The Shadow Over Innsmouth.docx

The Shadow Over Innsmouth.docx

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TheShadowOverInnsmouth

TheShadowOverInnsmouth

byH.P.Lovecraft

WrittenNov?

-3Dec1931
Published1936inTheShadowoverInnsmouth,Everett,PA:

VisionaryPublishingCo.,p.13-158.

I

Duringthewinterof1927-28officialsoftheFederalgovernmentmadeastrangeandsecretinvestigationofcertainconditionsintheancientMassachusettsseaportofInnsmouth.ThepublicfirstlearnedofitinFebruary,whenavastseriesofraidsandarrestsoccurred,followedbythedeliberateburninganddynamiting-undersuitableprecautions-ofanenormousnumberofcrumbling,worm-eaten,andsupposedlyemptyhousesalongtheabandonedwaterfront.Uninquiringsoulsletthisoccurrencepassasoneofthemajorclashesinaspasmodicwaronliquor.

Keenernews-followers,however,wonderedattheprodigiousnumberofarrests,theabnormallylargeforceofmenusedinmakingthem,andthesecrecysurroundingthedisposaloftheprisoners.Notrials,orevendefinitechargeswerereported;norwereanyofthecaptivesseenthereafterintheregulargaolsofthenation.Therewerevaguestatementsaboutdiseaseandconcentrationcamps,andlateraboutdispersalinvariousnavalandmilitaryprisons,butnothingpositiveeverdeveloped.Innsmouthitselfwasleftalmostdepopulated,anditisevennowonlybeginningtoshowsignsofasluggishlyrevivedexistence.

Complaintsfrommanyliberalorganizationsweremetwithlongconfidentialdiscussions,andrepresentativesweretakenontripstocertaincampsandprisons.Asaresult,thesesocietiesbecamesurprisinglypassiveandreticent.Newspapermenwerehardertomanage,butseemedlargelytocooperatewiththegovernmentintheend.Onlyonepaper-atabloidalwaysdiscountedbecauseofitswildpolicy-mentionedthedeepdivingsubmarinethatdischargedtorpedoesdownwardinthemarineabyssjustbeyondDevilReef.Thatitem,gatheredbychanceinahauntofsailors,seemedindeedratherfar-fetched;sincethelow,blackreeflayafullmileandahalfoutfromInnsmouthHarbour.

Peoplearoundthecountryandinthenearbytownsmutteredagreatdealamongthemselves,butsaidverylittletotheouterworld.Theyhadtalkedaboutdyingandhalf-desertedInnsmouthfornearlyacentury,andnothingnewcouldbewilderormorehideousthanwhattheyhadwhisperedandhintedatyearsbefore.Manythingshadtaughtthemsecretiveness,andtherewasnoneedtoexertpressureonthem.Besides,theyreallyknewlittle;forwidesaltmarshes,desolateandunpeopled,keptneighborsofffromInnsmouthonthelandwardside.

ButatlastIamgoingtodefythebanonspeechaboutthisthing.Results,Iamcertain,aresothoroughthatnopublicharmsaveashockofrepulsioncouldeveraccruefromahintingofwhatwasfoundbythosehorrifiedmenatInnsmouth.Besides,whatwasfoundmightpossiblyhavemorethanoneexplanation.Idonotknowjusthowmuchofthewholetalehasbeentoldeventome,andIhavemanyreasonsfornotwishingtoprobedeeper.Formycontactwiththisaffairhasbeencloserthanthatofanyotherlayman,andIhavecarriedawayimpressionswhichareyettodrivemetodrasticmeasures.

ItwasIwhofledfranticallyoutofInnsmouthintheearlymorninghoursofJuly16,1927,andwhosefrightenedappealsforgovernmentinquiryandactionbroughtonthewholereportedepisode.Iwaswillingenoughtostaymutewhiletheaffairwasfreshanduncertain;butnowthatitisanoldstory,withpublicinterestandcuriositygone,Ihaveanoddcravingtowhisperaboutthosefewfrightfulhoursinthatill-rumoredandevilly-shadowedseaportofdeathandblasphemousabnormality.Themeretellinghelpsmetorestoreconfidenceinmyownfaculties;toreassuremyselfthatIwasnotthefirsttosuccumbtoacontagiousnightmarehallucination.Ithelpsme,too,inmakingupmymindregardingacertainterriblestepwhichliesaheadofme.

IneverheardofInnsmouthtillthedaybeforeIsawitforthefirstand-sofar-lasttime.IwascelebratingmycomingofagebyatourofNewEngland-sightseeing,antiquarian,andgenealogical-andhadplannedtogodirectlyfromancientNewburyporttoArkham,whencemymother'sfamilywasderived.Ihadnocar,butwastravellingbytrain,trolleyandmotor-coach,alwaysseekingthecheapestpossibleroute.InNewburyporttheytoldmethatthesteamtrainwasthethingtotaketoArkham;anditwasonlyatthestationticket-office,whenIdemurredatthehighfare,thatIlearnedaboutInnsmouth.Thestout,shrewd-facedagent,whosespeechshewedhimtobenolocalman,seemedsympathetictowardmyeffortsateconomy,andmadeasuggestionthatnoneofmyotherinformantshadoffered.

"Youcouldtakethatoldbus,Isuppose,"hesaidwithacertainhesitation,"butitain'tthoughtmuchofhereabouts.ItgoesthroughInnsmouth-youmayhaveheardaboutthat-andsothepeopledon'tlikeit.RunbyanInnsmouthfellow-JoeSargent-butnevergetsanycustomfromhere,orArkhameither,Iguess.Wonderitkeepsrunningatall.Is'poseit'scheapenough,butIneverseemor'ntwoorthreepeopleinit-nobodybutthoseInnsmouthfolk.Leavesthesquare-frontofHammond'sDrugStore-at10a.m.and7p.m.unlessthey'vechangedlately.Lookslikeaterriblerattletrap-I'veneverbeenonit."

ThatwasthefirstIeverheardofshadowedInnsmouth.Anyreferencetoatownnotshownoncommonmapsorlistedinrecentguidebookswouldhaveinterestedme,andtheagent'soddmannerofallusionrousedsomethinglikerealcuriosity.Atownabletoinspiresuchdislikeinititsneighbors,Ithought,mustbeatleastratherunusual,andworthyofatourist'sattention.IfitcamebeforeArkhamIwouldstopoffthereandsoIaskedtheagenttotellmesomethingaboutit.Hewasverydeliberate,andspokewithanairoffeelingslightlysuperiortowhathesaid.

"Innsmouth?

Well,it'saqueerkindofatowndownatthemouthoftheManuxet.Usedtobealmostacity-quiteaportbeforetheWarof1812-butallgonetopiecesinthelasthundredyearsorso.Norailroadnow-B.andM.neverwentthrough,andthebranchlinefromRowleywasgivenupyearsago.

"Moreemptyhousesthantherearepeople,Iguess,andnobusinesstospeakofexceptfishingandlobstering.EverybodytradesmostlyeitherhereorinArkhamorIpswich.Oncetheyhadquiteafewmills,butnothing'sleftnowexceptonegoldrefineryrunningontheleanestkindofparttime.

"Thatrefinery,though,usedtoheabigthing,andoldmanMarsh,whoownsit,mustbericher'nCroesus.Queeroldduck,though,andsticksmightycloseinhishome.He'ssupposedtohavedevelopedsomeskindiseaseordeformitylateinlifethatmakeshimkeepoutofsight.GrandsonofCaptainObedMarsh,whofoundedthebusiness.Hismotherseemsto'vebeensomekindofforeigner-theysayaSouthSeaislander-soeverybodyraisedCainwhenhemarriedanIpswichgirlfiftyyearsago.TheyalwaysdothataboutInnsmouthpeople,andfolkshereandhereaboutsalwaystrytocoverupanyInnsmouthbloodtheyhave

in'em.ButMarsh'schildrenandgrandchildrenlookjustlikeanyoneelsefar'sIcansee.I'vehad'empointedouttomehere-though,cometothinkofit,theelderchildrendon'tseemtobearoundlately.Neversawtheoldman.

"AndwhyiseverybodysodownonInnsmouth?

Well,youngfellow,youmustn'ttaketoomuchstockinwhatpeopleheresay.They'rehardtogetstarted,butoncetheydogetstartedtheyneverletup.They'vebeentellingthingsaboutInnsmouth-whispering'em,mostly-forthelasthundredyears,Iguess,andIgatherthey'remorescaredthananythingelse.Someofthestorieswouldmakeyoulaugh-aboutoldCaptainMarshdrivingbargainswiththedevilandbringingimpsoutofhelltoliveinInnsmouth,oraboutsomekindofdevil-worshipandawfulsacrificesinsomeplacenearthewharvesthatpeoplestumbledonaround1845orthereabouts-butIcomefromPanton,Vermont,andthatkindofstorydon'tgodownwithme.

"Yououghttohear,though,whatsomeoftheold-timerstellabouttheblackreefoffthecoast-DevilReef,theycallit.It'swellabovewateragoodpartofthetime,andnevermuchbelowit,butatthatyoucouldhardlycallitanisland.Thestoryisthatthere'sawholelegionofdevilsseensometimesonthatreef-sprawledabout,ordartinginandoutofsomekindofcavesnearthetop.It'sarugged,uneventhing,agoodbitoveramileout,andtowardtheendofshippingdayssailorsusedtomakebigdetoursjusttoavoidit.

"Thatis,sailorsthatdidn'thailfromInnsmouth.OneofthethingstheyhadagainstoldCaptainMarshwasthathewassupposedtolandonitsometimesatnightwhenthetidewasright.Maybehedid,forIdaresaytherockformationwasinteresting,andit'sjustbarelypossiblehewaslookingforpiratelootandmaybefindingit;buttherewastalkofhisdealingwithdemonsthere.Factis,IguessonthewholeitwasreallytheCaptainthatgavethebadreputationtothereef.

"Thatwasbeforethebigepidemicof1846,whenoverhalfthefolksinInnsmouthwascarriedoff.Theyneverdidquitefigureoutwhatthetroublewas,butitwasprobablysomeforeignkindofdiseasebroughtfromChinaorsomewherebytheshipping.Itsurelywasbadenough-therewasriotsoverit,andallsortsofghastlydoingsthatIdon'tbelieveevergotoutsideoftown-anditlefttheplaceinawfulshape.Nevercameback-therecan'tbemore'n300or400peoplelivingtherenow.

"Buttherealthingbehindthewayfolksfeelissimplyraceprejudice-andIdon'tsayI'mblamingthosethatholdit.IhatethoseInnsmouthfolksmyself,andIwouldn'tcaretogototheirtown.Is'poseyouknow-thoughIcanseeyou'reaWesternerbyyourtalk-whataloto