terror.

But as it took shape, rising out of nothing as it were, and growing
momentarily more defined in outline, a period of utter and wonderful
silence settled down upon the building and all it contained. A hush of
ages, like the sudden centre of peace at the heart of the travelling
cyclone, descended through the night, and out of this hush, as out of
the emanations of the steaming blood, issued the form of the ancient
being who had first sent the elemental of fire upon its mission. It grew
and darkened and solidified before our eyes. It rose from just beyond
the table so that the lower portions remained invisible, but I saw the
outline limn itself upon the air, as though slowly revealed by the
rising of a curtain. It apparently had not then quite concentrated to
the normal proportions, but was spread out on all sides into space,
huge, though rapidly condensing, for I saw the colossal shoulders, the
neck, the lower portion of the dark jaws, the terrible mouth, and then
the teeth and lips--and, as the veil seemed to lift further upon the
tremendous face--I saw the nose and cheek bones. In another moment I
should have looked straight into the eyes--

But what Dr. Silence did at that moment was so unexpected, and took me
so by surprise, that I have never yet properly understood its nature,
and he has never yet seen fit to explain in detail to me. He uttered
some sound that had a note of command in it--and, in so doing, stepped
forward and intervened between me and the face. The figure, just nearing
completeness, he therefore hid from my sight--and I have always thought
purposely hid from my sight.

"The fire!" he cried out. "The fire! Beware!"

There was a sudden roar as of flame from the very mouth of the pit, and
for the space of a single second all grew light as day. A blinding flash
passed across my face, and there was heat for an instant that seemed to
shrivel skin, and flesh, and bone. Then came steps, and I heard Colonel
Wragge utter a great cry, wilder than any human cry I have ever known.
The heat sucked all the breath out of my lungs with a rush, and the
blaze of light, as it vanished, swept my vision with it into enveloping
darkness.

When I recovered the use of my senses a few moments later I saw that
Colonel Wragge with a face of death, its whiteness strangely stained,
had moved closer to me. Dr. Silence stood beside him, an expression of
triumph and success in his eyes. The next minute the soldier tri