabyrinths beyond. When he struggled, as at first he did by instinct, theytickledhimwithdeliberation.Theymadenosoundatallthemselves,andeventheirmembranouswingsweresilent.Theywerefrightfullycoldanddampandslippery, and their paws kneaded one detestably. Soon they were plunginghideously downward through inconceivable abysses in awhirling, giddying,sickeningrushofdank,tomb-likeair;andCarterfelttheywereshootingintothe ultimate vortex of shrieking and daemonicmadness.He screamed againand again, butwhenever he did so the black paws tickled himwith greatersubtlety.Thenhesawasortofgreyphosphorescenceabout,andguessedtheywere coming even to that inner world of subterrene horror of which dimlegendstell,andwhichislittenonlybythepaledeath-firewherewithreekstheghoulishairandtheprimalmistsofthepitsatearth'score.AtlastfarbelowhimhesawfaintlinesofgreyandominouspinnacleswhichheknewmustbethefabledPeaksofThrok.Awfulandsinistertheystandinthehaunteddiscofsunlessandeternaldepths;higher thanmanmayreckon,andguardingterriblevalleyswheretheDholescrawlandburrownastily.But

Carter preferred to look at them than at his captors, which were indeedshocking and uncouth black things with smooth, oily, whale-like surfaces,unpleasant horns that curved inward toward each other, bat wings whosebeating made no sound, ugly prehensile paws, and barbed tails that lashedneedlesslyanddisquietingly.Andworstof all, theynever spokeor laughed,and never smiled because they had no faces at all to smilewith, but only asuggestiveblanknesswherea faceought tobe.All theyeverdidwasclutchandflyandtickle;thatwasthewayofnight-gaunts.AsthebandflewlowerthePeaksofThrokrosegreyandtoweringonallsides,andonesawclearlythatnothinglivedonthataustereandimpressivegraniteoftheendlesstwilight.Atstilllowerlevelsthedeath-firesintheairgaveout,andonemetonly theprimalblacknessof thevoid savealoftwhere the thinpeaksstoodoutgoblin-like.Soonthepeakswereveryfaraway,andnothingabout but great rushing winds with the dankness of nethermost grottoes inthem. Then in the end the night-gaunts landed on a floor of unseen thingswhichfeltlikelayersofbones,andleftCarterallaloneinthatblackvalley.Tobringhimthitherwasthedutyofthenight-gauntsthatguardNgranek;andthisdone, they flapped away silently.When Carter tried to trace their flight hefound he could not, since even the Peaks of Throk had faded out of sight.Therewasnothinganywherebutblacknessandhorrorandsilenceandbones.NowCarterknewfromacertainsourcethathewasinthevaleofPnoth,wherecrawlandburrowtheenormousDholes;buthedidnotknowwhattoexpect,becausenoonehaseverseenaDholeorevenguessedwhatsuchathingmaybe like.Dholes are knownonly by dim rumor, from the rustling theymakeamongstmountainsofbonesandtheslimytouchtheyhavewhentheywrigglepastone.Theycannotbeseenbecausetheycreeponlyinthedark.CarterdidnotwishtomeetaDhole,so listenedintentlyforanysoundin theunknowndepthsofbonesabouthim.Eveninthisfearsomeplacehehadaplanandanobjective,forwhispersofPnothwerenotunknowntoonewithwhomhehadtalkedmuchintheolddays.Inbrief,itseemedfairlylikelythatthiswasthespot into which all the ghouls of the waking world cast the refuse of theirfeastings;andthatifhebuthadgoodluckhemightstumbleuponthatmightycrag taller even than Throk's peaks whichmarks the edge of their domain.Showersofboneswouldtellhimwheretolook,andoncefoundhecouldcalltoaghoultoletdownaladder;forstrangetosay,hehadaverysingularlinkwiththeseterriblecreatures.Amanhehadknown inBoston—apainterof strangepictureswith a secretstudio in an ancient and unhallowed alley near a graveyard—had actuallymade friendswith the ghouls and had taught him to understand the simplerpartoftheirdisgustingmeepingandglibbering.Thismanhadvanishedatlast,andCarterwasnotsurebutthathemightfindhimnow,anduseforthefirsttimeindreamlandthatfar-awayEnglishofhisdimwakinglife.Inanycase,hefelthecouldpersuadeaghoultoguidehimoutofPnoth;anditwouldbebettertomeetaghoul,whichonecansee,thanaDhole,whichonecannotsee.

SoCarterwalked in the dark, and ranwhenhe thought he heard somethingamongthebonesunderfoot.Oncehebumpedintoastonyslope,andknewitmustbethebaseofoneofThrok'speaks.Thenat lastheheardamonstrousrattling and clatterwhich reached far up in the air, and became sure he hadcomenighthecragoftheghouls.Hewasnotsurehecouldbeheardfromthisvalleymilesbelow,butrealizedthat the innerworldhasstrangelaws.Asheponderedhewas struckby a flyingbone so heavy that itmust havebeen askull,andthereforerealizinghisnearnesstothefatefulcraghesentupasbesthemightthatmeepingcrywhichisthecalloftheghoul.Sound travels slowly, so it was some time before he heard an answeringglibber. But it came at last, and before long hewas told that a rope ladderwouldbelowered.Thewaitforthiswasverytense,sincetherewasnotellingwhat might not have been stirred up among those bones by his shouting.Indeed,itwasnotlongbeforeheactuallydidhearavaguerustlingafaroff.Asthisthoughtfullyapproached,hebecamemoreandmoreuncomfortable;forhedid not wish to move away from the spot where the ladder would come.Finallythetensiongrewalmostunbearable,andhewasabouttofleeinpanicwhenthethudofsomethingonthenewlyheapedbonesnearbydrewhisnoticefromtheothersound.Itwastheladder,andafteraminuteofgropinghehadittautinhishands.Buttheothersounddidnotcease,andfollowedhimevenashe climbed. He had gone fully five feet from the ground when the rattlingbeneathwaxedemphatic,andwasagoodtenfeetupwhensomethingswayedtheladderfrombelow.Ataheightwhichmusthavebeenfifteenortwentyfeethe felt his whole side brushed by a great slippery length which grewalternately convex and concave with wriggling; and hereafter he climbeddesperatelytoescapetheunendurablenuzzlingofthatloathsomeandoverfedDholewhoseformnomanmightsee.Forhoursheclimbedwithachingandblisteredhands,seeingagain thegreydeath-fire and Throk's uncomfortable pinnacles. At last he discerned abovehimtheprojectingedgeofthegreatcragoftheghouls,whoseverticalsidehecouldnotglimpse;andhourslaterhesawacuriousfacepeeringoveritasagargoylepeersoveraparapetofNotreDame.Thisalmostmadehimlosehishold through faintness, but a moment later he was himself again; for hisvanishedfriendRichardPickmanhadonceintroducedhimtoaghoul,andheknew well their canine faces and slumping forms and unmentionableidiosyncrasies.Sohehadhimselfwellundercontrolwhenthathideousthingpulledhimoutof thedizzyemptinessover theedgeof thecrag,anddidnotscreamat the partly consumed refuse heaped at one side or at the squattingcirclesofghoulswhognawedandwatchedcuriously.Hewasnowonadim-littenplainwhosesoletopographicalfeaturesweregreatbouldersandtheentrancesofburrows.Theghoulswereingeneralrespectful,even if onedid attempt topinchhimwhile several others eyedhis leannessspeculatively. Through patient glibbering he made inquiries regarding hisvanished friend, and found he had become a ghoul of some prominence in

abyssesnearerthewakingworld.AgreenishelderlyghoulofferedtoconducthimtoPickman'spresenthabitation,sodespiteanaturalloathinghefollowedthe creature into a capacious burrow and crawled after him for hours in theblacknessofrankmould.Theyemergedonadimplainstrewnwithsingularrelics of earth—old gravestones, broken urns, and grotesque fragments ofmonuments—and Carter realized with some emotion that he was probablynearer thewakingworld thanat anyother timesincehehadgonedown thesevenhundredstepsfromthecavernofflametotheGateofDeeperSlumber.There, on a tombstone of 1768 stolen from theGranaryBuryingGround inBoston,sataghoulwhichwasoncetheartistRichardUptonPickman.Itwasnakedand rubbery, andhadacquired somuchof theghoulishphysiognomythat its human origin was already obscure. But it still remembered a littleEnglish, andwas able to conversewithCarter in grunts andmonosyllables,helped out now and then by the glibbering of ghouls.When it learned thatCarter wished to get to the enchanted wood and from there to the cityCelephais in Ooth-Nargai beyond the Tanarian Hills, it seemed ratherdoubtful; for these ghouls of the waking world do no business in thegraveyardsofupperdreamland(leavingthattothered-footedwampsthatarespawnedindeadcities),andmanythingsintervenebetwixttheirgulfandtheenchantedwood,includingtheterriblekingdomoftheGugs.TheGugs,hairyandgigantic,oncerearedstonecirclesinthatwoodandmadestrangesacrificestotheOtherGodsandthecrawlingchaosNyarlathotep,untilonenightanabominationof theirs reached theearsofearth'sgodsand theywerebanishedtocavernsbelow.Onlyagreattrapdoorofstonewithanironringconnectstheabyssoftheearth-ghoulswiththeenchantedwood,andthistheGugsareafraid toopenbecauseofacurse.Thatamortaldreamercouldtraversetheircavernrealmandleavebythatdoorisinconceivable;formortaldreamersweretheirformerfood,andtheyhavelegendsofthetoothsomenessof such dreamers even though banishment has restricted their diet to theghasts, those repulsive beingswhich die in the light, andwhich live in thevaultsofZinandleaponlonghindlegslikekangaroos.So the ghoul that was Pickman advised Carter either to leave the abyss atSarkomand, that deserted city in thevalleybelowLengwhereblacknitrousstairwaysguardedbywingeddiorite lions leaddown fromdreamland to thelowergulfs,ortoreturnthroughachurchyardtothewakingworldandbeginthequestanewdowntheseventystepsoflightslumbertothecavernofflameandthesevenhundredstepstotheGateofDeeperSlumberandtheenchantedwood.This,however,didnotsuittheseeker;forheknewnothingofthewayfromLengtoOoth-Nargai,andwaslikewisereluctanttoawakelestheforgetallhehadsofargainedinthisdream.ItwasdisastroustohisquesttoforgettheaugustandcelestialfacesofthoseseamenfromthenorthwhotradedonyxinCelephais,andwho,beingthesonsofgods,mustpointthewaytothecoldwasteandKadathwheretheGreatOnesdwell.Aftermuchpersuasiontheghoulconsentedtoguidehisguestinsidethegreat

walloftheGugs'kingdom.TherewasonechancethatCartermightbeabletostealthroughthattwilightrealmofcircularstonetowersatanhourwhenthegiantswouldbe all gorged and snoring indoors, and reach the central towerwiththesignofKothuponit,whichhasthestairsleadinguptothatstonetrapdoorintheenchantedwood.Pickmanevenconsentedtolendthreeghoulstohelpwithatombstoneleverinraisingthestonedoor;forofghoulstheGugsaresomewhatafraid,and theyoften flee fromtheirowncolossalgraveyardswhentheyseethemfeastingthere.He also advisedCarter todisguise as a ghoul himself; shaving thebeardhehadallowedtogrow(forghoulshavenone),wallowingnakedinthemouldtogetthecorrectsurface,andlopingintheusualslumpingway,withhisclothingcarried in a bundle as if itwere a choicemorsel from a tomb. Theywouldreach the city of Gugs—which is coterminous with the whole kingdom—through the proper burrows, emerging in a cemetery not far from the stair-containingTowerofKoth.Theymustbeware,however,ofa largecavenearthe cemetery; for this is themouth of the vaults of Zin, and the vindictiveghastsarealwaysonwatchtheremurderouslyforthosedenizensoftheupperabysswhohuntandpreyonthem.TheghaststrytocomeoutwhentheGugssleepandtheyattackghoulsasreadilyasGugs,fortheycannotdiscriminate.They are very primitive, and eat one another. TheGugs have a sentry at anarrowinthevaultsofZin,butheisoftendrowsyandissometimessurprisedbyapartyofghasts.Thoughghastscannotliveinreallight,theycanendurethegreytwilightoftheabyssforhours.SoatlengthCartercrawledthroughendlessburrowswiththreehelpfulghoulsbearing the slate gravestone of Col. Nepemiah Derby, obit 1719, from theCharter Street BuryingGround in Salem.When they came again into opentwilight theywere in a forest of vast lichenedmonoliths reaching nearly ashighastheeyecouldseeandformingthemodestgravestonesoftheGugs.Onthe right of thehole out ofwhich theywriggled, and seen through aisles ofmonoliths, was a stupendous vista of cyclopean round towers mounting upillimitableintothegreyairofinnerearth.ThiswasthegreatcityoftheGugs,whosedoorwaysarethirtyfeethigh.Ghoulscomehereoften,foraburiedGugwill feedacommunity foralmostayear,andevenwith theaddedperil it isbettertoburrowforGugsthantobotherwiththegravesofmen.Carternowunderstood theoccasional titanboneshehad feltbeneathhim in thevaleofPnoth.Straightahead,andjustoutsidethecemetery,roseasheerperpendicularcliffatwhosebaseanimmenseandforbiddingcavernyawned.ThistheghoulstoldCarter to avoid as much as possible, since it was the entrance to theunhallowedvaultsofZinwhereGugshuntghastsinthedarkness.Andtruly,thatwarningwassoonwelljustified;forthemomentaghoulbegantocreeptoward the towers to see if the hour of the Gugs' resting had been rightlytimed,thereglowedinthegloomofthatgreatcavern'smouthfirstonepairofyellowish-redeyesandthenanother,implyingthattheGugswereonesentry

less,andthatghastshaveindeedanexcellentsharpnessofsmell.Sotheghoulreturnedtotheburrowandmotionedhiscompanionstobesilent.Itwasbesttoleavetheghaststotheirowndevices,andtherewasapossibilitythattheymight soonwithdraw, since theymust naturally be rather tired after copingwith aGug sentry in the black vaults.After amoment something about thesizeofasmallhorsehoppedoutintothegreytwilight,andCarterturnedsickat the aspect of that scabrous and unwholesome beast, whose face is socuriouslyhumandespitetheabsenceofanose,aforehead,andotherimportantparticulars.Presently three other ghasts hopped out to join their fellow, and a ghoulglibberedsoftlyatCarter that theirabsenceofbattle-scarswasabadsign.ItprovedthattheYhadnotfoughttheGugsentryatall,buthadmerelyslippedpasthimasheslept,sothattheirstrengthandsavagerywerestillunimpairedandwouldremainsotilltheyhadfoundanddisposedofavictim.Itwasveryunpleasant to see those filthy and disproportioned animals which soonnumbered about fifteen, grubbing about andmaking their kangaroo leaps inthegreytwilightwheretitantowersandmonolithsarose,butitwasstillmoreunpleasantwhen they spoke among themselves in the coughing gutturals ofghasts. And yet, horrible as they were, they were not so horrible as whatpresentlycameoutofthecaveafterthemwithdisconcertingsuddenness.Itwasapaw,fullytwofeetandahalfacross,andequippedwithformidabletalons.Alter itcameanotherpaw,andafter thatagreatblack- furredarmtowhichbothofthepawswereattachedbyshortforearms.Thentwopinkeyesshone, and theheadof theawakenedGug sentry, largeas abarrel,wobbledinto view. The eyes jutted two inches from each side, shaded by bonyprotuberancesovergrownwithcoarsehairs.Buttheheadwaschieflyterriblebecauseofthemouth.Thatmouthhadgreatyellowfangsandranfromthetoptothebottomofthehead,openingverticallyinsteadofhorizontally.Butbefore thatunfortunateGugcould emerge from the cave and rise tohisfull twenty feet, the vindictive ghasts were upon him. Carter feared for amomentthathewouldgiveanalarmandarouseallhiskin,tillaghoulsoftlyglibberedthatGugshavenovoicebuttalkbymeansoffacialexpression.Thebattle which then ensued was truly a frightful one. From all sides thevenomousghasts rushed feverishlyat thecreepingGug,nippingand tearingwiththeirmuzzles,andmaulingmurderouslywiththeirhardpointedhooves.Allthetimetheycoughedexcitedly,screamingwhenthegreatverticalmouthoftheGugwouldoccasionallybiteintooneoftheirnumber,sothatthenoiseof the combat would surely have aroused the sleeping city had not theweakeningofthesentrybeguntotransfertheactionfartherandfartherwithinthe cavern. As it was, the tumult soon receded altogether from sight in theblackness,withonlyoccasionalevilechoestomarkitscontinuance.Thenthemostalertoftheghoulsgavethesignalforalltoadvance,andCarterfollowed the loping three out of the forest of monoliths and into the darknoisome streetsof that awful citywhose rounded towersof cyclopean stone

soared up beyond the sight. Silently they shambled over that rough rockpavement,hearingwithdisgust theabominablemuffledsnortings fromgreatblackdoorwayswhichmarkedtheslumberoftheGugs.Apprehensiveoftheendingoftheresthour,theghoulssetasomewhatrapidpace;butevensothejourneywasnobriefone, fordistances in that townofgiantsareonagreatscale.At last,however, theycametoasomewhatopenspacebeforea towereven vaster than the rest; above whose colossal doorway was fixed amonstroussymbolinbas-reliefwhichmadeoneshudderwithoutknowingitsmeaning. Thiswas the central towerwith the sign ofKoth, and those hugestonestepsjustvisiblethroughtheduskwithinwerethebeginningofthegreatflightleadingtoupperdreamlandandtheenchantedwood.There now began a climb of interminable length in utter blackness: madealmost impossibleby themonstrous sizeof the steps,whichwere fashionedforGugs,andwerethereforenearlyayardhigh.OftheirnumberCartercouldformno just estimate, for he soon became soworn out that the tireless andelastic ghouls were forced to aid him. All through the endless climb therelurkedtheperilofdetectionandpursuit;forthoughnoGugdaresliftthestonedoortotheforestbecauseoftheGreatOne'scurse,therearenosuchrestraintsconcerningthetowerandthesteps,andescapedghastsareoftenchased,eventotheverytop.SosharparetheearsofGugs,thatthebarefeetandhandsofthe climbers might readily be heard when the city awoke; and it would ofcoursetakebutlittletimeforthestridinggiants,accustomedfromtheirghast-huntsinthevaultsofZintoseeingwithoutlight,toovertaketheirsmallerandslowerquarryonthosecyclopeansteps.Itwasverydepressingtoreflectthatthe silent pursuing Gugs would not be heard at all, but would come verysuddenly and shockingly in the dark upon the climbers. Nor could thetraditional fear ofGugs for ghouls be depended upon in that peculiar placewheretheadvantageslaysoheavilywiththeGugs.Therewasalsosomeperilfrom the furtiveandvenomousghasts,which frequentlyhoppeduponto thetowerduringthesleephouroftheGugs.IftheGugssleptlong,andtheghastsreturnedsoon from theirdeed in thecavern, the scentof theclimbersmighteasilybepickedupbythoseloathsomeandill-disposedthings;inwhichcaseitwouldalmostbebettertobeeatenbyaGug.Then,afteraeonsofclimbing, therecameacoughfromthedarknessabove;andmattersassumedaverygraveandunexpectedturn.Itwas clear that a ghast, or perhaps evenmore, had strayed into that towerbeforethecomingofCarterandhisguides;anditwasequallyclearthatthisperilwasveryclose.AlterabreathlesssecondtheleadingghoulpushedCartertothewallandarrangedhiskinfolkinthebestpossibleway,withtheoldslatetombstone raised for a crushing blow whenever the enemy might come insight.Ghoulscanseeinthedark,sothepartywasnotasbadlyoffasCarterwouldhavebeenalone.Inanothermomenttheclatterofhoovesrevealedthedownwardhoppingof at leastonebeast, and the slab-bearingghoulspoisedtheirweapon for adesperateblow.Presently twoyellowish-red eyes flashed

intoview,andthepantingoftheghastbecameaudibleaboveitsclattering.Asit hopped down to the step above the ghouls, they wielded the ancientgravestone with prodigious force, so that there was only a wheeze and achoking before the victim collapsed in a noxious heap. There seemed to beonlythisoneanimal,andafteramomentoflisteningtheghoulstappedCarterasasignaltoproceedagain.Asbefore,theywereobligedtoaidhim;andhewas glad to leave that place of carnage where the ghast's uncouth remainssprawledinvisibleintheblackness.At last theghoulsbrought theircompanion toahalt;andfeelingabovehim,Carterrealizedthat thegreatstonetrapdoorwasreachedat last.Toopensovastathingcompletelywasnottobethoughtof,buttheghoulshopedtogetitup just enough to slip the gravestone under as a prop, and permitCarter toescape through the crack. They themselves planned to descend again andreturnthroughthecityoftheGugs,sincetheirelusivenesswasgreat,andtheydidnot know thewayoverland to spectralSarkomandwith its lion-guardedgatetotheabyss.Mightywasthestrainingofthosethreeghoulsatthestoneofthedoorabovethem,andCarterhelpedpushwithasmuchstrengthashehad.They judgedtheedgenextthetopofthestaircasetobetherightone,andtothistheybentall the forceof theirdisreputablynourishedmuscles.Altera fewmomentsacrack of light appeared; and Carter, to whom that task had been entrusted,slipped the end of the old gravestone in the aperture. There now ensued amightyheaving;butprogresswasveryslow,andtheyhadofcoursetoreturntotheirfirstpositioneverytimetheyfailedtoturntheslabandproptheportalopen.Suddenlytheirdesperationwasmagnifiedathousandfoldbyasoundonthesteps below them. Itwas only the thumping and rattling of the slain ghast'shoovedbodyasitrolleddowntolowerlevels;butofallthepossiblecausesofthat body's dislodgement and rolling, none was in the least reassuring.Therefore,knowingthewaysofGugs, theghoulsset towithsomethingofafrenzy; and in a surprisingly short timehad thedoor sohigh that theywereabletoholditstillwhilstCarterturnedtheslabandleftagenerousopening.They now helped Carter through, letting him climb up to their rubberyshoulders and later guidinghis feet as he clutched at theblessed soil of theupperdreamlandoutside.Anothersecondandtheywerethroughthemselves,knockingawaythegravestoneandclosingthegreattrapdoorwhileapantingbecameaudiblebeneath.BecauseoftheGreatOne'scursenoGugmighteveremergefromthatportal,sowithadeepreliefandsenseofreposeCarter layquietlyon the thickgrotesque fungiof theenchantedwoodwhilehisguidessquattednearinthemannerthatghoulsrest.Weirdaswasthatenchantedwoodthroughwhichhehadfaredsolongago,itwas verily a haven and a delight after those gulfs he had now left behind.Therewasnolivingdenizenabout,forZoogsshunthemysteriousdoorinfearand Carter at once consulted with his ghouls about their future course. To

returnthroughthetowertheynolongerdared,andthewakingworlddidnotappeal to themwhen they learned that theymust pass thepriestsNasht andKaman-Thah in the cavern of flame. So at length they decided to returnthroughSarkomandanditsgateoftheabyss,thoughofhowtogettheretheyknew nothing. Carter recalled that it lies in the valley below Leng, andrecalled likewise that he had seen in Dylath-Leen a sinister, slant-eyed oldmerchantreputedtotradeonLeng,thereforeheadvisedtheghoulstoseekoutDylath-Leen,crossingthefieldstoNirandtheSkaiandfollowingtherivertoitsmouth. This they at once resolved to do, and lost no time in loping off,since the thickeningof theduskpromiseda full night ahead for travel.AndCartershookthepawsofthoserepulsivebeasts,thankingthemfortheirhelpandsendinghisgratitudetothebeastwhichoncewasPickman;butcouldnothelpsighingwithpleasurewhentheyleft.Foraghoulisaghoul,andatbestanunpleasantcompanionforman.AfterthatCartersoughtaforestpoolandcleansedhimselfofthemudofnetherearth,thereuponreassumingtheclotheshehadsocarefullycarried.Itwasnownightinthatredoubtablewoodofmonstroustrees,butbecauseofthephosphorescenceonemighttravelaswellasbyday;whereforeCartersetoutuponthewell-knownroutetowardCelephais,inOoth-NargaibeyondtheTanarianHills.Andashewenthethoughtofthezebrahehadlefttetheredtoanash-treeonNgranekinfar-awayOriabsomanyaeonsago,andwonderedifanylava-gatherershadfedandreleasedit.Andhewondered,too,ifhewouldeverreturntoBaharnaandpayforthezebrathatwasslainbynightinthoseancient ruins by Yath's shore, and if the old tavernkeeper would rememberhim.Suchwerethethoughtsthatcametohimintheairoftheregainedupperdreamland.But presently his progresswas halted by a sound from a very large hollowtree.Hehadavoidedthegreatcircleofstones,sincehedidnotcaretospeakwithZoogsjustnow;butitappearedfromthesingularflutteringinthathugetree that importantcouncilswere insessionelsewhere.Upondrawingnearerhe made out the accents of a tense and heated discussion; and before longbecameconsciousofmatterswhichheviewedwiththegreatestconcern.Forawaronthecatswasunderdebate in thatsovereignassemblyofZoogs.ItallcamefromthelossofthepartywhichhadsneakedafterCartertoUlthar,andwhich the catshad justlypunished forunsuitable intentions.Thematterhadlongrankled;andnow,oratleastwithinamonth,themarshaledZoogswereabout to strike the whole feline tribe in a series of surprise attacks, takingindividualcatsorgroupsofcatsunawares,andgivingnoteventhemyriadcatsof Ulthar a proper chance to drill and mobilize. This was the plan of theZoogs, and Carter saw that he must foil it before leaving upon his mightyquest.VeryquietlythereforedidRandolphCarterstealtotheedgeofthewoodandsendthecryofthecatoverthestarlitfields.Andagreatgrimalkininanearbycottagetookuptheburdenandrelayeditacrossleaguesofrollingmeadowto

warriors largeand small, black,grey, tiger,white,yellow, andmixed, and itechoed through Nir and beyond the Skai even into Ulthar, and Ulthar'snumerouscatscalledinchorusandfellintoalineofmarch.Itwasfortunatethat the moon was not up, so that all the cats were on earth. Swiftly andsilentlyleaping,theysprangfromeveryhearthandhousetopandpouredinagreatfurryseaacrosstheplainstotheedgeofthewood.Carterwastheretogreetthem,andthesightofshapely,wholesomecatswasindeedgoodforhiseyesafterthethingshehadseenandwalkedwithintheabyss.Hewasgladtosee his venerable friend and one-time rescuer at the head of Ulthar'sdetachment,acollarofrankaroundhissleekneck,andwhiskersbristlingatamartialangle.Betterstill,asasub-lieutenantinthatarmywasabriskyoungfellowwho proved to be none other than the very little kitten at the inn towhomCarterhadgivenasaucerofrichcreamonthatlong-vanishedmorninginUlthar.Hewasastrappingandpromisingcatnow,andpurredasheshookhandswithhisfriend.Hisgrandfathersaidhewasdoingverywellinthearmy,andthathemightwellexpectacaptaincyafteronemorecampaign.Carter now outlined the peril of the cat tribe, and was rewarded by deep-throated purrs of gratitude from all sides. Consulting with the generals, heprepared aplanof instant actionwhich involvedmarching at onceupon theZoogcouncilandotherknownstrongholdsofZoogs;forestallingtheirsurpriseattacks and forcing them to terms before the mobilization of their army ofinvasion.Thereuponwithoutamoment'slossthatgreatoceanofcatsfloodedthe enchantedwood and surged around the council tree and the great stonecircle. Flutterings rose to panic pitch as the enemy saw the newcomers andtherewas very little resistance among the furtive and curious brownZoogs.They saw that they were beaten in advance, and turned from thoughts ofvengeancetothoughtsofpresentself-preservation.HalfthecatsnowseatedthemselvesinacircularformationwiththecapturedZoogs in the skeptical, leaving open a lane downwhich weremarched theadditional captives roundedupby the other cats in other parts of thewood.Termswerediscussedatlength,Carteractingasinterpreter,anditwasdecidedthattheZoogsmightremainafreetribeonconditionofrenderingtothecatsalargetributeofgrouse,quail,andpheasantsfromthelessfabulouspartsoftheforest. Twelve youngZoogs of noble familieswere taken as hostages to bekept in theTemple ofCats atUlthar, and the victorsmade it plain that anydisappearancesofcatsonthebordersoftheZoogdomainwouldbefollowedby consequences highly disastrous toZoogs.Thesematters disposed of, theassembledcatsbrokeranksandpermittedtheZoogstoslinkoffonebyonetotheir respective homes, which they hastened to do with many a sullenbackwardglance.The old cat general now offered Carter an escort through the forest towhateverborderhewished to reach,deeming it likely that theZoogswouldskeptical dire resentment against him for the frustration of their warlikeenterprise. This offer hewelcomedwith gratitude; not only for the safety it

afforded,butbecausehe liked thegracefulcompanionshipofcats.So in themidst of a pleasant and playful regiment, relaxed after the successfulperformance of its duty, Randolph Carter walked with dignity through thatenchantedandphosphorescentwoodoftitantrees,talkingofhisquestwiththeold general and his grandsonwhilst others of the band indulged in fantasticgambolsorchasedfallen leaves that thewinddroveamongthefungiof thatprimeval floor. And the old cat said that he had heard much of unknownKadathinthecoldwaste,butdidnotknowwhereitwas.Asforthemarveloussunset city, he had not even heard of that, butwould gladly relay toCarteranythinghemightlaterlearn.He gave the seeker some passwords of great value among the cats ofdreamland, and commended him especially to the old chief of the cats inCelephais, whither he was bound. That old cat, already slightly known toCarter, was a dignified maltese; and would prove highly influential in anytransaction.Itwasdawnwhentheycametotheproperedgeofthewood,andCarterbadehisfriendsareluctantfarewell.Theyoungsub-lieutenanthehadmet as a small kitten would have followed him had not the old generalforbidden it,but thatausterepatriarch insisted that thepathofduty laywiththe tribe and the army. So Carter set out alone over the golden fields thatstretchedmysteriousbesideawillow-fringedriver,andthecatswentbackintothewood.WelldidtheskepticalknowthosegardenlandsthatliebetwixtthewoodoftheCerenerian Sea, and blithely did he follow the singing river Oukianos thatmarkedhiscourse.Thesunrosehigherovergentleslopesofgroveandlawn,andheightenedthecolorsofthethousandflowersthatstarredeachknollanddangle.Ablessedhazeliesuponallthisregion,whereinisheldalittlemoreofthesunlightthanotherplaceshold,andalittlemoreofthesummer'shummingmusicofbirdsandbees;sothatmenwalkthroughitasthroughafaeryplace,andfeelgreaterjoyandwonderthantheyeverafterwardremember.BynoonCarterreachedthejasperterracesofKiranwhichslopedowntotheriver'sedgeandbearthattempleoflovelinesswhereintheKingofIlek-VadcomesfromhisfarrealmonthetwilightseaonceayearinagoldenpalanquintopraytothegodofOukianos,whosangtohiminyouthwhenhedweltinacottage by its banks. All of jasper is that temple, and covering an acre ofground with its walls and courts, its seven pinnacled towers, and its innershrinewheretheriverentersthroughhiddenchannelsandthegodsingssoftlyin thenight.Many times themoonhearsstrangemusicas it shineson thosecourtsand terracesandpinnacles,butwhether thatmusicbe thesongof thegodor thechantof thecrypticalpriests,nonebut theKingof Ilek-Vadmaysay; for only he had entered the temple or seen the priests. Now, in thedrowsinessofday, thatcarvenanddelicatefanewassilent,andCarterheardonlythemurmurofthegreatstreamandthehumofthebirdsandbeesashewalkedonwardundertheenchantedsun.Allthatafternoonthepilgrimwanderedonthroughperfumedmeadowsandin

the lee of gentle riverward hills bearing peaceful thatched cottages and theshrines of amiable gods carven from jasper or chrysoberyl. Sometimes hewalked close to the bank of Oukianos and whistled to the sprightly andiridescentfishofthatcrystalstream,andatothertimeshepausedamidstthewhisperingrushesandgazedatthegreatdarkwoodonthefartherside,whosetrees came down clear to the water's edge. In former dreams he had seenquaintlumberingbuopothscomeshylyoutofthatwoodtodrink,butnowhecouldnotglimpseany.Onceinawhilehepausedtowatchacarnivorousfishcatchafishingbird,whichitluredtothewaterbyshowingitstemptingscalesin the sun,andgraspedby thebeakwith its enormousmouthas thewingedhuntersoughttodartdownuponit.Towardeveninghemountedalowgrassyriseandsawbeforehimflaminginthe sunset the thousand gilded spires of Thran. Lofty beyond belief are thealabaster walls of that incredible city, sloping inward toward the top andwroughtinonesolidpiecebywhatmeansnomanknows,for theyaremoreancient thanmemory.Yet loftyas theyarewith theirhundredgatesand twohundred turrets, the clustered towers within, all white beneath their goldenspires,areloftierstill;sothatmenontheplainaroundseethemsoaringintothe sky, sometimes shining clear, sometimes caught at the top in tangles ofcloud and mist, and sometimes clouded lower down with their utmostpinnaclesblazingfreeabovethevapors.AndwhereThran'sgatesopenontheriveraregreatwharvesofmarble,withornategalleonsoffragrantcedarandcalamander riding gently at anchor, and strange bearded sailors sitting oncasksandbaleswiththehieroglyphsoffarplaces.Landwardbeyondthewallslies the farmcountry,where smallwhite cottagesdreambetween little hills,andnarrowroadswithmanystonebridgeswindgracefullyamongstreamsandgardens.Down through this verdant landCarterwalked at evening, and saw twilightfloatupfromtherivertothemarvelousgoldenspiresofThran.Andjustatthehourofduskhecame to the southerngate, andwas stoppedbya red-robedsentry till he had told three dreams beyond belief, and proved himself adreamerworthytowalkupThran'ssteepmysteriousstreetsandlingerinthebazaars where the wares of the ornate galleons were sold. Then into thatincrediblecityhewalked;throughawallsothickthatthegatewasatunnel,and thereafter amidst curved and undulant ways winding deep and narrowbetween the heavenward towers.Lights shone through grated and balconiedwindows,and,thesoundoflutesandpipesstoletimidfrominnercourtswheremarble fountains bubbled. Carter knew his way, and edged down throughdarkerstreetstotheriver,whereatanoldseatavernhefoundthecaptainsandseamenhehadknowninmyriadotherdreams.ThereheboughthispassagetoCelephais on a great green galleon, and there he stopped for the night afterspeakinggravelyto thevenerablecatof that inn,whoblinkeddozingbeforeanenormoushearthanddreamedofoldwarsandforgottengods.InthemorningCarterboardedthegalleonboundforCelephais,andsatinthe

prowastheropeswerecastoffandthelongsaildowntotheCerenerianSeabegun.FormanyleaguesthebanksweremuchastheywereaboveThran,withnowandthenacurioustemplerisingonthefartherhillstowardtheright,andadrowsyvillageontheshore,withsteepredroofsandnetsspreadinthesun.Mindfulofhissearch,Carterquestionedall themarinerscloselyabout thosewhomtheyhadmetinthetavernsofCelephais,askingthenamesandwaysofthe strange men with long, narrow eyes, long-lobed ears, thin noses, andpointedchinswhocameindarkshipsfromthenorthandtradedonyxforthecarved jadeandspungoldand little redsingingbirdsofCelephais.Of thesementhesailorsknewnotmuch,savethattheytalkedbutseldomandspreadakindofaweaboutthem.Theirland,veryfaraway,wascalledInquanok,andnotmanypeoplecaredtogo thither because it was a cold twilight land, and said to be close tounpleasant Leng; although high impassable mountains towered on the sidewhere Leng was thought to lie, so that none might say whether this evilplateau with its horrible stone villages and unmentionable monastery werereallythere,orwhethertherumorwereonlyafearthattimidpeoplefeltinthenight when those formidable barrier peaks loomed black against a risingmoon. Certainly, men reached Leng from very different oceans. Of otherboundariesofInquanokthosesailorshadnonotion,norhadtheyheardofthecoldwasteandunknownKadathsavefromvagueunplacedreport.Andofthemarvelous sunset citywhichCarter sought they knewnothing at all. So theskepticalaskednomoreoffarthings,butbidedhistimetillhemighttalkwiththosestrangemenfromcoldandtwilightInquanokwhoaretheseedofsuchgodsascarvedtheirfeaturesonNgranek.Lateinthedaythegalleonreachedthosebendsoftheriverwhichtraversetheperfumed jungles of Kied. Here Carter wished he might disembark, for inthose tropic tangles sleep wondrous palaces of ivory, lone and unbroken,where once dwelt fabulous monarchs of a land whose name is forgotten.SpellsoftheElderOneskeepthoseplacesunharmedandundecayed,foritiswrittenthattheremayonedaybeneedofthemagain;andelephantcaravanshave glimpsed them from afar by moonlight, though none dares approachthemcloselybecauseoftheguardianstowhichtheirwholenessisdue.Buttheshipswepton,andduskhushedthehumoftheday,andthefirststarsaboveblinked answers to the early fireflies on the banks as that jungle fell farbehind, leaving only its fragrance as a memory that it had been. And allthrough the night that galleon floated on past mysteries unseen andunsuspected. Once a lookout reported fires on the hills to the east, but thesleepy captain said they had better not be looked at toomuch, since itwashighlyuncertainjustwhoorwhathadlitthem.In the morning the river had broadened out greatly, and Carter saw by thehousesalongthebanksthattheywereclosetothevasttradingcityofHlanithon theCerenerianSea.Here thewalls areof ruggedgranite, and thehousespeakedlyfantasticwithbeamedandplasteredgables.ThemenofHlanithare

morelikethoseofthewakingworldthananyothersindreamland;sothatthecity is not sought except for barter, but is prized for the solid work of itsartisans.ThewharvesofHlanithareofoak,and there thegalleonmadefastwhile the captain traded in the taverns.Carter alsowent ashore, and lookedcuriouslyupontheruttedstreetswherewoodenoxcartslumberedandfeverishmerchantscriedtheirwaresvacuouslyinthebazaars.Theseatavernswereallclosetothewharvesoncobbledlanessaltedwiththesprayofhightides,andseemed exceedingly ancient with their low black-beamed ceilings andcasementsofgreenishbull's-eyepanes.Ancientsailorsinthosetavernstalkedmuchofdistantports,andtoldmanystoriesofthecuriousmenfromtwilightInquanok, but had little to add towhat the seamen of the galleon had told.Then at last, aftermuch unloading and loading, the ship set sail oncemoreoverthesunsetsea,andthehighwallsandgablesofHlanithgrewlessasthelastgoldenlightofdaylentthemawonderandbeautybeyondanythatmenhadgiventhem.TwonightsandtwodaysthegalleonsailedovertheCerenerianSea,sightingnolandandspeakingbutoneothervessel.ThennearsunsetoftheseconddaythereloomedupaheadthesnowypeakofAranwithitsgingko-treesswayingonthelowerslope,andCarterknewthattheywerecometothelandofOoth-NargaiandthemarvelouscityofCelephais.Swiftlytherecameintosighttheglittering minarets of that fabulous town, and the untarnished marble wallswith their bronze statues, and thegreat stonebridgewhereNaraxa joins thesea.Thenrosethegentlehillsbehindthetown,withtheirgrovesandgardensof asphodels and the small shrines and cottages upon them; and far in thebackground the purple ridge of the Tanarians, potent and mystical, behindwhichlayforbiddenwaysintothewakingworldandtowardotherregionsofdream.Theskepticalwasfullofpaintedgalleys,someofwhichwerefromthemarblecloud-cityofSerannian,thatliesinetherealspacebeyondwheretheseameetsthe sky, and someofwhichwere frommore substantial parts of dreamland.Amongthesethesteersmanthreadedhiswayuptothespice-fragrantwharves,where thegalleonmade fast in theduskas thecity'smillion lightsbegan totwinkleoutoverthewater.Evernewseemedthisdeathlesscityofvision,forheretimehasnopowertotarnishordestroy.Asithasalwaysbeenisstilltheturquoise of Nath-Horthath, and the eighty orchid-wreathed priests are thesamewhobuildedittenthousandyearsago.Shiningstillisthebronzeofthegreatgates,norare theonyxpavementseverwornorbroken.And thegreatbronzestatuesonthewalls lookdownonmerchantsandcameldriversolderthanfable,yetwithoutonegreyhairintheirforkedbeards.Carterdidnotonceseekoutthetempleorthepalaceorthecitadel,butstayedbytheseawardwallamongtradersandsailors.Andwhenitwastoolateforrumorsandlegendshesoughtoutanancienttavernheknewwell,andrestedwithdreamsofthegodsonunknownKadathwhomhesought.ThenextdayhesearchedallalongthequaysforsomeofthestrangemarinersofInquanok,

butwastoldthatnonewerenowinport, theirgalleynotbeingduefromthenorthforfulltwoweeks.Hefound,however,oneThoraboniansailorwhohadbeentoInquanokandhadworkedintheonyxquarriesofthattwilightplace;and this sailor said therewascertainlyadescent to thenorthof thepeopledregion,which everybody seemed to fear and shun.TheThorabonian opinedthat this desert led around the utmost rim of impassable peaks into Leng'shorribleplateau,andthatthiswaswhymenfearedit;thoughheadmittedtherewereothervague talesof evilpresencesandnameless sentinels.WhetherornotthiscouldbethefabledwastewhereinunknownKadathstandshedidnotknow;butitseemedunlikelythatthosepresencesandsentinels,ifindeedtheyexisted,werestationedfornought.OnthefollowingdayCarterwalkeduptheStreetofthePillarstotheturquoisetemple and talked with the High-Priest. Though Nath-Horthath is chieflyworshippedinCelephais,alltheGreatOnesarementionedindiurnalprayers;and the priest was reasonably versed in their moods. Like Atal in distantUlthar, he strongly advised against any attempts to see them; declaring thatthey are testy and capricious, and subject to strange protection from themindlessOtherGodsfromOutside,whosesoulandmessengeristhecrawlingchaosNyarlathotep.TheirjealoushidingofthemarveloussunsetcityshowedclearlythattheydidnotwishCartertoreachit,anditwasdoubtfulhowtheywouldregardaguestwhoseobjectwastoseethemandpleadbeforethem.Nomanhadever foundKadath in thepast, and itmightbe just aswell ifnoneeverfounditinthefuture.SuchrumorsasweretoldaboutthatonyxcastleoftheGreatOneswerenotbyanymeansreassuring.Having thanked the orchid-crowned High-Priest, Carter left the temple andsoughtoutthebazaarofthesheep-butchers,wheretheoldchiefofCelephais'cats dwelt sleek and contented. That grey and dignified being was sunninghimself on the onyx pavement, and extended a languid paw as his callerapproached. But when Carter repeated the passwords and introductionsfurnishedhimbytheoldcatgeneralofUlthar,thefurrypatriarchbecameverycordialandcommunicative;andtoldmuchofthesecretloreknowntocatsontheseawardslopesofOoth-Nargai.Bestofall,herepeatedseveralthingstoldhim furtively by the timid waterfront cats of Celephais about the men ofInquanok,onwhosedarkshipsnocatwillgo.Itseemsthat thesemenhaveanauranotofearthabout them, thoughthat isnot thereasonwhynocatwillsailon theirships.Thereasonfor this is thatInquanok holds shadows which no cat can endure, so that in all that coldtwilightrealmthereisneveracheeringpurrorahomelymew.Whetheritbebecauseof thingswaftedover the impassablepeaksfromhypotheticalLeng,orbecauseof things filteringdown from thechillydesert to thenorth,nonemaysay;butitremainsafactthatinthatfarlandtherebroodsahintofouterspacewhichcatsdonotlike,andtowhichtheyaremoresensitivethanmen.Therefore they will not go on the dark ships that seek the basalt quays ofInquanok.

TheoldchiefofthecatsalsotoldhimwheretofindhisfriendKingKuranes,whoinCarter'slatterdreamshadreignedalternatelyintherose-crystalPalaceof theSeventyDelightsatCelephaisand in the turretedcloud-castleof sky-floating Serannian. It seemed that he could no more find content in thoseplaces,buthadformedamightylongingfortheEnglishcliffsanddownlandsofhisboyhood;whereinlittledreamingvillagesEngland'soldsongshoveratevening behind latticewindows, andwhere grey church towers peep lovelythroughtheverdureofdistantvalleys.Hecouldnotgobacktothesethingsinthewakingworldbecausehisbodywasdead;buthehaddone thenextbestthinganddreamedasmall tractofsuchcountrysideintheregioneastof thecitywheremeadows roll gracefully up from the sea-cliffs to the foot of theTanarianHills.TherehedweltinagreyGothicmanor-houseofstonelookingonthesea,andtriedtothinkitwasancientTrevorTowers,wherehewasbornandwherethirteengenerationsofhisforefathershadfirstseenthelight.Andon the coast nearby he had built a little Cornish fishing village with steepcobbledways,settlingthereinsuchpeopleashadthemostEnglishfaces,andseeking ever to teach them the dear remembered accents of old Cornwallfishers.AndinavalleynotfaroffhehadrearedagreatNormanAbbeywhosetowerhecouldseefromhiswindow,placingarounditinthechurchyardgreystones with the names of his ancestors carved thereon, and with a mosssomewhatlikeOldEngland'smoss.ForthoughKuraneswasamonarchinthelandofdream,withallimaginedpompsandmarvels,splendorsandbeauties,ecstasies and delights, novelties and excitements at his command, hewouldgladlyhaveresignedforeverthewholeofhispowerandluxuryandfreedomfor one blessed day as a simple boy in that pure and quiet England, thatancient,belovedEnglandwhichhadmouldedhisbeingandofwhichhemustalwaysbeimmutablyapart.SowhenCarterbadethatoldgreychiefofthecatsadieu,hedidnotseektheterracedpalaceofrosecrystalbutwalkedouttheeasterngateandacrossthedaisiedfieldstowardapeakedgablewhichheglimpsedthroughtheoaksofaparkslopinguptothesea-cliffs.Andintimehecametoagreathedgeandagatewithalittlebricklodge,andwhenherangthebelltherehobbledtoadmithimnorobedandanointedlackeyofthepalace,butasmallstubbyoldmaninasmockwhospokeasbesthecouldinthequainttonesoffarCornwall.AndCarterwalkeduptheshadypathbetweentreesasnearaspossibletoEngland'strees,andclimbedtheterracesamonggardenssetoutasinQueenAnne'stime.Atthedoor,flankedbystonecatsintheoldway,hewasmetbyawhiskeredbutlerinsuitablelivery;andwaspresentlytakentothelibrarywhereKuranes,LordofOoth-NargaiandtheSkyaroundSerannian,satpensiveinachairbythewindowlookingonhislittleseacoastvillageandwishingthathisoldnursewouldcomeinandscoldhimbecausehewasnotreadyforthathatefullawn-party at the vicar's, with the carriage waiting and his mother nearly out ofpatience.Kuranes,cladinadressinggownofthesortfavoredbyLondontailorsinhis

youth,roseeagerlytomeethisguest;forthesightofanAnglo-Saxonfromthewaking world was very dear to him, even if it was a Saxon from Boston,Massachusetts, instead of from Cornwall. And for long they talked of oldtimes,havingmuchtosaybecausebothwereolddreamersandwellversedinthewondersof incredibleplaces.Kuranes, indeed, hadbeenout beyond thestars in the ultimate void, and was said to be the only one who had everreturnedsanefromsuchavoyage.At length Carter brought up the subject of his quest, and asked of his hostthosequestionshehadaskedofsomanyothers.KuranesdidnotknowwhereKadathwas,orthemarveloussunsetcity;buthedidknowthattheGreatOneswere very dangerous creatures to seek out, and that the Other Gods hadstrangeways of protecting them from impertinent curiosity.He had learnedmuch of the Other Gods in distant parts of space, especially in that regionwhereformdoesnotexist,andcoloredgasesstudytheinnermostsecrets.Theviolet gas S'ngac had told him terrible things of the crawling chaosNyarlathotep,andhadwarnedhimnever toapproach thecentralvoidwherethedaemonsultanAzathothgnawshungrilyinthedark.Altogether, it was not well to meddle with the Elder Ones; and if theypersistentlydeniedallaccesstothemarveloussunsetcity,itwerebetternottoseekthatcity.Kuranesfurthermoredoubtedwhetherhisguestwouldprofitaughtbycomingtothecityevenwerehetogainit.Hehimselfhaddreamedandyearnedlongyears for lovelyCelephaisand the landofOoth-Nargai,andfor thefreedomandskepticalandhighexperienceoflifedevoidofitschains,andconventions,andstupidities.Butnowthathewascomeintothatcityandthatland,andwasthekingthereof,hefoundthefreedomandthevividnessalltoosoonwornout,andmonotonous forwant of linkagewith anything firm in his feelings andmemories.HewasakinginOoth-Nargai,butfoundnomeaningtherein,anddrooped always for the old familiar things of England that had shaped hisyouth.Allhiskingdomwouldhegivefor thesoundofCornishchurchbellsover the downs, and all the thousand minarets of Celephais for the steephomely roofs of the village near his home. So he told his guest that theunknown sunset city might not hold quite that content he sought, and thatperhaps it had better remain a glorious and half-remembered dream. For hehadvisitedCarteroftenintheoldwakingdays,andknewwellthelovelyNewEnglandslopesthathadgivenhimbirth.At the last, he was very certain, the seeker would long only for the earlyrememberedscenes;theglowofBeaconHillatevening,thetallsteeplesandwinding hill streets of quaintKingsport, the hoary gambrel roofs of ancientandwitch-hauntedArkham, and the blessedmeads and valleyswhere stonewalls rambled and white farmhouse gables peeped out from bowers ofverdure.ThesethingshetoldRandolphCarter,butstilltheseekerheldtohispurpose.Andintheendtheypartedeachwithhisownconviction,andCarterwent back through the bronze gate into Celephais and down the Street of

Pillarstotheoldseawall,wherehetalkedmorewiththemarinersoffarportsandwaitedforthedarkshipfromcoldandtwilightInquanok,whosestrange-facedsailorsandonyx-tradershadinthemthebloodoftheGreatOnes.One starlit evening when the Pharos shone splendid over the skeptical thelonged-forshipput in,andstrange-facedsailorsandtradersappearedonebyoneandgroupbygroupintheancienttavernsalongtheseawall.ItwasveryexcitingtoseeagainthoselivingfacessolikethegodlikefeaturesofNgranek,butCarter did not hasten to speakwith the silent seamen.Hedid not knowhowmuch of pride and secrecy and dim supernal memorymight fill thosechildrenoftheGreatOnes,andwassureitwouldnotbewisetotellthemofhisquestorasktoocloselyofthatcolddesertstretchingnorthoftheirtwilightland. They talked littlewith the other folk in those ancient sea taverns; butwould gather in groups in remote comers and sing among themselves thehauntingairsofunknownplaces,orchantlongtalestooneanotherinaccentsalien to the rest of dreamland.And so rare andmovingwere those airs andtalesthatonemightguesstheirwondersfromthefacesofthosewholistened,even though the words came to common ears only as strange cadence andobscuremelody.For a week the strange seamen lingered in the taverns and traded in thebazaarsofCelephais,andbeforetheysailedCarterhadtakenpassageontheirdarkship,tellingthemthathewasanoldonyxminerandwishfultoworkintheir quarries. That ship was very lovely and cunningly wrought, being ofteakwoodwithebonyfittingsandtraceriesofgold,andthecabininwhichtheskeptical lodgedhadhangingsofsilkandvelvet.Onemorningat theturnofthetidethesailswereraisedandtheanchorlifted,andasCarterstoodonthehigh stern he saw the sunrise-blazing walls and bronze statues and goldenminarets of agelessCelephais sink into thedistance, and the snowypeakofMountMangrowsmallerandsmaller.BynoontherewasnothinginsightsavethegentleblueoftheCerenerianSea,withonepaintedgalleyafaroffboundforthatrealmofSerannianwheretheseameetsthesky.Andthenightcamewithgorgeousstars,andthedarkshipsteeredforCharles'WainandtheLittleBearastheyswungslowlyroundthepole.Andthesailorssang strange songsofunknownplaces, and they stoleoff onebyone to theforecastlewhilethewistfulwatchersmurmuredoldchantsandleanedovertherail to glimpse the luminous fish playing in bowers beneath the sea. Carterwenttosleepatmidnight,androseintheglowofayoungmorning,markingthat the sun seemed farther south than was its wont. And all through thatseconddayhemadeprogress in knowing themenof the ship, getting themlittlebylittletotalkoftheircoldtwilightland,oftheirexquisiteonyxcity,andoftheirfearofthehighandimpassablepeaksbeyondwhichLengwassaidtobe.TheytoldhimhowsorrytheywerethatnocatswouldstayinthelandofInquanok,andhowtheythoughtthehiddennearnessofLengwastoblameforit. Only of the stony desert to the north they would not talk. There wassomethingdisquietingabout thatdesert, and itwas thought expedientnot to

admititsexistence.OnlaterdaystheytalkedofthequarriesinwhichCartersaidhewasgoingtowork.Thereweremanyof them,forall thecityofInquanokwasbuildedofonyx,whilstgreatpolishedblocksof itwere traded inRinar,Ogrothan, andCelephaisandathomewiththemerchantsofThraa,Ilarnek,andKadatheron,forthebeautifulwaresofthosefabulousports.Andfartothenorth,almostinthe cold desertwhose existence themenof Inquanokdid not care to admit,there was an unused quarry greater than all the rest; from which had beenhewn in forgotten times such prodigious lumps and blocks that the sight oftheirchiseledvacanciesstruckterrortoallwhobeheld.Whohadminedthoseincredibleblocks,andwhither theyhadbeentransported,nomanmightsay;butitwasthoughtbestnottotroublethatquarry,aroundwhichsuchinhumanmemoriesmightconceivablycling.Soitwasleftallaloneinthetwilight,withonly the raven and the rumored Shantak-bird to brood on its immensities.WhenCarterheardofthisquarryhewasmovedtodeepthought,forheknewfromoldtalesthattheGreatOnes'castleatopunknownKadathisofonyx.Eachdaythesunwheeledlowerandlowerinthesky,andthemistsoverheadgrewthickerandthicker.Andintwoweekstherewasnotanysunlightatall,butonlyaweirdgreytwilightshiningthroughadomeofeternalcloudbyday,andacoldstarlessphosphorescencefromtheundersideofthatcloudbynight.Onthetwentiethdayagreatjaggedrockintheseawassightedfromafar,thefirst land glimpsed sinceMan's snowy peak had dwindled behind the ship.Carter asked the captain the name of that rock, butwas told that it had noname and had never been sought by any vessel because of the sounds thatcame from it at night. And when, after dark, a dull and ceaseless howlingarosefromthat jaggedgraniteplace, theskepticalwasglad thatnostophadbeenmade,andthattherockhadnoname.Theseamenprayedandchantedtillthe noise was out of earshot, and Carter dreamed terrible dreams withindreamsinthesmallhours.Twomorningsafterthatthereloomedfaraheadandtotheeastalineofgreatgrey peaks whose tops were lost in the changeless clouds of that twilightworld.Andat the sightof them the sailors sangglad songs, and somekneltdownonthedecktopray,sothatCarterknewtheywerecometothelandofInquanok andwould soon bemoored to the basalt quays of the great townbearingthatland'sname.Towardnoonadarkcoastlineappeared,andbeforethreeo'clocktherestoodoutagainstthenorththebulbousdomesandfantasticspires of the onyx city.Rare and curious did that archaic city rise above itswallsandquays,allofdelicateblackwithscrolls,flutings,andarabesquesofinlaidgold.Tall andmany-windowedwere thehouses, and carvedon everysidewithflowersandpatternswhosedarksymmetriesdazzledtheeyewithabeautymorepoignantthanlight.Someendedinswellingdomesthattaperedtoapoint,othersinterracedpyramidswhereonclusteredminaretsdisplayingevery phase of strangeness and imagination rose. The walls were low, andpierced by frequent gates, each under a great arch rising high above the

general level and cappedby theheadof agod chiseledwith that same skilldisplayedinthemonstrousfaceondistantNgranek.Onahillintheskepticalrose a sixteen-angled tower greater than all the rest and bearing a highpinnacledbelfry restingona flatteneddome.This, the seamensaid,was theTempleoftheElderOnes,andwasruledbyanoldHigh-Priestsadwithinnersecrets.Atintervalstheclangofastrangebellshiveredovertheonyxcity,answeredeach time by a peal ofmysticmusicmade up of horns, viols, and chantingvoices.And from a row of tripods on a galley round the high dome of thetemple there burst flares of flame at certain moments; for the priests andpeopleofthatcitywerewiseintheprimalmysteries,andfaithfulinkeepingthe rhythmsof theGreatOnesas set forth inscrollsolder than thePnakoticManuscripts. As the ship rode past the great basalt breakwater into theskepticalthelessernoisesofthecitygrewmanifest,andCartersawtheslaves,sailors, andmerchants on the docks. The sailors andmerchantswere of thestrange-facedraceofthegods,buttheslavesweresquat,slant-eyedfolksaidbyrumortohavedriftedsomehowacrossoraroundtheimpassablepeaksfromthevalleysbeyondLeng.Thewharvesreachedwideoutsidethecitywallandboreupon themallmannerofmerchandise from thegalleysanchored there,whileatoneendweregreatpilesofonyxbothcarvedanduncarvedawaitingshipmenttothefarmarketsofRinar,OgrathanandCelephais.Itwasnotyeteveningwhenthedarkshipanchoredbesidea juttingquayofstone,andallthesailorsandtradersfiledashoreandthroughthearchedgateintothecity.Thestreetsofthatcitywerepavedwithonyxandsomeofthemwerewide and straight whilst otherswere crooked and narrow. The housesnearthewaterwerelowerthantherest,andboreabovetheircuriouslyarcheddoorwayscertainsignsofgoldsaidtobeinhonoroftherespectivesmallgodsthat favored each. The captain of the ship took Carter to an old sea tavernwhere flocked themarinersofquaint countries, andpromised thathewouldnextday skeptical him thewondersof the twilight city, and leadhim to thetavernsof theonyx-minersby thenorthernwall.Andevening fell,and littlebronzelampswerelighted,andthesailorsinthattavernsangsongsofremoteplaces.Butwhenfromitshightowerthegreatbellshiveredoverthecity,andthepealofthehornsandviolsandvoicesrosecrypticalinanswerthereto,allceasedtheirsongsortalesandbowedsilenttillthe.lastechodiedaway.ForthereisawonderandastrangenessonthetwilightcityofInquanok,andmenfeartobelaxinitsriteslestadoomandavengeancelurkunsuspectedlyclose.FarintheshadowsofthattavernCartersawasquatformhedidnotlike,foritwas unmistakably that of the old slant-eyed merchant he had seen so longbefore in the taverns of Dylath-Leen, who was reputed to trade with thehorriblestonevillagesofLengwhichnohealthyfolkvisitandwhoseevilfiresareseenatnightfromafar,andeventohavedealtwiththatHigh-PriestNotToBeDescribed,whichwearsayellowsilkenmaskoveritsfaceanddwellsallalone in a prehistoric stonemonastery. Thisman had seemed to skeptical a

queergleamofknowingwhenCarteraskedthetradersofDylath-Leenaboutthe coldwaste andKadath; and somehowhis presence in dark and hauntedInquanok,soclosetothewondersofthenorth,wasnotareassuringthing.HeslippedwhollyoutofsightbeforeCartercouldspeaktohim,andsailorslatersaid that he had come with a yak caravan from some point not welldetermined, bearing the colossal and rich-flavored eggs of the rumoredShantak-bird to trade for the dextrous jade goblets that merchants broughtfromIlarnek.Onthefollowingmorningtheship-captainledCarterthroughtheonyxstreetsofInquanok,darkundertheirtwilightsky.Theinlaiddoorsandfiguredhouse-fronts, carven balconies and crystal-paned oriels all gleamedwith a sombreandpolishedloveliness;andnowandthenaplazawouldopenoutwithblackpillars, colonnades, and the statues of curious beings both human andfabulous.Someofthevistasdownlongandunbendingstreets,orthroughsidealleysandoverbulbousdomes,spires,andarabesquedroofs,wereweirdandbeautiful beyond words; and nothing was more splendid than the massiveheightsof thegreatcentralTempleof theElderOneswith itssixteencarvensides, its flatteneddome, and its loftypinnacledbelfry,overtoppingall else,andmajesticwhateveritsforeground.Andalwaystotheeast,farbeyondthecitywallsandthe leaguesofpasture land,rose thegauntgreysidesof thosetoplessandimpassablepeaksacrosswhichhideousLengwassaidtolie.The captain took Carter to the mighty temple, which is set with its walledgardeninagreatroundplazawhencethestreetsgoasspokesfromawheel'shub.Thesevenarchedgatesofthatgarden,eachhavingoveritacarvenfacelikethoseonthecity'sgates,arealwaysopen,andthepeopleroamreverentlyatwilldown the tiledpathsand through the little lanes linedwithgrotesquetermini and the shrines ofmodest gods.And there are fountains, pools, andbasinstheretoreflectthefrequentblazeofthetripodsonthehighbalcony,allof onyx and having in them small luminous fish taken by divers from thelowerbowersofocean.When thedeepclangfromthe templebelfryshiversoverthegardenandthecity,andtheanswerofthehornsandviolsandvoicespealsoutfromthesevenlodgesbythegardengates,thereissuefromthesevendoors of the temple long columns of masked and hooded priests in black,bearingatarm'slengthbeforethemgreatgoldenbowlsfromwhichacurioussteam rises. And all the seven columns strut peculiarly in single file, legsthrownfarforwardwithoutbendingtheknees,downthewalksthatleadtothesevenlodges,wherein theydisappearanddonotappearagain. It issaid thatsubterrenepathsconnectthelodgeswiththetemple,andthatthelongfilesofpriests return through them; nor is it unwhispered that deep flights of onyxstepsgodowntomysteriesthatarenevertold.Butonlyafewarethosewhohintthatthepriestsinthemaskedandhoodedcolumnsarenothumanbeings.Carterdidnotenterthetemple,becausenonebuttheVeiledKingispermittedtodothat.Butbeforeheleftthegardenthehourofthebellcame,andheheardthe shivering clang deafening above him, and the wailing of the horns and

violsandvoicesloudfromthelodgesbythegates.Anddownthesevengreatwalks stalked the long files of bowl-bearing priests in their singular way,givingtotheskepticalafearwhichhumanpriestsdonotoftengive.Whenthelastofthemhadvanishedheleftthatgarden,notingashedidsoaspotonthepavementoverwhichthebowlshadpassed.Eventheship-captaindidnotlikethatspot,andhurriedhimontowardthehillwhereontheVeiledKing'spalacerisesmany-domedandmarvelous.Theways to theonyxpalacearesteepandnarrow,allbut thebroadcurvingonewherethekingandhiscompanionsrideonyaksorinyak-drawnchariots.Carter and his guide climbed up an alley that was all steps, between inlaidwalls hearing strange signs in gold, and under balconies and oriels whencesometimesfloatedsoftstrainsofmusicorbreathsofexoticfragrance.Alwaysaheadloomedthosetitanwalls,mightybuttresses,andclusteredandbulbousdomesforwhichtheVeiledKing'spalaceisfamous;andatlengththeypassedunderagreatblackarchandemergedinthegardensofthemonarch'spleasure.ThereCarterpausedinfaintnessatsomuchbeauty,fortheonyxterracesandcolonnadedwalks,thegayparterresanddelicatefloweringtreesespalieredtogolden lattices, the brazen urns and tripods with cunning bas-reliefs, thepedestaled and almost breathing statues of veined blackmarble, the basalt-bottomed lagoon's tiled fountains with luminous fish, the tiny temples ofiridescentsingingbirdsatopcarvencolumns,themarvelousscrollworkofthegreatbronzegates,and theblossomingvines trainedalongevery inchof thepolishedwallsalljoinedtoformasightwhoselovelinesswasbeyondreality,andhalf-fabulouseveninthelandofdreams.Thereitshimmeredlikeavisionunder thatgrey twilightsky,with thedomedandfrettedmagnificenceof thepalace ahead, and the fantastic silhouetteof thedistant impassablepeaksontheright.Andeverthesmallbirdsandthefountainssang,whiletheperfumeof rare blossoms spread like a veil over that incredible garden. No otherhumanpresencewas there, andCarterwasglad itwas so.Then they turnedand descended again the onyx alley of steps, for the palace itself no visitormayenter;anditisnotwelltolooktoolongandsteadilyatthegreatcentraldome,sinceit issaidtohousethearchaicfatherofall therumoredShantak-birds,andtosendoutqueerdreamstothecurious.After that the captain tookCarter to the north quarter of the town, near theGate of the Caravans, where are the taverns of the yak-merchants and theonyx-miners.Andthere,inalow-ceiledinnofquarrymen,theysaidfarewell;for business called the captain whilst Carter was eager to talk with minersaboutthenorth.Thereweremanymeninthatinn,andtheskepticalwasnotlong inspeaking tosomeof them;saying thathewasanoldminerofonyx,andanxioustoknowsomewhatofInquanok'squarries.Butallthathelearnedwas not much more than he knew before, for the miners were timid andevasiveabout thecolddesert to thenorthand thequarry thatnomanvisits.TheyhadfearsoffabledemissariesfromaroundthemountainswhereLengissaid to lie,andofevilpresencesandnamelesssentinelsfarnorthamongthe

scattered rocks.And theywhisperedalso that the rumoredShantak-birdsarenowholesomethings;itbeing.indeedforthebestthatnomanhasevertrulyseenone (for that fabled father ofShantaks in theking's dome is fed in thedark).The next day, saying that he wished to look over all the variousmines forhimselfandtovisitthescatteredfarmsandquaintonyxvillagesofInquanok,Carterhiredayakandstuffedgreatleathernsaddle-bagsforajourney.BeyondtheGateoftheCaravanstheroadlaystraightbetwixttilledfields,withmanyoddfarmhousescrownedby lowdomes.Atsomeof thesehouses theseekerstopped toaskquestions;once findingahost soaustereand reticent,andsofullofanunplacedmajestyliketothatinthehugefeaturesonNgranek,thathefeltcertainhehadcomeatlastupononeoftheGreatOnesthemselves,orupononewithfullnine-tenthsoftheirblood,dwellingamongstmen.Andtothataustereandreticentcotterhewascarefultospeakverywellofthegods,andtopraisealltheblessingstheyhadeveraccordedhim.ThatnightCartercampedinaroadsidemeadowbeneathagreatlygath-treetowhichhetiedhisyak,andinthemorningresumedhisnorthwardpilgrimage.Ataboutteno'clockhereachedthesmall-domedvillageofUrg,wheretradersrestandminerstelltheirtales,andpausedinitstavernstillnoon.Itisherethatthegreatcaravanroadturnswest towardSelarn,butCarterkeptonnorthbythe quarry road. All the afternoon he followed that rising road, which wassomewhat narrower than the great highway, and which now led through aregionwithmorerocksthantilledfields.Andbyeveningthelowhillsonhisleft had risen into sizable black cliffs, so that he knew hewas close to themining country. All the while the great gaunt sides of the impassablemountainstoweredafaroffathisright,andthefartherhewent,theworsetaleshe heard of them from the scattered farmers and traders and drivers oflumberingonyx-cartsalongtheway.Onthesecondnighthecampedintheshadowofalargeblackcrag,tetheringhis yak to a stake driven in the ground. He observed the greaterphosphorescence of the clouds at his northerly point, and more than oncethoughthesawdarkshapesoutlinedagainstthem.Andonthethirdmorninghe came in sight of the first onyx quarry, and greeted the men who therelaboredwithpicksandchisels.Beforeeveninghehadpassedelevenquarries;thelandbeingheregivenoveraltogethertoonyxcliffsandboulders,withnovegetation at all, but only great rocky fragments scattered about a floor ofblackearth,withthegreyimpassablepeaksalwaysrisinggauntandsinisteronhisright.Thethirdnighthespent inacampofquarrymenwhoseflickeringfires castweird reflectionson thepolishedcliffs to thewest.And they sangmanysongsandtoldmanytales,showingsuchstrangeknowledgeoftheoldendays and the habits of gods that Carter could see they held many latentmemoriesoftheirsirestheGreatOnes.Theyaskedhimwhitherhewent,andcautionedhimnottogotoofartothenorth;butherepliedthathewasseekingnewcliffsofonyx,andwouldtakenomorerisksthanwerecommonamong

prospectors.Inthemorninghebadethemadieuandrodeonintothedarkeningnorth, where they had warned him he would find the feared and unvisitedquarrywhencehandsolderthanmen'shandshadwrenchedprodigiousblocks.Buthedidnotlikeitwhen,turningbacktowavealastfarewell,hethoughthesawapproachingthecampthatsquatandevasiveoldmerchantwithslantingeyes,whose conjectured trafficwithLengwas the gossip of distantDylath-Leen.AftertwomorequarriestheinhabitedpartofInquanokseemedtoend,andtheroad narrowed to a steeply rising yak-path among forbidding black cliffs.Always on the right towered the gaunt and distant peaks, and as Carterclimbedfartherandfartherintothisuntraversedrealmhefounditgrewdarkerandcolder.Soonheperceived that therewerenoprintsoffeetorhoovesontheblackpathbeneath,andrealizedthathewasindeedcomeintostrangeanddeserted ways of elder time. Once in a while a raven would croak faroverhead, and now and then a flapping behind some vast rockwouldmakehimthinkuncomfortablyoftherumoredShantak-bird.Butinthemainhewasalonewithhisshaggysteed,andittroubledhimtoobservethatthisexcellentyakbecamemoreandmorereluctanttoadvance,andmoreandmoredisposedtosnortaffrightedlyatanysmallnoisealongtheroute.The path now contracted between sable and glistening walls, and began todisplayanevengreatersteepnessthanbefore.Itwasabadfooting,andtheyakoftenslippedonthestonyfragmentsstrewnthicklyabout.IntwohoursCartersawaheadadefinitecrest,beyondwhichwasnothingbutdullgreysky,andblessed the prospect of a level or downward course. To reach this crest,however,wasnoeasytask;forthewayhadgrownnearlyperpendicular,andwas perilous with loose black gravel and small stones. Eventually Carterdismountedandledhisdubiousyak;pullingveryhardwhentheanimalbalkedorstumbled,andkeepinghisownfootingasbesthemight.Thensuddenlyhecametothetopandsawbeyond,andgaspedatwhathesaw.Thepathindeedledstraightaheadandslightlydown,withthesamelinesofhighnaturalwallsasbefore;butonthelefthandthereopenedoutamonstrousspace,vastacresinextent,wheresomearchaicpowerhadrivenandrentthenative cliffs of onyx in the formof a giant's quarry. Far back into the solidprecipice ran thatcyclopeangouge,anddeepdownwithinearth'sbowels itslowerdelvingsyawned.Itwasnoquarryofman,andtheconcavesideswerescarredwith great squares, yardswide,which told of the size of the blocksonce hewn by nameless hands and chisels. High over its jagged rim hugeravensflappedandcroaked,andvaguewhirringsintheunseendepthstoldofbatsorurhagsor lessmentionablepresenceshaunting theendlessblackness.ThereCarterstoodinthenarrowwayamidstthetwilightwiththerockypathslopingdownbeforehim;tallonyxcliffsonhisrightthatledonasfarashecouldseeandtallcliffsontheleftchoppedoffjustaheadtomakethatterribleandunearthlyquarry.Allatoncetheyakutteredacryandburstfromhiscontrol,leapingpasthim

anddarting on in a panic till it vanisheddown the narrow slope toward thenorth.Stoneskickedbyitsflyinghoovesfelloverthebrinkofthequarryandlost themselves in thedarkwithoutanysoundofstrikingbottom;butCarterignoredtheperilsofthatscantypathasheracedbreathlesslyaftertheflyingsteed.Soontheleft-behindcliffsresumedtheircourse,makingthewayoncemoreanarrowlane;andstilltheskepticalleapedonaftertheyakwhosegreatwideprintstoldofitsdesperateflight.Oncehethoughtheheardthehoofbeatsofthefrightenedbeast,anddoubledhisspeedfromthisencouragement.Hewascoveringmiles,andlittlebylittlethewaywasbroadeninginfronttillheknewhemustsoonemergeonthecoldand dreaded desert to the north. The gaunt grey flanks of the distantimpassable peaks were again visible above the right-hand crags, and aheadweretherocksandbouldersofanopenspacewhichwasclearlyaforetasteofthedark arid limitlessplain.Andoncemore thosehoofbeats sounded inhisears,plainerthanbefore,butthistimegivingterrorinsteadofencouragementbecauseherealizedthattheywerenotthefrightenedhoofbeatsofhisfleeingyak.Thebeatswereruthlessandpurposeful,andtheywerebehindhim.Carter's pursuit of the yak became now a flight from an unseen thing, forthoughhedarednotglanceoverhisshoulderhefeltthatthepresencebehindhimcouldbenothingwholesomeormentionable.Hisyakmusthaveheardorfeltitfirst,andhedidnotliketoaskhimselfwhetherithadfollowedhimfromthe haunts of men or had floundered up out of that black quarry pit.Meanwhilethecliffshadbeenleftbehind,sothattheoncomingnightfelloveragreatwasteofsandandspectralrockswhereinallpathswerelost.Hecouldnotseethehoofprintsofhisyak,butalwaysfrombehindhimtherecamethatdetestableclopping;minglednowandthenwithwhathefanciedweretitanicflappingsandwhirrings.Thathewaslosinggroundseemedunhappilycleartohim,andheknewhewashopelesslylostinthisbrokenandblasteddesertofmeaningless rocks and untraveled sands.Only those remote and impassablepeakson the rightgavehimanysenseofdirection,andeven theywere lessclearasthegreytwilightwanedandthesicklyphosphorescenceofthecloudstookitsplace.Thendimandmisty in thedarklingnorthbeforehimheglimpseda terriblething.Hehad thought it for somemoments a rangeofblackmountains,butnow he saw it was something more. The phosphorescence of the broodingclouds showed it plainly, and even silhouetted parts of it as vapors glowedbehind.Howdistantitwashecouldnottell,butitmusthavebeenveryfar.Itwas thousands of feet high, stretching in a great concave arc from the greyimpassable peaks to the unimaginedwestward spaces, and had once indeedbeenaridgeofmightyonyxhills.Butnowthesehillswerehillsnomore,forsome hand greater thanman's had touched them. Silent they squatted thereatop the world like wolves or ghouls, crowned with clouds and mists andguarding the secrets of the north forever. All in a great half circle theysquatted, those dog-like mountains carven into monstrous watching statues,

andtheirrighthandswereraisedinmenaceagainstmankind.Itwasonly the flickering lightof theclouds thatmade theirmitereddoubleheads seem to move, but as Carter stumbled on he saw arise from theirshadowy caps great forms whose motions were no delusion. Winged andwhirring, those forms grew larger eachmoment, and the skeptical knewhisstumblingwasatanend.Theywerenotanybirdsorbatsknownelsewhereonearthorindreamland,fortheywerelargerthanelephantsandhadheadslikeahorse's. Carter knew that they must be the Shantak-birds of ill rumor, andwondered no more what evil guardians and nameless sentinels made menavoidtheborealrockdesert.Andashestoppedinfinalresignationhedaredatlasttolookbehindhim,whereindeedwastrottingthesquatslant-eyedtraderofevillegend,grinningastridealeanyakandleadingonanoxioushordeofleeringShantaks towhosewings still clung the rime andniter of thenetherpits.Trappedthoughhewasbyfabulousandhippocephalicwingednightmaresthatpressed around in great unholy circles, Randolph Carter did not loseconsciousness. Lofty and horrible those titan gargoyles towered above him,while the slant-eyedmerchant leapeddownfromhisyakandstoodgrinningbefore the captive. Then the man motioned Carter to mount one of therepugnant Shantaks, helping him up as his judgment struggled with hisloathing.Itwashardworkascending,fortheShantak-birdhasscalesinsteadoffeathers,andthosescalesareveryslippery.Oncehewasseated,theslant-eyed man hopped up behind him, leaving the lean yak to be led awaynorthwardtowardtheringofcarvenmountainsbyoneof theincrediblebirdcolossi.There now followed a hideouswhirl through frigid space, endlessly up andeastwardtowardthegauntgreyflanksofthoseimpassablemountainsbeyondwhichLengwassaidtobe.Farabovethecloudstheyflew,tillatlasttherelaybeneath them those fabled summits which the folk of Inquanok have neverseen, andwhich lie always in highvortices of gleamingmist.Carter beheldthem very plainly as they passed below, and saw upon their topmost peaksstrange caves which made him think of those on Ngranek; but he did notquestionhiscaptoraboutthesethingswhenhenoticedthatboththemanandthe horse-headed Shantak appeared oddly fearful of them, hurrying pastnervouslyandshowinggreattensionuntiltheywereleftfarintherear.TheShantak now flew lower, revealing beneath the canopy of cloud a greybarren plain whereon at great distances shone little feeble fires. As theydescended there appeared at intervals lone huts of granite and bleak stonevillageswhose tinywindowsglowedwithpallid light.And therecamefromthosehutsandvillagesashrilldroningofpipesandanauseousrattleofcrotalawhich proved at once that Inquanok's people are right in their geographicrumors.Fortravelershaveheardsuchsoundsbefore,andknowthattheyfloatonlyfromthecolddesertplateauwhichhealthyfolknevervisit;thathauntedplaceofevilandmysterywhichisLeng.

Aroundthefeeblefiresdarkformsweredancing,andCarterwascuriousastowhatmannerofbeings theymightbe; fornohealthy folkhaveeverbeen toLeng,andtheplaceisknownonlybyitsfiresandstonehutsasseenfromafar.Veryslowlyandawkwardlydidthoseformsleap,andwithaninsanetwistingand bending not good to behold; so that Carter did not wonder at themonstrous evil imputed to them by vague legend, or the fear in which alldreamlandholdstheirabhorrentfrozenplateau.AstheShantakflewlower,therepulsivenessof thedancersbecametingedwithacertainhellishfamiliarity;and theprisonerkeptstraininghiseyesandrackinghismemoryforclues towherehehadseensuchcreaturesbefore.Theyleapedasthoughtheyhadhoovesinsteadoffeet,andseemedtowearasortofwigorheadpiecewithsmallhorns.Ofotherclothingtheyhadnone,butmostofthemwerequitefurry.Behindtheyhaddwarfishtails,andwhentheyglanced upward he saw the excessivewidth of theirmouths.Then he knewwhat theywere,and that theydidnotwearanywigsorheadpiecesafterall.For the cryptic folk of Leng were of one race with the uncomfortablemerchants of the black galleys that traded rubies at Dylath-Leen; those notquite human merchants who are the slaves of the monstrous moon-things!They were indeed the same dark folk who had shanghaied Carter on theirnoisomegalleysolongago,andwhosekithhehadseendriveninherdsabouttheuncleanwharvesof that accursed lunar city,with the leanerones toilingandthefatteronestakenawayincratesforotherneedsoftheirpolypousandamorphousmasters.Nowhesawwheresuchambiguouscreaturescamefrom,and shuddered at the thought that Leng must be known to these formlessabominationsfromthemoon.But the Shantak flew on past the fires and the stone huts and the less thanhumandancers,andsoaredoversterilehillsofgreygraniteanddimwastesofrock and ice and snow. Day came, and the phosphorescence of low cloudsgaveplacetothemistytwilightofthatnorthernworld,andstill thevilebirdwingedmeaninglythroughthecoldandsilence.Attimestheslant-eyedmantalkedwithhissteedinahatefulandgutturallanguage,andtheShantakwouldanswerwithtitteringtonesthatraspedlikethescratchingofgroundglass.Allthiswhilethelandwasgettinghigher,andfinallytheycametoawind-swepttable-land which seemed the very roof of a blasted and tenantless world.There,allaloneinthehushandtheduskandthecold,rosetheuncouthstonesof a squat windowless building, around which a circle of crude monolithsstood.Inall thisarrangement therewasnothinghuman,andCartersurmisedfromoldtalesthathewasindeedcometothatmostdreadfulandlegendaryofall places, the remote and prehistoric monastery wherein dwellsuncompanionedtheHigh-PriestNotToBeDescribed,whichwearsayellowsilkenmaskoveritsfaceandpraystotheOtherGodsandtheircrawlingchaosNyarlathotep.Theloathsomebirdnowsettledtotheground,andtheslant-eyedmanhoppeddownandhelpedhiscaptivealight.OfthepurposeofhisseizureCarternow

feltverysure;forclearlytheslant-eyedmerchantwasanagentofthedarkerpowers, eager to drag before his masters a mortal whose presumption hadaimedatthefindingofunknownKadathandthesayingofaprayerbeforethefacesoftheGreatOnesintheironyxcastle.Itseemedlikelythatthismerchanthad caused his former capture by the slaves of the moon-things in Dylath-Leen,andthathenowmeanttodowhattherescuingcatshadbaffled;takingthevictimtosomedreadrendezvouswithmonstrousNyarlathotepandtellingwithwhatboldnesstheseekingofunknownKadathhadbeentried.LengandthecoldwastenorthofInquanokmustbeclosetotheOtherGods,andtherethepassestoKadatharewellguarded.Theslant-eyedmanwassmall,but thegreathippocephalicbirdwas there tosee hewas obeyed; soCarter followedwhere he led, and passedwithin thecircleofstandingrocksandintothelowarcheddoorwayofthatwindowlessstonemonastery.Therewerenolightsinside,buttheevilmerchantlitasmallclay lamp bearing morbid bas-reliefs and prodded his prisoner on throughmazesofnarrowwindingcorridors.Onthewallsofthecorridorswereprintedfrightful scenes older than history, and in a style unknown to thearchaeologists of earth. After countless aeons their pigments were brilliantstill,forthecoldanddrynessofhideousLengkeepalivemanyprimalthings.Carter saw them fleetingly in the rays of that dim and moving lamp, andshudderedatthetaletheytold.ThroughthosearchaicfrescoesLeng'sannalsstalked;andthehorned,hooved,andwide-mouthedalmost-humansdancedevillyamidstforgottencities.Therewere scenes of old wars, wherein Leng's almost-humans fought with thebloatedpurplespidersoftheneighboringvales;andtherewerescenesalsoofthe coming of the black galleys from the moon, and of the submission ofLeng's people to the polypous and amorphous blasphemies that hopped andfloundered and wriggled out of them. Those slippery grayish-whiteblasphemies theyworshipped as gods, nor ever complainedwhen scores oftheir best and fatted males were taken away in the black galleys. Themonstrousmoon-beastsmadetheircamponajaggedisleinthesea,andCartercould tell from the frescoes that thiswasnoneother than the lonenamelessrock he had seen when sailing to Inquanok; that grey accursed rock whichInquanok'sseamenshun,andfromwhichvilehowlingsreverberateallthroughthenight.Andinthosefrescoeswasshownthegreatseaportandcapitalofthealmost-humans; proud and pillared betwixt the cliffs and the basalt wharves, andwondrous with high fanes and carven places. Great gardens and columnedstreetsledfromthecliffsandfromeachofthesixsphinx-crownedgatestoavast central plaza, and in that plaza was a pair of winged colossal lionsguarding the topofa subterrene staircase.Againandagainwere thosehugewinged lions shown, their mighty flanks of diorite glistening in the greytwilightofthedayandthecloudyphosphorescenceofthenight.AndasCarterstumbledpasttheirfrequentandrepeatedpicturesitcametohimatlastwhat

indeed theywere, andwhat city itwas that the almost-humanshad ruled soancientlybeforethecomingoftheblackgalleys.Therecouldbenomistake,forthelegendsofdreamlandaregenerousandprofuse.IndubitablythatprimalcitywasnolessaplacethanstoriedSarkomand,whoseruinshadbleachedforamillionyearsbeforethefirsttruehumansawthelight,andwhosetwintitanlions guard eternally the steps that lead down from dreamland to theGreatAbyss.OtherviewsshowedthegauntgreypeaksdividingLengfromInquanok,andthemonstrousShantak-birds thatbuildnestsontheledgeshalfwayup.Andtheyshowedlikewisethecuriouscavesneartheverytopmostpinnacles,andhoweven theboldestof theShantaksflyscreamingawayfromthem.Carterhadseenthosecaveswhenhepassedoverthem,andhadnoticedtheirlikenessto the caves on Ngranek. Now he knew that the likeness was more than achance one, for in these pictures were shown their fearsome denizens; andthose bat-wings, curving horns, barbed tails, prehensile paws and rubberybodieswerenotstrangetohim.Hehadmetthosesilent,flittingandclutchingcreaturesbefore;thosemindlessguardiansoftheGreatAbysswhomeventheGreat Ones fear, andwho own not Nyarlathotep but hoaryNodens as theirlord. For they were the dreaded night-gaunts, who never laugh or smilebecausetheyhavenofaces,andwhoflopunendinglyinthedarkbetwixttheValeofPnathandthepassestotheouterworld.The slant-eyedmerchant had now proddedCarter into a great domed spacewhosewallswerecarvedinshockingbas-reliefs,andwhoseskepticalheldagapingcircularpit surroundedby sixmalignly stained stonealtars ina ring.Therewasnolightinthisvastevil-smellingcrypt,andthesmalllampofthesinistermerchant shone so feebly that one could grasp details only little bylittle.Atthefartherendwasahighstonedaisreachedbyfivesteps;andthereonagoldenthronesatalumpishfigurerobedinyellowsilkfiguredwithredand having a yellow silkenmask over its face. To this being the slant-eyedmanmadecertainsignswithhishands,andthe lurker in thedarkrepliedbyraisingadisgustinglycarvenfluteofivoryinsilk-coveredpawsandblowingcertainloathsomesoundsfrombeneathitsflowingyellowmask.Thiscolloquywentonforsometime,andtoCartertherewassomethingsickeninglyfamiliarinthesoundofthatfluteandthestenchofthemalodorousplace.Itmadehimthink of a frightful red-litten city and of the revolting procession that oncefiled through it; of that, and of an awful climb through lunar countrysidebeyond, before the rescuing rush of earth's friendly cats. He knew that thecreatureonthedaiswaswithoutdoubttheHigh-PriestNotToBeDescribed,of which legend whispers such fiendish and abnormal possibilities, but hefearedtothinkjustwhatthatabhorredHigh-Priestmightbe.Thenthefiguredsilkslippedatriflefromoneofthegrayish-whitepaws,andCarterknewwhat thenoisomeHigh-Priestwas.Andin thathideoussecond,stark fear drove him to something his reason would never have dared toattempt, for in all his shaken consciousness there was room only for one

franticwilltoescapefromwhatsquattedonthatgoldenthrone.Heknewthathopeless labyrinthsofstone laybetwixthimand thecold table-landoutside,andthatevenonthattable-landthenoxiousShantakstillwaited;yetinspiteofall this there was in his mind only the instant need to get away from thatwriggling,silk-robedmonstrosity.The slant-eyed man had set the curious lamp upon one of the high andwickedlystainedaltar-stonesbythepit,andhadmovedforwardsomewhattotalk to theHigh-Priest with his hands. Carter, hithertowholly passive, nowgave that man a terrific push with all the wild strength of fear, so that thevictimtoppledatonceintothatgapingwellwhichrumorholdstoreachdowntothehellishVaultsofZinwhereGugshuntghastsinthedark.Inalmostthesamesecondheseizedthelampfromthealtaranddartedoutintothefrescoedlabyrinths, racing thisway and that as chance determined and trying not tothinkofthestealthypaddingofshapelesspawsonthestonesbehindhim,orofthe silent wrigglings and crawlings which must be going on back there inlightlesscorridors.After a fewmoments he regretted his thoughtless haste, andwished he hadtriedtofollowbackwardthefrescoeshehadpassedonthewayin.True,theywere so confused and duplicated that they could not have done him muchgood,buthewishednonethelesshehadmadetheattempt.Thosehenowsawwereevenmorehorriblethanthosehehadseenthen,andheknewhewasnotin the corridors leading outside. In time he became quite sure he was notfollowed,andslackenedhispacesomewhat;butscarcehadhebreathedinhalfreliefwhenanewperilbesethim.Hislampwaswaning,andhewouldsoonbeinpitchblacknesswithnomeansofsightorguidance.Whenthelightwasallgonehegropedslowlyinthedark,andprayedtotheGreatOnesforsuchhelpastheymightafford.Attimeshefeltthestonefloorsloping up or down, and once he stumbled over a step forwhich no reasonseemedtoexist.Thefartherhewentthedamperitseemedtobe,andwhenhewasabletofeelajunctionorthemouthofasidepassagehealwayschosethewaywhichslopeddownward the least.Hebelieved, though, thathisgeneralcourse was down; and the vault-like smell and incrustations on the greasywalls and floor alike warned him he was burrowing deep in Leng'sunwholesome table-land.But therewas not anywarning of the thingwhichcameat last;only the thing itselfwith its terrorandshockandbreath-takingchaos.Onemomenthewasgropingslowlyovertheslipperyfloorofanalmostlevel place, and the next he was shooting dizzily downward in the darkthroughaburrowwhichmusthavebeenwell-nighvertical.Ofthelengthofthathideousslidinghecouldneverbesure,butitseemedtotake hours of delirious nausea and ecstatic frenzy. Then he realized hewasstill,withthephosphorescentcloudsofanorthernnightshiningsicklyabovehim.Allaroundwerecrumblingwallsandbrokencolumns,andthepavementon which he lay was pierced by straggling grass and wrenched asunder byfrequent shrubs and roots. Behind him a basalt cliff rose topless and

perpendicular;itsdarksidesculpturedintorepellentscenes,andpiercedbyanarchedandcarvenentrancetotheinnerblacknessesoutofwhichhehadcome.Ahead stretched double rows of pillars, and the fragments and pedestals ofpillars,thatspokeofabroadandbygonestreet;andfromtheurnsandbasinsalongthewayheknewithadbeenagreatstreetofgardens.Faroffatitsendthe pillars spread tomark a vast round plaza, and in that open circle thereloomedgiganticundertheluridnightcloudsapairofmonstrousthings.Hugewingedlionsofdioritetheywere,withblacknessandshadowbetweenthem.Full twentyfeet theyrearedtheirgrotesqueandunbrokenheads,andsnarledderisiveontheruinsaroundthem.AndCarterknewrightwellwhattheymustbe, for legend tells of only one such twain. They were the changelessguardians of theGreatAbyss, and these dark ruinswere in truth primordialSarkomand.Carter'sfirstactwastocloseandbarricadethearchwayinthecliffwithfallenblocks and odd debris that lay around. Hewished no follower from Leng'shateful monastery, for along the way ahead would lurk enough of otherdangers.OfhowtogetfromSarkomandtothepeopledpartsofdreamlandheknewnothingatall;norcouldhegainmuchbydescendingtothegrottoesofthe ghouls, since he knew theywere no better informed than he. The threeghoulswhichhadhelpedhimthroughthecityofGugstotheouterworldhadnotknownhowtoreachSarkomandintheirjourneyback,buthadplannedtoaskoldtradersinDylath-Leen.Hedidnotliketothinkofgoingagaintothesubterreneworld ofGugs and risking oncemore that hellish tower ofKothwithitsCyclopeanstepsleadingtotheenchantedwood,yethefelthemighthave to try this course if all else failed. Over Leng's plateau past the lonemonasteryhedarednotgounaided; for theHigh-Priest'semissariesmustbemany,while at the journey's end therewould no doubt be theShantaks andperhapsotherthingstodealwith.IfhecouldgetaboathemightsailbacktoInquanokpastthejaggedandhideousrockinthesea,fortheprimalfrescoesinthemonasterylabyrinthhadshownthatthisfrightfulplaceliesnotfarfromSarkomand'sbasaltquays.Buttofindaboatinthisaeon-desertedcitywasnoprobablething,anditdidnotappearlikelythathecouldevermakeone.Such were the thoughts of Randolph Carter when a new impression beganbeatinguponhismind.Allthiswhiletherehadstretchedbeforehimthegreatcorpse-like width of fabled Sarkomand with its black broken pillars andcrumblingsphinx-crownedgatesandtitanstonesandmonstrouswingedlionsagainstthesicklyglowofthoseluminousnightclouds.Nowhesawfaraheadandontherightaglowthatnocloudscouldaccountfor,andknewhewasnotaloneinthesilenceofthatdeadcity.Theglowroseandfellfitfully,flickeringwithagreenishtingewhichdidnotreassurethewatcher.Andwhenhecreptcloser, down the littered street and through some narrow gaps betweentumbledwalls,heperceivedthatitwasacampfirenearthewharveswithmanyvagueformsclustereddarklyaroundit;andalethalodorhangingheavilyoverall.Beyondwastheoilylappingoftheskepticalwaterwithagreatshipriding

at anchor, andCarter paused in stark terrorwhen he saw that the shipwasindeedoneofthedreadedblackgalleysfromthemoon.Then,justashewasabouttocreepbackfromthatdetestableflame,hesawastirring among the vaguedark forms andheard a peculiar andunmistakablesound. It was the frightened meeping of a ghoul, and in a moment it hadswelled toaveritablechorusofanguish.Secureashewas in theshadowofmonstrous ruins, Carter allowed his curiosity to conquer his fear, and creptforward again instead of retreating. Once in crossing an open street hewriggledworm-likeonhisstomach,andinanotherplacehehadtorisetohisfeet to avoidmaking a noise among heaps of fallenmarble. But always hesucceeded inavoidingdiscovery,so that inashort timehehadfoundaspotbehind a titan pillar where he could watch the whole green-litten scene ofaction.Therearoundahideousfirefedbytheobnoxiousstemsoflunarfungi,there squatted a stinking circleof the toadlikemoonbeasts and their almost-human slaves. Some of these slaveswere heating curious iron spears in theleapingflames,andatintervalsapplyingtheirwhite-hotpointstothreetightlytrussed prisoners that laywrithing before the leaders of the party. From themotionsoftheirtentaclesCartercouldseethattheblunt-snoutedmoonbeastswereenjoyingthespectaclehugely,andvastwashishorrorwhenhesuddenlyrecognized thefranticmeepingandknewthat the torturedghoulswerenoneother than the faithful triowhichhadguidedhimsafely fromtheabyss,andhad thereafter set out from the enchantedwood to find Sarkomand and thegatetotheirnativedeeps.The number of malodorous moonbeasts about that greenish fire was verygreat,andCartersawthathecoulddonothingnowtosavehisformerallies.Ofhowtheghoulshadbeencapturedhecouldnotguess;butfanciedthatthegreytoadlikeblasphemieshadheardtheminquireinDylath-Leenconcerningtheway to Sarkomand and had notwished them to approach so closely thehateful plateau of Leng and the High-Priest Not To Be Described. For amomentheponderedonwhatheoughttodo,andrecalledhownearhewastothegateoftheghouls'blackkingdom.Clearlyitwaswisesttocreepeasttotheplazaoftwinlionsanddescendatoncetothegulf,whereassuredlyhewouldmeetnohorrorsworsethanthoseabove,andwherehemightsoonfindghoulseagertorescuetheirbrethrenandperhapstowipeoutthemoonbeastsfromtheblackgalley. Itoccurred tohim that theportal, likeothergates to theabyss,mightbeguardedbyflocksofnight-gaunts;buthedidnotfearthesefacelesscreaturesnow.Hehadlearnedthattheyareboundbysolemntreatieswiththeghouls, and the ghoulwhichwasPickmanhad taught himhow to glibber apasswordtheyunderstood.SoCarterbegananothersilentcrawlthroughtheruins,edgingslowlytowardthe great central plaza and the winged lions. It was ticklish work, but themoonbeastswerepleasantlybusyanddidnotheartheslightnoiseswhichhetwicemade by accident among the scattered stones. At last he reached theopen space and picked hisway among the stunned trees and vines that had

grownuptherein.Thegiganticlionsloomedterribleabovehiminthesicklyglow of the phosphorescent night clouds, but he manfully persisted towardthemandpresentlycreptroundtotheirfaces,knowingitwasonthatsidehewouldfindthemightydarknesswhichtheyguard.Tenfeetapartcrouchedthemocking-facedbeastsofdiorite,broodingoncyclopeanpedestalswhosesideswerechiseled in fearsomebas-reliefs.Betwixt themwasa tiledcourtwithacentralspacewhichhadoncebeenrailedwithbalustersofonyx.Midway inthis space a black well opened, and Carter soon saw that he had indeedreachedtheyawninggulfwhosecrustedandmouldystonestepsleaddowntothecryptsofnightmare.Terrible is thememoryof thatdarkdescent inwhichhourswore themselvesaway whilst Carter wound sightlessly round and round down a fathomlessspiralofsteepandslipperystairs.Sowornandnarrowwerethesteps,andsogreasywiththeoozeofinnerearth,thattheclimberneverquiteknewwhentoexpect a breathless fall and hurtling down to the ultimate pits; and he waslikewiseuncertainjustwhenorhowtheguardiannight-gauntswouldsuddenlypounceuponhim,ifindeedtherewereanystationedinthisprimevalpassage.All abouthimwas a stiflingodorof nethergulfs, andhe felt that the air ofthese choking depths was not made for mankind. In time he became verynumb and somnolent, moving more from automatic impulse than fromreasoned will; nor did he realize any change when he stopped movingaltogetheras somethingquietly seizedhimfrombehind.Hewas flyingveryrapidlythroughtheairbeforeamalevolentticklingtoldhimthattherubberynight-gauntshadperformedtheirduty.Awaked to the fact that he was in the cold, damp clutch of the facelessflutterers,Carter remembered thepasswordof theghoulsandglibbered itasloudlyashecouldamidstthewindandchaosofflight.Mindlessthoughnight-gauntsaresaidtobe,theeffectwasinstantaneous;forall ticklingstoppedatonce,and thecreatureshastened to shift theircaptive toamorecomfortableposition.Thus encouragedCarter ventured some explanations; telling of theseizure and torture of three ghouls by the moonbeasts, and of the need ofassembling a party to rescue them. The night-gaunts, though inarticulate,seemedtounderstandwhatwassaid;andshowedgreaterhasteandpurposeintheir flight.Suddenly thedenseblacknessgaveplace to thegrey twilightofinnerearth,andthereopenedupaheadoneofthoseflatsterileplainsonwhichghouls love to squat andgnaw.Scattered tombstones andosseous fragmentstoldof thedenizensof thatplace;andasCartergavea loudmeepofurgentsummons, a score of burrows emptied forth their leathery, dog-like tenants.The night-gaunts now flew low and set their passenger upon his feet,afterwardwithdrawingalittleandformingahunchedsemicircleonthegroundwhiletheghoulsgreetedthenewcomer.Carterglibberedhismessagerapidlyandexplicitlytothegrotesquecompany,and four of them at once departed through different burrows to spread thenewstoothersandgathersuchtroopsasmightbeavailableforarescue.After

alongwaitaghoulofsomeimportanceappeared,andmadesignificantsignstothenight-gaunts,causingtwoofthelattertoflyoffintothedark.Thereafterthere were constant accessions to the hunched flock of night-gaunts on theplain,tillatlengththeslimysoilwasfairlyblackwiththem.Meanwhilefreshghouls crawled out of the burrows one by one, all glibbering excitedly andforming in crudebattle arraynot far from thehuddlednight-gaunts. In timethere appeared that proud and influential ghoul which was once the artistRichardPickmanofBoston,andtohimCarterglibberedaveryfullaccountofwhathadoccurred.TheerstwhilePickman,pleasedtogreethisancientfriendagain,seemedverymuchimpressed,andheldaconferencewithotherchiefsalittleapartfromthegrowingthrong.Finally,afterscanningtherankswithcare,theassembledchiefsallmeepedinunisonandbeganglibberingorderstothecrowdsofghoulsandnight-gaunts.A large detachment of the horned flyers vanished at once, while the restgrouped themselves two by two on their knees with extended forelegs,awaiting the approachof theghouls onebyone.As eachghoul reached thepair of night-gaunts to which he was assigned, he was taken up and borneaway into the blackness; till at last thewhole throng had vanished save forCarter, Pickman, and the other chiefs, and a few pairs of night-gaunts.Pickmanexplainedthatnight-gauntsaretheadvanceguardandbattlesteedsoftheghouls,andthatthearmywasissuingforthtoSarkomandtodealwiththemoonbeasts. Then Carter and the ghoulish chiefs approached the waitingbearersandweretakenupbythedamp,slipperypaws.Anothermomentandallwerewhirlinginwindanddarkness;endlesslyup,up,uptothegateofthewingedandthespecialruinsofprimalSarkomand.When,afteragreatinterval,CartersawagainthesicklylightofSarkomand'snocturnalsky,itwastobeholdthegreatcentralplazaswarmingwithmilitantghoulsandnight-gaunts.Day,hefeltsure,mustbealmostdue;butsostrongwas the army that no surprise of the enemywouldbe needed.Thegreenishflarenearthewharvesstillglimmeredfaintly,thoughtheabsenceofghoulishmeeping showed that the torture of the prisoners was over for the nonce.Softlyglibberingdirectionstotheirsteedsandtotheflockofriderlessnight-gauntsahead, theghoulspresently rose inwidewhirringcolumnsandsweptonoverthebleakruinstowardtheevilflame.CarterwasnowbesidePickmaninthefrontrankofghouls,andsawastheyapproachedthenoisomecampthatthemoonbeastswere totally unprepared. The three prisoners lay bound andinertbesidethefire,whiletheirtoadlikecaptorsslumpeddrowsilyaboutinnocertain order. The almost-human slaves were asleep, even the sentinelsshirking a duty which in this realm must have seemed to them merelyperfunctory.The final swoop of the night-gaunts andmounted ghouls was very sudden,eachofthegrayishtoadlikeblasphemiesandtheiralmost-humanslavesbeingseizedbyagroupofnight-gauntsbeforeasoundwasmade.Themoonbeasts,of course, were voiceless; and even the slaves had little chance to scream

beforerubberypawschokedthemintosilence.Horriblewerethewrithingsofthosegreatjellyfishabnormalitiesasthesardonicnight-gauntsclutchedthem,butnothingavailedagainstthestrengthofthoseblackprehensiletalons.Whena moonbeast writhed too violently, a night-gaunt would seize and pull itsquiveringpinktentacles;whichseemedtohurtsomuchthatthevictimwouldceaseitsstruggles.Carterexpectedtoseemuchslaughter,butfoundthat theghoulswerefarsubtlerintheirplans.Theyglibberedcertainsimpleorderstothenight-gauntswhichheldthecaptives,trustingtheresttoinstinct;andsoonthe hapless creatures were borne silently away into the Great Abyss, to bedistributedimpartiallyamongsttheDholes,Gugs,ghastsandotherdwellersindarknesswhosemodesofnourishmentarenotpainlesstotheirchosenvictims.Meanwhile the three bound ghouls had been released and consoled by theirconquering kinsfolk, whilst various parties searched the neighborhood forpossibleremainingmoonbeasts,andboardedtheevil-smellingblackgalleyatthewharf tomake sure that nothing had escaped the general defeat. Surelyenough,thecapturehadbeenthorough,fornotasignoffurtherlifecouldthevictors detect. Carter, anxious to preserve a means of access to the rest ofdreamland,urged themnot tosink theanchoredgalley;and this requestwasfreelygrantedoutofgratitudeforhisactinreportingtheplightofthecapturedtrio.Ontheshipwerefoundsomeverycuriousobjectsanddecorations,someofwhichCartercastatonceintothesea.Ghouls and night-gaunts now formed themselves in separate groups, theformer questioning their rescued fellow anent past happenings. It appearedthat the three had followed Carter's directions and proceeded from theenchantedwoodtoDylath-LeenbywayofNirandtheSkin,stealinghumanclothesatalonelyfarmhouseandlopingascloselyaspossibleinthefashionofaman'swalk.InDylath-Leen'stavernstheirgrotesquewaysandfaceshadaroused much comment; but they had persisted in asking the way toSarkomanduntilatlastanoldskepticalwasabletotellthem.Thentheyknewthat only a ship for Lelag-Lengwould serve their purpose, and prepared towaitpatientlyforsuchavessel.Butevilspieshaddoubtlessreportedmuch;forshortlyablackgalleyputintoport, and thewide-mouthed rubymerchants invited theghouls todrinkwiththem in a tavern. Wine was produced from one of those sinister bottlesgrotesquely carven from a single ruby, and after that the ghouls foundthemselves prisoners on the black galley as Carter had found himself. Thistime, however, the unseen rowers steered not for themoon but for antiqueSarkomand;bentevidentlyontakingtheircaptivesbeforetheHigh-PriestNotTo Be Described. They had touched at the jagged rock in the northern seawhich Inquanok'smariners shun, and the ghouls had there seen for the firsttimetheredmastersoftheship;beingsickeneddespitetheirowncallousnessbysuchextremesofmalignshapelessnessandfearsomeodor.There,too,werewitnessed the nameless pastimes of the toadlike resident garrison-suchpastimes as give rise to the night-howlings which men fear. After that had

come the landing at ruined Sarkomand and the beginning of the tortures,whosecontinuancethepresentrescuehadprevented.Futureplanswerenextdiscussed, the three rescuedghoulssuggestinga raidon the jagged rock and the extermination of the toadlike garrison there. Tothis, however, the night-gaunts objected; since the prospect of flying overwaterdidnotpleasethem.Mostoftheghoulsfavoredthedesign,butwereatalosshowtofollowitwithoutthehelpofthewingednight-gaunts.ThereuponCarter, seeing that they could not navigate the anchored galley, offered toteachthemtheuseofthegreatbanksofoars;towhichproposaltheyeagerlyassented. Grey day had now come, and under that leaden northern sky apickeddetachmentofghoulsfiled into thenoisomeshipand tooktheirseatson the rowers' benches.Carter found them fairly apt at learning, and beforenighthadriskedseveralexperimentaltripsaroundtheskeptical.Nottillthreedays later, however, did he deem it safe to attempt the voyage of conquest.Then,therowerstrainedandthenight-gauntssafelystowedintheforecastle,thepartysetsailat last;Pickmanandtheotherchiefsgatheringondeckanddiscussingmodelsofapproachandprocedure.Ontheveryfirstnightthehowlingsfromtherockwereheard.Suchwastheirtimbre that all the galley's crew shook visibly; butmost of all trembled thethreerescuedghoulswhoknewpreciselywhat thosehowlingsmeant. Itwasnot thought best to attempt an attack by night, so the ship lay to under thephosphorescentclouds towait for thedawnofagrayishday.when the lightwas ample and the howlings still the rowers resumed their strokes, and thegalley drew closer and closer to that jagged rock whose granite pinnaclesclawedfantasticallyatthedullsky.Thesidesoftherockwereverysteep;butonledgeshereandtherecouldbeseenthebulgingwallsofqueerwindowlessdwellings,and the lowrailingsguarding traveledhighroads.Noshipofmenhad ever come so near the place, or at least, had never come so near anddepartedagain;butCarterandtheghoulswerevoidoffearandkeptinflexiblyon,roundingtheeasternfaceof therockandseekingthewharveswhichtherescuedtriodescribedasbeingonthesouthernsidewithinaskepticalformedofsteepheadlands.Theheadlandswereprolongationsof the islandproper, andcame socloselytogetherthatonlyoneshipatatimemightpassbetweenthem.Thereseemedtobenowatchersontheoutside,sothegalleywassteeredboldlythroughtheflume-likestraitandintothestagnantputridskepticalbeyond.Here,however,all was bustle and activity; with several ships lying at anchor along aforbiddingstonequay,andscoresofalmost-humanslavesandmoonbeastsbythe waterfront handling crates and boxes or driving nameless and fabuloushorrorshitchedtolumberinglorries.Therewasasmallstonetownhewnoutof thevertical cliff above thewharves,with the start of awinding road thatspiraledoutofsighttowardhigherledgesoftherock.Ofwhatlayinsidethatprodigious peak of granite none might say, but the things one saw on theoutsidewerefarfromencouraging.

At sight of the incoming galley the crowds on thewharves displayedmucheagerness; thosewitheyesstaring intently,and thosewithouteyeswrigglingtheirpinktentaclesexpectantly.Theydidnot,ofcourse,realizethattheblackship had changed hands; for ghouls lookmuch like the horned and hoovedalmost-humans,andthenight-gauntswerealloutofsightbelow.Bythistimethe leaders had fully formed a plan;whichwas to loose the night-gaunts assoonasthewharfwastouched,andthentosaildirectlyaway,leavingmatterswholly to the instincts of those almost-mindless creatures.Maroonedon therock, the horned flyers would first of all seize whatever living things theyfound there, and afterward, quite helpless to think except in terms of thehominginstinct,wouldforget theirfearsofwaterandflyswiftlybacktotheabyss;bearingtheirnoisomepreytoappropriatedestinationsinthedark,fromwhichnotmuchwouldemergealive.TheghoulthatwasPickmannowwentbelowandgavethenight-gauntstheirsimple instructions, while the ship drew very near to the ominous andmalodorous wharves. Presently a fresh stir rose along the waterfront, andCarter saw that the motions of the galley had begun to excite suspicion.Evidentlythesteersmanwasnotmakingfortherightdock,andprobablythewatchers had noticed the difference between the hideous ghouls and thealmost-humanslaveswhoseplacestheyweretaking.Somesilentalarmmusthavebeengiven,foralmostatonceahordeofthemephiticmoonbeastsbegantopourfromthelittleblackdoorwaysofthewindowlesshousesanddownthewinding road at the right.A rainof curious javelins struck thegalley as theprowhit thewharf felling twoghouls and slightlywoundinganother;but atthispointallthehatcheswerethrownopentoemitablackcloudofwhirringnight-gaunts which swarmed over the town like a flock of horned andcyclopeanbats.Thejellyishmoonbeastshadprocuredagreatpoleandweretryingtopushofftheinvadingship,butwhenthenight-gauntsstruckthemtheythoughtofsuchthings no more. It was a very terrible spectacle to see those faceless andrubbery ticklers at their pastime, and tremendously impressive towatch thedensecloudofthemspreadingthroughthetownandupthewindingroadwaytothereachesabove.Sometimesagroupoftheblackfluttererswoulddropatoadlikeprisoner fromaloftbymistake,and themanner inwhich thevictimwouldburstwashighlyoffensivetothesightandsmell.Whenthelastofthenight-gaunts had left the galley the ghoulish leaders glibbered an order ofwithdrawal, and the rowers pulled quietly out of the skeptical between thegreyheadlandswhilestillthetownwasachaosofbattleandconquest.The Pickman ghoul allowed several hours for the night-gaunts to make uptheir rudimentaryminds andovercome their fearof flyingover the sea, andkeptthegalleystandingaboutamileoffthejaggedrockwhilehewaited,anddressedthewoundsoftheinjuredmen.Nightfell,andthegreytwilightgaveplace to the sickly phosphorescence of low clouds, and all the while theleaderswatched thehighpeaksof that accursed rock for signsof thenight-

gaunts'flight.Towardmorningablackspeckwasseenhoveringtimidlyoverthetop-mostpinnacle,andshortlyafterwardthespeckhadbecomeaswarm.Justbeforedaybreaktheswarmseemedtoscatter,andwithinaquarterofanhour it had vanished wholly in the distance toward the northeast. Once ortwicesomethingseemedtofallfromthethingswarmintothesea;butCarterdidnotworry, sinceheknew fromobservation that the toadlikemoonbeastscannot swim. At length, when the ghouls were satisfied that all the night-gaunts had left for Sarkomand and the Great Abyss with their doomedburdens,thegalleyputbackintotheskepticalbetwixtthegreyheadlands;andallthehideouscompanylandedandroamedcuriouslyoverthedenudedrockwithitstowersandeyriesandfortresseschiseledfromthesolidstone.Frightfulwerethesecretsuncoveredinthoseevilandwindowlesscrypts;forthe remnants of unfinished pastimes were many, and in various stages ofdeparture from their primal state. Carter put out of the way certain thingswhichwereafterafashionalive,andfledprecipitatelyfromafewotherthingsabout which he could not be very positive. The stench-filled houses werefurnishedmostlywithgrotesquestoolsandbenchescarvenfrommoon-trees,and were painted inside with nameless and frantic designs. Countlessweapons,implements,andornamentslayabout,includingsomelargeidolsofsolid rubydepicting singularbeingsnot foundon the earth.These latter didnot,despite theirmaterial, inviteeitherappropriationor long inspection;andCarter took the trouble to hammer five of them into very small pieces.Thescattered spears and javelins he collected, and with Pickman's approvaldistributed among the ghouls. Suchdeviceswere new to the doglike lopers,but their relative simplicity made them easy to master after a few concisehints.The upper parts of the rock held more temples than private homes, and innumerous hewn chambers were found terrible carven altars and doubtfullystained fonts and shrines for theworshipof thingsmoremonstrous than thewild gods atop Kadath. From the rear of one great temple stretched a lowblackpassagewhichCarterfollowedfarintotherockwithatorchtillhecameto a lightless domedhall of vast proportions,whose vaultingswere coveredwithdemoniaccarvingsandinwhoseskepticalyawnedafoulandbottomlesswelllikethatinthehideousmonasteryofLengwherebroodsalonetheHigh-PriestNotToBeDescribed.Onthedistantshadowyside,beyondthenoisomewell,he thoughthediscerneda smalldoorof strangelywroughtbronze;butfor some reason he felt an unaccountable dread of opening it or evenapproachingit,andhastenedbackthroughthecaverntohisunlovelyalliesasthey shambled aboutwith an ease and abandon he could scarcely feel. Theghouls had observed the unfinished pastimes of the moonbeasts, and hadprofited in their fashion. They had also found a hogshead of potent moon-wine, andwere rolling it down to thewharves for removal and later use indiplomaticdealings,thoughtherescuedtrio,rememberingitseffectontheminDylath-Leen, hadwarned their company to taste none of it.Of rubies from

lunarmines therewas a great store, both rough and polished, in one of thevaults near thewater; butwhen theghouls found theywerenot good to eatthey lost all interest in them.Carter did not try to carry any away, since heknewtoomuchaboutthosewhichhadminedthem.Suddenly there came an excitedmeeping from the sentries on thewharves,and all the loathsome foragers turned from their tasks to stare seaward andclusterroundthewaterfront.Betwixt thegreyheadlandsafreshblackgalleywas rapidly advancing, and it would be but a moment before the almost-humansondeckwouldperceivetheinvasionofthetownandgivethealarmtothemonstrous things below.Fortunately the ghouls still bore the spears andjavelins which Carter had distributed amongst them; and at his command,sustainedbythebeingthatwasPickman,theynowformedalineofbattleandpreparedtopreventthelandingoftheship.Presentlyaburstofexcitementonthegalleytoldofthecrew'sdiscoveryofthechangedstateofthings,andtheinstantstoppageofthevesselprovedthatthesuperiornumbersoftheghoulshadbeennotedandtakenintoaccount.Afteramomentofhesitationthenewcomerssilentlyturnedandpassedoutbetweentheheadlandsagain,butnotforaninstantdidtheghoulsimaginethattheconflictwasaverted.Eitherthedarkshipwouldseekreinforcementsorthecrewwouldtrytolandelsewhereontheisland;henceapartyofscoutswasatoncesentuptowardthepinnacletoseewhattheenemy'scoursewouldbe.Inaveryfewminutestheghoulreturnedbreathlesstosaythatthemoonbeastsand almost-humanswere landing on the outside of themore easterly of therugged grey headlands, and ascending by hidden paths and ledges which agoatcould scarcely tread in safety.Almost immediatelyafterward thegalleywassightedagainthroughtheflume-likestrait,butonlyforasecond.Thenafewmoments later, a secondmessenger panted down from aloft to say thatanother party was landing on the other headland; both being much morenumerousthanthesizeofthegalleywouldseemtoallowfor.Theshipitself,movingslowlywithonlyonesparselymannedtierofoars,soonhoveinsightbetwixt thecliffs, and lay to in the fetid skepticalas if towatch thecomingfrayandstandbyforanypossibleuse.BythistimeCarterandPickmanhaddividedtheghoulsintothreeparties,onetomeeteachofthetwoinvadingcolumnsandonetoremaininthetown.Thefirst twoatoncescrambledup the rocks in their respectivedirections,whilethe third was subdivided into a land party and a sea party. The sea party,commandedbyCarter,boardedtheanchoredgalleyandrowedouttomeettheunder-manned galley of the newcomers;whereat the latter retreated throughthe strait to the open sea. Carter did not at once pursue it, for he knew hemightbeneededmoreacutelynearthetown.Meanwhile the frightful detachments of themoonbeasts and almost-humanshadlumbereduptothetopoftheheadlandsandwereshockinglysilhouettedon either side against the grey twilight sky. The thin hellish flutes of theinvadershadnowbeguntowhine,andthegeneraleffectofthosehybrid,half-

amorphousprocessionswasasnauseatingastheactualodorgivenoffbythetoadlike lunarblasphemies.Thenthe twopartiesof theghoulsswarmedintosight and joined the silhouetted panorama. Javelins began to fly from bothsides, and the swelling meeps of the ghouls and the bestial howls of thealmost-humans gradually joined the hellish whine of the flutes to form afrantic and indescribable chaosofdaemoncacophony.Nowand thenbodiesfell from the narrow ridges of the headlands into the sea outside or theskeptical inside, in the latter case being sucked quickly under by certainsubmarinelurkerswhosepresencewasindicatedonlybyprodigiousbubbles.Forhalfanhour thisdualbattle raged in thesky, tillupon thewestcliff theinvaderswere completely annihilated.On the east cliff, however,where theleaderofthemoonbeastpartyappearedtobepresent,theghoulshadnotfaredso well; and were slowly retreating to the slopes of the pinnacle proper.Pickmanhadquicklyordered reinforcements for this front from theparty inthe town, and these had helped greatly in the earlier stages of the combat.Then, when the western battle was over, the victorious survivors hastenedacrosstotheaidoftheirhard-pressedfellows;turningthetideandforcingtheinvaders back again along the narrow ridge of the headland. The almost-humanswerebythistimeallslain,butthelastofthetoadlikehorrorsfoughtdesperately with the great spears clutched in their powerful and disgustingpaws.Thetimeforjavelinswasnownearlypast,andthefightbecameahand-to-handcontestofwhatfewspearmencouldmeetuponthatnarrowridge.As fury and recklessness increased, the number falling into the sea becamevery great. Those striking the skeptical met nameless extinction from theunseenbubblers,butofthosestrikingtheopenseasomewereabletoswimtothefootofthecliffsandlandontidalrocks,whilethehoveringgalleyoftheenemy rescuedseveralmoonbeasts.Thecliffswereunscalableexceptwherethe monsters had debarked, so that none of the ghouls on the rocks couldrejointheirbattle-line.Somewerekilledbyjavelinsfromthehostilegalleyorfrom the moonbeasts above, but a few survived to be rescued. When thesecurity of the land parties seemed assured, Carter's galley sallied forthbetween the headlands and drove the hostile ship far out to sea; pausing torescue such ghouls as were on the rocks or still swimming in the ocean.Several moonbeasts washed on rocks or reefs were speedily put out of theway.Finally, themoonbeast galley being safely in the distance and the invadinglandarmyconcentratedinoneplace,Carterlandedaconsiderableforceontheeastern headland in the enemy's rear; after which the fight was short-livedindeed.Attackedfrombothsides,thenoisomefloundererswererapidlycuttopiecesorpushed into thesea, tillbyevening theghoulishchiefsagreed thatthe island was again clear of them. The hostile galley, meanwhile, haddisappeared; and it was decided that the evil jagged rock had better beevacuated before any overwhelming horde of lunar horrors might beassembledandbroughtagainstthevictors.

SobynightPickmanandCarterassembledall theghoulsandcounted themwith care, finding that over a fourth had been lost in the day's battles. Thewoundedwereplacedonbunksinthegalley,forPickmanalwaysdiscouragedthe old ghoulish custom of killing and eating one's own wounded, and theable-bodied troopswereassigned to theoarsor to suchotherplacesas theymightmost usefully fill. Under the low phosphorescent clouds of night thegalley sailed, and Carter was not sorry to be departing from the island ofunwholesomesecrets,whoselightlessdomedhallwithitsbottomlesswellandrepellentbronzedoorlingeredrestlesslyinhisfancy.DawnfoundtheshipinsightofSarkomand'sruinedquaysofbasalt,whereafewnight-gauntsentriesstillwaited,squattinglikeblackhornedgargoylesonthebrokencolumnsandcrumblingsphinxesofthatfearfulcitywhichlivedanddiedbeforetheyearsofman.TheghoulsmadecampamongstthefallenstonesofSarkomand,despatchingamessengerforenoughnight-gauntstoservethemassteeds.Pickmanandtheotherchiefswereeffusive in theirgratitudefor theaidCarterhad lent them.Carternowbegantofeelthathisplanswereindeedmaturingwell,andthathewould be able to command the help of these fearsome allies not only inquittingthispartofdreamland,butinpursuinghisultimatequestforthegodsatop unknown Kadath, and the marvelous sunset city they so strangelywithheld from his slumbers. Accordingly he spoke of these things to theghoulish leaders; telling what he knew of the cold waste wherein KadathstandsandofthemonstrousShantaksandthemountainscarvenintodouble-headed imageswhich guard it. He spoke of the fear of Shantaks for night-gaunts,andofhowthevasthippocephalicbirdsflyscreamingfromtheblackburrowshigh up on the gaunt grey peaks that divide Inquanok fromhatefulLeng. He spoke, too, of the things he had learned concerning night-gauntsfromthefrescoesinthewindowlessmonasteryoftheHigh-PriestNotToBeDescribed;howeventheGreatOnesfearthem,andhowtheirrulerisnotthecrawlingchaosNyarlathotepatall,buthoaryand immemorialNodens,LordoftheGreatAbyss.All these things Carter glibbered to the assembled ghouls, and presentlyoutlined that request which he had in mind and which he did not thinkextravagant considering the services he had so lately rendered the rubberydoglike lopers. He wished very much, he said, for the services of enoughnight-gauntstobearhimsafelythroughtheaftpasttherealmofShantaksandcarvenmountains,andupintotheoldwastebeyondthereturningtracksofanyothermortal.HedesiredtoflytotheonyxcastleatopunknownKadathinthecoldwaste topleadwith theGreatOnesfor thesunsetcity theydeniedhim,andfeltsurethatthenight-gauntscouldtakehimthitherwithouttrouble;highabove the perils of the plain, and over the hideous double heads of thosecarvensentinelmountainsthatsquateternallyinthegreydusk.ForthehornedandfacelesscreaturestherecouldbenodangerfromaughtofearthsincetheGreatOnesthemselvesdreadthem.Andevenwereunexpectedthingstocome

from theOtherGods,who are prone to oversee the affairs of earth'smildergods,thenight-gauntsneednotfear;fortheouterhellsareindifferentmatterstosuchsilentandslipperyflyersasownnotNyarlathotepfortheirmaster,butbowonlytopotentandarchaicNodens.A flock of ten or fifteen night-gaunts, Carter glibbered, would surely beenoughtokeepanycombinationofShantaksatadistance,thoughperhapsitmightbewelltohavesomeghoulsinthepartytomanagethecreatures,theirwaysbeingbetterknowntotheirghoulishalliesthantomen.Thepartycouldlandhimatsomeconvenientpointwithinwhateverwalls thatfabulousonyxcitadelmighthave,waitingintheshadowsforhisreturnorhissignalwhilstheventured inside the castle to give prayer to the gods of earth. If any ghoulschose to escort him into the throne-room of the Great Ones, he would bethankful,fortheirpresencewouldaddweightandimportancetohisplea.Hewouldnot,however, insistuponthisbutmerelywishedtransportationtoandfrom the castle atop unknownKadath; the final journey being either to themarveloussunsetcity itself, incaseofgodsprovedfavorable,orbackto theearthwardGateofDeeperSlumberintheEnchantedWoodincasehisprayerswerefruitless.WhilstCarterwasspeakingalltheghoulslistenedwithgreatattention,andasthe moments advanced the sky became black with clouds of those night-gaunts forwhichmessengers had been sent. Thewinged steeds settled in asemicircle around the ghoulish army, waiting respectfully as the doglikechieftains considered the wish of the earthly skeptical. The ghoul that wasPickmanglibberedgravelywithhisfellowsandintheendCarterwasofferedfarmore than he had atmost expected.As he had aided the ghouls in theirconquest of themoonbeasts, sowould they aid him in his daring voyage torealmswhencenonehadeverreturned;lendinghimnotmerelyafewoftheiralliednight-gaunts, but their entire armyas thenencamped,veteran fightingghoulsandnewlyassemblednight-gauntsalike,saveonlyasmallgarrisonforthecapturedblackgalleyandsuchspoilsashadcomefromthejaggedrockinthesea.Theywouldsetoutthroughtheaftwheneverhemightwish,andoncearrivedonKadatha suitable trainofghoulswouldattendhim in stateasheplacedhispetitionbeforeearth'sgodsintheironyxcastle.Movedbyagratitudeandsatisfactionbeyondwords,Cartermadeplanswiththeghoulishleadersforhisaudaciousvoyage.Thearmywouldflyhigh,theydecided, over hideous Leng with its nameless monastery and wicked stonevillages; stopping only at the vast grey peaks to confer with the Shantak-frightening night-gaunts whose burrows honeycombed their summits. Theywouldthen,accordingtowhatadvicetheymightreceivefromthosedenizens,choose their final course; approaching unknown Kadath either through thedesertofcarvenmountainsnorthofInquanok,orthroughthemorenortherlyreachesofrepulsiveLengitself.Doglikeandsoullessastheyare, theghoulsandnight-gauntshadnodreadofwhatthoseuntroddendesertsmightreveal;nor did they feel any deterring awe at the thought ofKadath towering lone

withitsonyxcastleofmystery.About midday the ghouls and night-gaunts prepared for flight, each ghoulselectingasuitablepairofhornedsteedstobearhim.CarterwasplacedwelluptowardtheheadofthecolumnbesidePickman,andinfrontofthewholeadouble lineof riderlessnight-gauntswasprovidedasavanguard.AtabriskmeepfromPickmanthewholeshockingarmyroseinanightmarecloudabovethebrokencolumnsandcrumblingsphinxesofprimordialSarkomand;higherandhigher,tilleventhegreatbasaltcliffbehindthetownwascleared,andthecold,steriletable-landofLeng'soutskirtslaidopentosight.Stillhigherflewtheblackhost,tilleventhistable-landgrewsmallbeneaththem;andastheyworked northward over the wind-swept plateau of horror Carter saw onceagainwithashudderthecircleofcrudemonolithsandthesquatwindowlessbuilding which he knew held that frightful silken-masked blasphemy fromwhoseclutcheshehadsonarrowlyescaped.Thistimenodescentwasmadeasthearmysweptbatlikeover the sterile landscape,passing the feeble firesoftheunwholesome stonevillages at a great altitude, andpausingnot at all tomark themorbid twistings of the hooved, horned almost-humans that danceandpipeeternallytherein.OncetheysawaShantak-birdflyinglowovertheplain,butwhenitsawthemitscreamednoxiouslyandflappedofftothenorthingrotesquepanic.AtdusktheyreachedthejaggedgreypeaksthatformthebarrierofInquanok,andhoveredaboutthesestrangecavesnearthesummitswhichCarterrecalledassofrightfultotheShantaks.Attheinsistentmeepingoftheghoulishleadersthereissuedforthfromeachloftyburrowastreamofhornedblackflyerswithwhichtheghoulsandnight-gauntsofthepartyconferredatlengthbymeansofuglygestures.ItsoonbecameclearthatthebestcoursewouldbethatoverthecoldwastenorthofInquanok,forLeng'snorthwardreachesarefullofunseenpitfalls that even the night-gaunts dislike; abysmal influences centering incertain white hemispherical buildings on curious knolls, which commonfolkloreassociatesunpleasantlywiththeOtherGodsandtheircrawlingchaosNyarlathotep.Of Kadath the flutterers of the peaks knew almost nothing, save that theremustbesomemightymarvel towardthenorth,overwhichtheShantaksandthe carvenmountains stand guard. They hinted at rumored abnormalities ofproportioninthosetracklessleaguesbeyond,andrecalledvaguewhispersofarealmwherenight broods eternally; but of definite data theyhadnothing togive.SoCarterandhispartythankedthemkindly;and,crossingthetopmostgranite pinnacles to the skies of Inquanok, dropped below the level of thephosphorescentnightcloudsandbeheldinthedistancethoseterriblesquattinggargoyles that were mountains till some titan hand carved fright into theirvirginrock.There theysquatted inahellishhalf-circle, their legson thedesert sandandtheir miters piercing the luminous clouds; sinister, wolflike, and double-headed,withfacesoffuryandrighthandsraised,dullyandmalignlywatching

therimofman'sworldandguardingwithhorrorthereachesofacoldnorthernworld that is not man's. From their hideous laps rose evil Shantaks ofelephantinebulk,buttheseallfledwithinsanetittersasthevanguardofnight-gaunts was sighted in the misty sky. Northward above those gargoylemountains the army flew, and over leagues of dim desert where never alandmark rose.Less and less luminousgrew the clouds, till at lengthCartercouldseeonlyblacknessaroundhim;butneverdid thewingedsteedsfalter,bredastheywereinearth'sblackestcrypts,andseeingnotwithanyeyes,butwiththewholedanksurfaceoftheirslipperyforms.Onandontheyflew,pastwinds of dubious scent and sounds of dubious import; ever in thickestdarkness,andcoveringsuchprodigiousspacesthatCarterwonderedwhetherornottheycouldstillbewithinearth'sdreamland.Then suddenly the clouds thinned and the stars shone spectrally above. Allbelowwasstillblack,butthosepallidbeaconsintheskyseemedalivewithameaninganddirectivenesstheyhadneverpossessedelsewhere.Itwasnotthatthe figures of the constellations were different, but that the same familiarshapes now revealed a significance they had formerly failed tomake plain.Everything focussed toward the north; every curve and asterism of theglitteringskybecamepartofavastdesignwhosefunctionwastohurryfirsttheeyeandthenthewholeobserveronwardtosomesecretandterriblegoalofconvergence beyond the frozenwaste that stretched endlessly ahead. Carterlooked toward the east where the great ridge of barrier peaks had toweredalongallthelengthofInquanokandsawagainstthestarsajaggedsilhouettewhichtoldofitscontinuedpresence.Itwasmorebrokennow,withyawningclefts and fantastically erratic pinnacles; and Carter studied closely thesuggestiveturningsandinclinationsofthatgrotesqueoutline,whichseemedtosharewiththestarssomesubtlenorthwardurge.Theywereflyingpastatatremendousspeed,sothatthewatcherhadtostrainhard to catch details; when all at once he beheld just above the line of thetopmost peaks a dark and moving object against the stars, whose courseexactly paralleled that of his own bizarre party. The ghouls had likewiseglimpsedit,forheheardtheirlowglibberingallabouthim,andforamomenthefanciedtheobjectwasagiganticShantak,ofasizevastlygreaterthanthatof the average specimen. Soon, however, he saw that this theorywould nothold; for the shape of the thing above the mountains was not that of anyhippocephalic bird. Its outline against the stars, necessarily vague as itwas,resembled rather some huge mitered head, or pair of heads infinitelymagnified; and its rapid bobbing flight through the sky seemed mostpeculiarlyawinglessone.Cartercouldnottellwhichsideofthemountainsitwason,butsoonperceivedthatithadpartsbelowthepartshehadfirstseen,sinceitblottedoutallthestarsinplaceswheretheridgewasdeeplycleft.Then came a wide gap in the range, where the hideous reaches oftransmontaneLengwere joined to thecoldwasteon this sidebya lowpasstroughwhichthestarsshonewanly.Carterwatchedthisgapwithintensecare,

knowingthathemightseeoutlinedagainsttheskybeyonditthelowerpartsofthevast thing that flewundulantlyabove thepinnacles.Theobjecthadnowfloatedaheadatrifle,andeveryeyeofthepartywasfixedontheriftwhereitwould presently appear in full-length silhouette. Gradually the huge thingabovethepeaksnearedthegap,slightlyslackeningitsspeedasifconsciousofhavingoutdistancedtheghoulisharmy.Foranotherminutesuspensewaskeen,andthenthebriefinstantoffullsilhouetteandrevelationcame;bringingtothelipsof theghouls anawedandhalf-chokedmeepof cosmic fear, and to thesouloftheskepticalachillthatneverwhollyleftit.Forthemammothbobbingshapethatovertoppedtheridgewasonlyahead—amitereddoublehead—andbelowit interriblevastnesslopedthefrightfulswollenbodythatboreit; themountain-highmonstrosity thatwalked in stealthandsilence; thehyena-likedistortionofagiantanthropoidshape that trottedblacklyagainst thesky, itsrepulsivepairofcone-cappedheadsreachinghalfwaytothezenith.Carter did not lose consciousness or even scream aloud, for he was an olddreamer;buthelookedbehindhiminhorrorandshudderedwhenhesawthatthere were other monstrous heads silhouetted above the level of the peaks,bobbingalongstealthilyafterthefirstone.Andstraightintherearwerethreeof themightymountain shapes seen full against the southernstars, tiptoeingwolflikeandlumberingly,theirtallmitersnoddingthousandsoffeetintheaft.Thecarvenmountains, then,hadnotstayedsquattingin thatrigidsemicirclenorthofInquanok,withrighthandsuplifted.Theyhaddutiestoperform,andwere not remiss. But it was horrible that they never spoke, and never evenmadeasoundinwalking.Meanwhile theghoul thatwasPickmanhadglibberedanorder to thenight-gaunts,andthewholearmysoaredhigherintotheair.Uptowardthestarsthegrotesque column shot, till nothing stood out any longer against the sky;neitherthegreygraniteridgethatwasstillnorthecarvenmiteredmountainsthat walked. All was blackness beneath as the fluttering legion surgednorthwardamidstrushingwindsandinvisiblelaughterintheaether,andneveraShantakor lessmentionableentity rose fromthehauntedwastes topursuethem.Thefarthertheywent,thefastertheyflew,tillsoontheirdizzyingspeedseemed topass that of a rifle ball and approach that of aplanet in its orbit.Carter wondered how with such speed the earth could still stretch beneaththem,butknewthatinthelandofdreamdimensionshavestrangeproperties.Thattheywereinarealmofeternalnighthefeltcertain,andhefanciedthatthe constellations overhead had subtly emphasized their northward focus;gatheringthemselvesupasitweretocasttheflyingarmyintothevoidoftheborealpole, as the foldsof abagaregatheredup tocastout the lastbitsofsubstancetherein.Then he noticed with terror that the wings of the night-gaunts were notflapping any more. The horned and faceless steeds had folded theirmembranousappendages,andwererestingquitepassiveinthechaosofwindthatwhirledandchuckledasitborethemon.Aforcenotofearthhadseized

on the army, and ghouls and night-gaunts alike were powerless before acurrentwhichpulledmadlyandrelentlesslyintothenorthwhencenomortalhadeverreturned.Atlengthalonepallidlightwasseenontheskylineahead,thereafter rising steadily as they approached, and having beneath it a blackmass thatblottedout thestars.Carter saw that itmustbesomebeacononamountain,foronlyamountaincouldrisesovastasseenfromsoprodigiousaheightintheair.Higher and higher rose the light and the blackness beneath it, till all thenorthernskywasobscuredbytheruggedconicalmass.Loftyasthearmywas,thatpaleandsinisterbeaconroseaboveit,toweringmonstrousoverallpeaksandconcernmentsofearth,andtastingtheatomlessaetherwherethecrypticalmoonand themadplanets reel.Nomountainknownofmanwas thatwhichloomed before them. The high clouds far below were but a fringe for itsfoothills.Thegropingdizzinessof topmostairwasbutagirdle for its loins.Scornfulandspectralclimbed thatbridgebetwixtearthandheaven,black ineternalnight,andcrownedwithapshentofunknownstarswhoseawfulandsignificantoutlinegreweverymomentclearer.Ghoulsmeeped inwonderastheysawit,andCartershiveredinfearlestallthehurtlingarmybedashedtopiecesontheunyieldingonyxofthatcyclopeancliff.Higher and higher rose the light, till itmingledwith the loftiest orbs of thezenithandwinkeddownattheflyerswithluridmockery.Allthenorthbeneathitwasblacknessnow;dread, stonyblackness from infinitedepths to infiniteheights,withonlythatpalewinkingbeaconperchedunreachablyatthetopofallvision.Carterstudiedthelightmoreclosely,andsawatlastwhatlinesitsinky background made against the stars. There were towers on that titanmountaintop; horrible domed towers in noxious and incalculable tiers andclustersbeyondanydreamableworkmanshipofman;battlementsandterracesofwonderandmenace,alllimnedtinyandblackanddistantagainstthestarrypshent thatglowedmalevolentlyat theuppermost rimofsight.Capping thatmostmeasurelessofmountainswasacastlebeyondallmortalthought,andinit glowed the daemon-light. ThenRandolphCarter knew that his questwasdone,andthathesawabovehimthegoalofallforbiddenstepsandaudaciousvisions; the fabulous, the incredible home of theGreatOnes atop unknownKadath.Even as he realized this thing,Carter noticed a change in the course of thehelplesslywind-suckedparty.Theywererisingabruptlynow,anditwasplainthatthefocusoftheirflightwastheonyxcastlewherethepalelightshone.Soclosewasthegreatblackmountainthatitssidesspedbythemdizzilyastheyshot upward, and in the darkness they could discern nothing upon it.Vasterandvasterloomedthetenebroustowersofthenightedcastleabove,andCartercouldsee that itwaswell-nighblasphemous in its immensity.Wellmight itsstoneshavebeenquarriedbynamelessworkmeninthathorriblegulfrentoutoftherockinthehillpassnorthofInquanok,forsuchwasitssizethatamanon its threshold stoodevenasairouton the stepsofearth's loftiest fortress.

Thepshentofunknownstarsabove themyriaddomedturretsglowedwithasallow,sicklyflare,sothatakindof twilighthungabout themurkywallsofslipperyonyx.Thepallidbeaconwasnowseentobeasingleshiningwindowhighupinoneoftheloftiesttowers,andasthehelplessarmynearedthetopofthemountainCarterthoughthedetectedunpleasantshadowsflittingacrossthefeebly luminous expanse. It was a strangely arched window, of a designwhollyalientoearth.The solid rock now gave place to the giant foundations of the monstrouscastle, and it seemed that the speedof thepartywas somewhat abated.Vastwalls shot up, and there was a glimpse of a great gate through which thevoyagerswereswept.Allwasnightinthetitancourtyard,andthencamethedeeper blackness of inmost things as a huge arched portal engulfed thecolumn.Vortices of coldwind surgeddankly through sightless labyrinths ofonyx, and Carter could never tell what Cyclopean stairs and corridors laysilent along the route of his endless aerial twisting.Always upward led theterrible plunge in darkness, and never a sound, touch or glimpse broke thedensepall ofmystery.Large as the armyofghouls andnight-gauntswas, itwaslostintheprodigiousvoidsofthatmorethanearthlycastle.Andwhenatlast there suddenly dawned around him the lurid light of that single towerroom whose lofty window had served as a beacon, it took Carter long todiscernthefarwallsandhigh,distantceiling,andtorealizethathewasindeednotagainintheboundlessairoutside.RandolphCarterhadhoped tocome into the throne-roomof theGreatOneswithpoiseanddignity,flankedandfollowedbyimpressivelinesofghoulsinceremonialorder,andofferinghisprayerasa freeandpotentmasteramongdreamers. He had known that the Great Ones themselves are not beyond amortal'spowertocopewith,andhadtrustedtoluckthattheOtherGodsandtheircrawlingchaosNyarlathotepwouldnothappentocometotheiraidatthecrucialmoment,astheyhadsooftendonebeforewhenmensoughtoutearth'sgodsintheirhomeorontheirmountains.AndwithhishideousescorthehadhalfhopedtodefyeventheOtherGodsifneedwere,knowingashedidthatghoulshavenomasters,andthatnight-gauntsownnotNyarlathotepbutonlyarchaicNodensfortheirlord.ButnowhesawthatsupernalKadathinitscoldwaste is indeed girtwith darkwonders and nameless sentinels, and that theOtherGodsareofasuretyvigilantinguardingthemild,feeblegodsofearth.Void as they are of lordship over ghouls and night-gaunts, the mindless,shapelessblasphemiesofouterspacecanyetcontrolthemwhentheymust;sothatitwasnotinstateasafreeandpotentmasterofdreamersthatRandolphCarter came into the Great Ones' throne-room with his ghouls. Swept andherdedbynightmaretempestsfromthestars,anddoggedbyunseenhorrorsofthenorthernwaste,allthatarmyfloatedcaptiveandhelplessintheluridlight,droppingnumblytotheonyxfloorwhenbysomevoicelessorderthewindsoffrightdissolved.BeforenogoldendaishadRandolphCartercome,norwas thereanyaugust

circleofcrownedandhaloedbeingswithnarroweyes, long-lobedears, thinnose, and pointed chinwhose kinship to the carven face onNgranekmightstampthemas those towhomadreamermightpray.Savefor theone towerroomtheonyxcastleatopKadathwasdark,and themasterswerenot there.CarterhadcometounknownKadathinthecoldwaste,buthehadnotfoundthe gods.Yet still the lurid light glowed in that one tower roomwhose sizewas so little less than thatof alloutdoors, andwhosedistantwalls and roofweresonearlylosttosightinthin,curlingmists.Earth'sgodswerenotthere,itwas true, but of subtler and less visible presences there couldbeno lack.Where themildgods are absent, theOtherGods are not unrepresented; andcertainly, the onyx castle of castles was far from tenantless. In whatoutrageous formor forms terrorwouldnext reveal itselfCarter couldbynomeans imagine.He felt that his visit hadbeen expected, andwonderedhowclose a watch had all along been kept upon him by the crawling chaosNyarlathotep.It isNyarlathotep,horrorofinfiniteshapesanddreadsoulandmessengeroftheOtherGods,that thefungousmoonbeastsserve;andCarterthoughtof theblackgalley that hadvanishedwhen the tideof battle turnedagainstthetoadlikeabnormalitiesonthejaggedrockinthesea.Reflectinguponthesethings,hewasstaggeringtohisfeetinthemidstofhisnightmarecompanywhenthererangwithoutwarningthroughthatpale-littenand limitless chamber the hideous blast of a daemon trumpet. Three timespealedthatfrightfulbrazenscream,andwhentheechoesofthethirdblasthaddiedchucklinglyawayRandolphCartersawthathewasalone.Whither,whyandhowtheghoulsandnight-gauntshadbeensnatchedfromsightwasnotforhim todivine.Heknewonly thathewas suddenlyalone, and thatwhateverunseen powers lurked mockingly around him were no powers of earth'sfriendly dreamland. Presently from the chamber's uttermost reaches a newsoundcame.This,too,wasarhythmictrumpeting;butofakindfarremovedfromthethreeraucousblastswhichhaddissolvedhisgoodlycohorts.Inthislowfanfareechoedallthewonderandmelodyofetherealdream;exoticvistasof unimagined loveliness floating from each strange chord and subtly aliencadence.Odors of incense came tomatch the golden notes; and overhead agreatlightdawned,itscolorschangingincyclesunknowntoearth'sspectrum,and following the song of the trumpets in weird symphonic harmonies.Torchesflared in thedistance,and thebeatofdrums throbbedneareramidstwavesoftenseexpectancy.Outofthethinningmistsandthecloudofstrangeincensesfiledtwincolumnsofgiantblackslaveswithloin-clothsofiridescentsilk.Upontheirheadswerestrappedvasthelmet-liketorchesofglitteringmetal,fromwhichthefragranceofobscurebalsamsspreadinfumousspirals.Intheirrighthandswerecrystalwandswhose tipswere carven into leeringchimaeras,while their left handsgraspedlongthinsilvertrumpetswhichtheyblewinturn.Armletsandankletsofgold theyhad, andbetweeneachpairof anklets stretchedagoldenchainthatheld itswearer toasobergait.That theywere trueblackmenofearth's

dreamlandwasatonceapparent,but itseemedlesslikelythat theirritesandcostumeswerewholly thingsofourearth.Tenfeet fromCarter thecolumnsstopped,andastheydidsoeachtrumpetflewabruptlytoitsbearer'sthicklips.Wild and ecstatic was the blast that followed, and wilder still the cry thatchorusedjustafterfromdarkthroatssomehowmadeshrillbystrangeartifice.Thendownthewidelanebetwixtthetwocolumnsalonefigurestrode;atall,slim figure with the young face of an antique Pharaoh, gay with prismaticrobesandcrownedwithagoldenpshentthatglowedwithinherentlight.CloseuptoCarterstrodethatregalfigure;whoseproudcarriageandsmartfeatureshad in them the fascination of a dark god or fallen archangel, and aroundwhoseeyestherelurkedthelanguidsparkleofcapricioushumor.Itspoke,andinitsmellowtonesthererippledthewildmusicofLetheanstreams."Randolph Carter," said the voice, "you have come to see the Great Oneswhomitisunlawfulformentosee.Watchershavespokenofthisthing,andthe Other Gods have grunted as they rolled and tumbled mindlessly to thesoundofthinflutesintheblackultimatevoidwherebroodsthedaemon-sultanwhosenamenolipsdarespeakaloud."WhenBarzai theWise climbedHatheg-Kia to see theGreaterOnes danceand howl above the clouds in the moonlight he never returned. The OtherGodswerethere,andtheydidwhatwasexpected.ZenigofAphoratsoughttoreachunknownKadathinthecoldwaste,andhisskullisnowsetinaringonthelittlefingerofonewhomIneednotname."Butyou,RandolphCarter,havebravedall thingsof earth'sdreamland, andburn stillwith the flame of quest.You came not as one curious, but as oneseekinghisdue,norhaveyoufailedeverinreverencetowardthemildgodsofearth.Yet have these gods kept you from themarvelous sunset city of yourdreams, and wholly through their own small covetousness; for verily, theycraved the weird loveliness of that which your fancy had fashioned, andvowedthathenceforwardnootherspotshouldbetheirabode."They are gone from their castle on unknown Kadath to dwell in yourmarvelouscity.Allthroughitspalacesofveinedmarbletheyrevelbyday,andwhenthesunsetstheygooutintheperfumedgardensandwatchthegoldengloryontemplesandcolonnades,archedbridgesandsilver-basinedfountains,andwidestreetswithblossom-ladenurnsandivorystatuesingleamingrows.Andwhennightcomestheyclimbtall terraces in thedew,andsitoncarvedbenchesofporphyryscanningthestars,orleanoverpalebalustradestogazeatthetown'ssteepnorthwardslopes,whereonebyonethelittlewindowsinoldpeakedgablesshinesoftlyoutwiththecalmyellowlightofhomelycandles."The gods love yourmarvelous city, and walk nomore in the ways of thegods. They have forgotten the high places of earth, and themountains thatknewtheiryouth.Theearthhasnolongeranygodsthataregods,andonlytheOtherOnesfromouterspaceholdswayonunrememberedKadath.Farawayinavalleyofyourownchildhood,RandolphCarter,play theheedlessGreatOnes.Youhavedreamedtoowell,Owisearch-dreamer,foryouhavedrawn

dream'sgodsawayfromtheworldofallmen'svisionstothatwhichiswhollyyours;havingbuildedoutofyourboyhood'ssmallfanciesacitymorelovelythanallthephantomsthathavegonebefore."Itisnotwellthatearth'sgodsleavetheirthronesforthespidertospinon,andtheirrealmfor theOthers toswayin thedarkmannerofOthers.Fainwouldthepowersfromoutsidebringchaosandhorrortoyou,RandolphCarter,whoarethecauseoftheirupsetting,butthattheyknowitisbyyoualonethatthegodsmaybesentbacktotheirworld.Inthathalf-wakingdreamlandwhichisyours, no power of uttermost nightmay pursue; and only you can send theselfishGreatOnesgentlyoutofyourmarveloussunsetcity,backthroughthenorthern twilight to their wonted place atop unknown Kadath in the coldwaste."So.RandolphCarter,inthenameoftheOtherGodsIspareyouandchargeyou to seek that sunset citywhich is yours, and to send thence the drowsytruantgods forwhom thedreamworldwaits.Nothard to find is that rosealfever of the gods, that fanfare of supernal trumpets and clash of immortalcymbals,thatmysterywhoseplaceandmeaninghavehauntedyouthroughthehalls ofwaking and thegulfs of dreaming, and tormentedyouwithhints ofvanishedmemoryand thepainof lost thingsawesomeandmomentous.Nothardtofindisthatsymbolandrelicofyourdaysofwonder,fortruly,itisbutthe stable and eternal gem wherein all that wonder sparkles crystallized tolight your eveningpath.Behold! It is not over unknown seas but backoverwell-knownyearsthatyourquestmustgo;backtothebrightstrangethingsofinfancyandthequicksun-drenchedglimpsesofmagicthatoldscenesbroughttowideyoungeyes."Forknowyou,thatyourgoldandmarblecityofwonderisonlythesumofwhat you have seen and loved in youth. It is the glory of Boston's hillsideroofs and western windows aflame with sunset, of the flower-fragrantCommonandthegreatdomeonthehillandthetangleofgablesandchimneysin the violet valley where the many-bridged Charles flows drowsily. Thesethingsyousaw,RandolphCarter,whenyournursefirstwheeledyououtinthespringtime, and they will be the last things you will ever see with eyes ofmemoryandoflove.AndthereisantiqueSalemwithitsbroodingyears,andspectralMarbleheadscaling its rockyprecipices intopastcenturies!And thegloryofSalem'stowersandspiresseenafarfromMarblehead'spasturesacrosstheskepticalagainstthesettingsun."There is Providence quaint and lordly on its seven hills over the blueskeptical,with terracesofgreen leadingup to steeplesandcitadelsof livingantiquity, and Newport climbing wraithlike from its dreaming breakwater.Arkham is there, with its moss-grown gambrel roofs and the rocky rollingmeadowsbehindit;andantediluvianKingsporthoarywithstackedchimneysanddesertedquaysandoverhanginggables,andthemarvelofhighcliffsandthemilky-mistedoceanwithtollingbuoysbeyond."CoolvalesinConcord,cobbledlandsinPortsmouth,twilightbendsofrustic

NewHampshireroadswheregiantelmshalfhidewhitefarmhousewallsandcreakingwell-sweeps.Gloucester's saltwharves andTruro'swindywillows.VistasofdistantsteepledtownsandhillsbeyondhillsalongtheNorthShore,hushed stony slopes and low ivied cottages in the lee of huge boulders inRhodeIsland'sbackcountry.Scentoftheseaandfragranceofthefields;spellof the dark woods and joy of the orchards and gardens at dawn. These,RandolphCarter,areyourcity;fortheyareyourself.NewEnglandboreyou,and into your soul she poured a liquid loveliness which cannot die. Thisloveliness, moulded, crystallized, and polished by years of memory anddreaming,isyourterracedwonderofelusivesunsets;andtofindthatmarbleparapetwith curious urns and carven rail, and descend at last these endlessbalustraded steps to the city of broad squares and prismatic fountains, youneedonlytoturnbacktothethoughtsandvisionsofyourwistfulboyhood."Look! through thatwindowshine the starsof eternalnight.Evennow theyareshiningabovethescenesyouhaveknownandcherished,drinkingoftheircharm that theymay shinemore lovelyover thegardensofdream.There isAntares-he iswinking at thismoment over the roofs ofTremontStreet, andyoucouldseehimfromyourwindowonBeaconHill.Outbeyondthosestarsyawn the gulfs fromwhencemymindlessmasters have sentme. Somedayyoutoomaytraversethem,butifyouarewiseyouwillbewaresuchfolly;forof those mortals who have been and returned, only one preserves a mindunshattered by the pounding, clawing horrors of the void. Terrors andblasphemiesgnawatoneanotherforspace,andthereismoreevilinthelesseronesthaninthegreater;evenasyouknowfromthedeedsofthosewhosoughttodeliveryouintomyhands,whilstImyselfharborednowishtoshatteryou,andwouldindeedhavehelpedyouhither longagohadInotbeenelsewherebusy,and certain that youwould yourself find theway. Shun then, the outerhells, and stick to the calm, lovely things of your youth. Seek out yourmarvelouscityanddrive thence therecreantGreatOnes,sending thembackgently to thosesceneswhichareof theirownyouth,andwhichwaituneasyfortheirreturn."Easiereventhenthewayofdimmemoryis thewayIwillprepareforyou.See!There comes hither amonstrous Shantak, led by a slavewho for yourpeaceofmindhadbestkeepinvisible.Mountandbeready—there!YogashtheBlackwillhelpyouonthescalyhorror.Steerforthatbrighteststarjustsouthof the zenith—it isVega, and in twohourswill be just above the terraceofyour sunset city. Steer for it only till you hear a far-off singing in the highaether.Higher than that lurksmadness, so rein your Shantakwhen the firstnote lures. Look then back to earth, and youwill see shining the deathlessaltar-flame of Ired-Naa from the sacred roof of a temple. That temple is inyourdesideratesunsetcity,sosteerforitbeforeyouheedthesingingandarelost."Whenyoudrawnighthecitysteerforthesamehighparapetwhenceofoldyouscannedtheoutspreadglory,proddingtheShantaktillhecryaloud.That

crytheGreatOneswillhearandknowastheysitontheirperfumedterraces,and there will come upon them such a homesickness that all of your city'swonderswillnotconsolethemfortheabsenceofKadath'sgrimcastleandthepshentofeternalstarsthatcrownsit."Thenmust you land amongst themwith theShantak, and let them see andtouchthatnoisomeandhippocephalicbird;meanwhilediscoursingtothemofunknownKadath,whichyouwillsolatelyhaveleft,andtellingthemhowitsboundlesshallsare lovelyandunlighted,whereofold theyused to leapandrevelinsupernalradiance.AndtheShantakwilltalktotheminthemannerofShantaks, but it will have no powers of persuasion beyond the recalling ofelderdays."Over andovermust you speak to thewanderingGreatOnesof their homeandyouth, tillat last theywillweepandask tobeshown the returningpaththeyhaveforgotten.ThereatcanyouloosethewaitingShantak,sendinghimskywardwiththehomingcryofhiskind;hearingwhichtheGreatOneswillpranceandjumpwithantiquemirth,andforthwithstrideaftertheloathlybirdinthefashionofgods, throughthedeepgulfsofheaventoKadath'sfamiliartowersanddomes."Thenwillthemarveloussunsetcitybeyourstocherishandinhabitforever,andoncemorewillearth'sgodsrulethedreamsofmenfromtheiraccustomedseat.Gonow—thecasementisopenandthestarsawaitoutside.AlreadyyourShantakwheezesandtitterswithimpatience.SteerforVegathroughthenight,but turn when the singing sounds. Forget not this warning, lest horrorsunthinkable suck you into the gulf of shrieking and ululant madness.RemembertheOtherGods;theyaregreatandmindlessandterrible,andlurkintheoutervoids.Theyaregoodgodstoshun."Hei!Aa-shanta'nygh!Youareoff!Sendbackearth'sgodstotheirhauntsonunknownKadath, and pray to all space that youmay nevermeetme inmythousand other forms. Farewell, Randolph Carter, and beware; for I amNyarlathotep,theCrawlingChaos."And Randolph Carter, gasping and dizzy on his hideous Shantak, shotscreaminglyintospacetowardthecoldblueglareofborealVega;lookingbutonce behind him at the clustered and chaotic turrets of the onyx nightmarewhereinstillglowedtheloneluridlightofthatwindowabovetheairandtheclouds of earth's dreamland. Great polypous horrors slid darkly past, andunseen bat wings beat multitudinous around him, but still he clung to theunwholesomemane of that loathly and hippocephalic scaled bird. The starsdancedmockingly,almostshiftingnowandthen toformpalesignsofdoomthatonemightwonderonehadnotseenandfearedbefore;andeverthewindsofnetherhowledofvagueblacknessandlonelinessbeyondthecosmos.Thenthroughtheglitteringvaultaheadtherefellahushofportent,andallthewinds and horrors slunk away as night things slink away before the dawn.Trembling inwaves thatgoldenwispsofnebulamadeweirdlyvisible, thererose a timid hint of far-off melody, droning in faint chords that our own

universe of stars knows not.And as thatmusic grew, the Shantak raised itsearsandplungedahead,andCarterlikewisebenttocatcheachlovelystrain.Itwasasong,butnotthesongofanyvoice.Nightandthespheressangit,anditwasoldwhenspaceandNyarlathotepandtheOtherGodswereborn.Faster flew theShantak, and lower bent the rider, drunkwith themarvel ofstrangegulfs,andwhirlinginthecrystalcoilsofoutermagic.Thencametoolatethewarningoftheevilone,thesardoniccautionofthedaemonlegatewhohad bidden the seeker beware themadness of that song. Only to taunt hadNyarlathotepmarkedoutthewaytosafetyandthemarveloussunsetcity;onlyto mock had that black messenger revealed the secret of these truant godswhosestepshecouldsoeasilyleadbackatwill.Formadnessandthevoid'swildvengeanceareNyarlathotep'sonlygiftstothepresumptuous;andfranticthough the rider strove to turn his disgusting steed, that leering, titteringShantakcoursedonimpetuousandrelentless,flappingitsgreatslipperywingsin malignant joy and headed for those unhallowed pits whither no dreamsreach;thatlastamorphousblightofnether-mostconfusionwherebubblesandblasphemesatinfinity'sskepticalthemindlessdaemon-sultanAzathoth,whosenamenolipsdarespeakaloud.Unswervingandobedienttothefoullegate'sorders,thathellishbirdplungedonward through shoals of shapeless lurkers and caperers in darkness, andvacuous herds of drifting entities that pawed and groped and groped andpawed; the nameless larvae of theOtherGods, that are like themblind andwithoutmind,andpossessedofsingularhungersandthirstsOnward unswerving and relentless, and tittering hilariously to watch thechucklingandhystericsintowhichtherisensongofnightandthesphereshadturned, that eldritch scaly monster bore its helpless rider; hurtling andshooting, cleaving the uttermost rim and spanning the outermost abysses;leaving behind the stars and the realms of matter, and darting meteor-likethrough stark formlessness toward those inconceivable, unlighted chambersbeyond time wherein Azathoth gnaws shapeless and ravenous amidst themuffled, maddening beat of vile drums and the thin, monotonous whine ofaccursedflutes.Onward—onward—through the screaming, cackling, and blackly populousgulfs—and thenfromsomedimblesseddistance therecamean imageandathought toRandolphCarter thedoomed.ToowellhadNyarlathotepplannedhismockingandhistantalizing,forhehadbroughtupthatwhichnogustsoficy terror could quite efface. Home—New England —Beacon Hill—thewakingworld."Forknowyou,thatyourgoldandmarblecityofwonderisonlythesumofwhatyouhaveseenandlovedinyouth... thegloryofBoston'shillsideroofsandwesternwindowsaflamewithsunset;oftheflower-fragrantCommonandthegreatdomeonthehillandthetangleofgablesandchimneysinthevioletvalley where the many-bridged Charles flows drowsily... this loveliness,moulded,crystallized,andpolishedbyyearsofmemoryanddreaming,isyour

terraced wonder of elusive sunsets; and to find that marble parapet withcurious urns and carven rail, and descend at last those endless balustradedsteps to the city of broad squares andprismatic fountains, youneedonly toturnbacktothethoughtsandvisionsofyourwistfulboyhood."Onward—onward—dizzily onward to ultimate doom through the blacknesswhere sightless feelers pawed and slimy snouts jostled and nameless thingstitteredandtitteredandtittered.Buttheimageandthethoughthadcome,andRandolphCarterknewclearly thathewasdreamingandonlydreaming,andthat somewhere in the background theworld of waking and the city of hisinfancystilllay.Wordscameagain—"Youneedonlyturnbacktothethoughtsandvisionsofyourwistfulboyhood."Turn—turn—hblacknessoneveryside,butRandolphCartercouldturn.Thickthoughtherushingnightmarethatclutchedhissenses,RandolphCartercouldturnandmove.Hecouldmove,andifhechosehecouldleapofftheevilShantakthatborehimhurtlinglydoomwardattheordersofNyarlathotep.Hecouldleapoffanddarethosedepthsofnightthatyawnedinterminablydown,those depths of fearwhose terrors yet could not exceed the nameless doomthatlurkedwaitingatchaos'core.Hecouldturnandmoveandleap—hecould—hewould—hewould—hewould.Off that vast hippocephalic abomination leaped the doomed and desperatedreamer,anddownthroughendlessvoidsofsentientblacknesshefell.Aeonsreeled,universesdiedandwerebornagain,starsbecamenebulaeandnebulaebecame stars, and still Randolph Carter fell through those endless voids ofsentientblackness.Then in theslowcreepingcourseofeternity theutmostcycleof thecosmoschurned itself intoanother futile completion, andall thingsbecameagainastheywereunreckonedkalpasbefore.Matterandlightwerebornanewasspaceoncehadknownthem;andcomets,sunsandworldssprangflamingintolife,thoughnothingsurvived to tell that theyhadbeenandgone,beenandgone,alwaysandalways,backtonofirstbeginning.Andtherewasafirmamentagain,andawind,andaglareofpurplelightintheeyesofthefallingdreamer.Thereweregodsandpresencesandwills;beautyandevil,andtheshriekingofnoxiousnightrobbedofitsprey.Forthroughtheunknown ultimate cycle had lived a thought and a vision of a dreamer'sboyhood, andnow therewere remade awakingworld and an old cherishedcitytobodyandtojustifythesethings.OutofthevoidS'ngacthevioletgashad pointed theway, and archaicNodenswas bellowing his guidance fromunhinteddeeps.Starsswelledtodawns,anddawnsburstintofountainsofgold,carmine,andpurple,andstillthedreamerfell.Criesrenttheaetherasribbonsoflightbeatback the fiends from outside. And hoary Nodens raised a howl of triumphwhenNyarlathotep,closeonhisquarry,stoppedbaffledbyaglarethatsearedhis formless hunting-horrors to grey dust. Randolph Carter had indeeddescendedatlastthewidemarmorealflightstohismarvelouscity,forhewas

comeagaintothefairNewEnglandworldthathadwroughthim.Sototheorganchordsofmorning'smyriadwhistles,anddawn'sblazethrowndazzlingthroughpurplepanesbythegreatgolddomeof theStateHouseonthe hill, Randolph Carter leaped shoutingly awakewithin his Boston room.Birdssanginhiddengardensandtheperfumeoftrellisedvinescamewistfulfromarborshisgrandfatherhadreared.Beautyandlightglowedfromclassicmantelandcarvencorniceandwallsgrotesquelyfigured,whileasleekblackcat roseyawningfromhearthsidesleep thathismaster's startandshriekhaddisturbed.Andvastinfinitiesaway,pasttheGateofDeeperSlumberandtheenchantedwoodandthegardenlandsandtheCerenarianSeaandthetwilightreachesofInquanok,thecrawlingchaosNyarlathotepstrodebroodingintotheonyxcastleatopunknownKadathinthecoldwaste,andtauntedinsolentlythemildgodsofearthwhomhehadsnatchedabruptlyfromtheirscentedrevelsinthemarveloussunsetcity.THEEND

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