smithean couplet

he discerned in a dark recess the formless bulking of a couchant mass. and the mass stirred a little at his approach, and put forth with infinite slothfulness a huge and toad-shaped head. and the head opened its eyes very slightly, as if half awakened from slumber so that they were visible as two slits of oozing phospher in the black, browless face ...

he went forward till he could see the fine dark fur on the dormant body and sleepily porrected head ... there was a sluggish inclination of the toad-like head; and the eyes opened a little wider, and light flowed from them in viscous tricklings on the creased underlids.

clark ashton smith, the seven geases.