the metal monster-第13章

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y　glared　forth；　the　blue　incandescence　gushing　from　them　like　molten　steel　from　an　opened　sluice。

Deep　within　them　I　sensed　a　movement。　Scores　of　towering　shapes　swam　within　and　glided　out　of　them；　each　reflecting　the　vivid　light　as　though　they　themselves　were　incandescent。　Around　their　crests　spun　wide　and　flaming　coronets。

They　rushed　forth；　wheeling；　whirling；　driven　like　leaves　in　a　whirlwind。　Out　they　swirled　from　the　cat's　eyes　of　the　glimmering　wall；　these　dervish　obelisks　crowded　with　spinning　fires。　They　vanished　in　the　mists。　Instantly　with　their　going；　the　eyes　contracted；　were　but　slits；　were　gone。　And　before　us　within　the　oval　was　only　the　waiting　portal。

The　leading　block　leaped　forward。　As　abruptly；　those　that　bore　us　followed。　Again　under　that　strain　of　projectile　flight　we　clutched　each　other；　the　pony　screamed　in　terror。　The　metal　cliff　rushed　to　meet　us　like　a　thunder　cloud　of　steel；　the　portal　raced　upon　usa　square　mouth　of　cold　blue　flame。

And　into　it　we　swept；　were　devoured　by　it。

Light　in　blinding；　intolerable　flood　beat　about　us；　blackening　the　sight　with　agony。　We　pressed；　the　three　of　us；　against　the　side　of　the　pony；　burying　our　faces　in　its　shaggy　coat；　striving　to　hide　our　eyes　from　the　radiance　which；　strain　closely　as　we　might；　seemed　to　pierce　through　the　body　of　the　little　beast；　through　our　own　heads；　searing　the　sight。





CHAPTER　X

〃WITCH！　GIVE　BACK　MY　SISTER〃

How　long　we　were　within　that　glare　I　do　not　know；　it　seemed　unending　hours；　it　was　of　course　only　minutes　seconds；　perhaps。　Then　I　was　sensible　of　a　permeating　shadow；　a　darkness　gentle　and　healing。

I　raised　my　head　and　opened　my　eyes。　We　were　moving　tranquilly；　with　a　curious　suggestion　of　homing　leisureliness；　through　a　soft；　blue　shimmering　darkness。　It　was　as　though　we　were　drifting　within　some　high　borderland　of　light；　a　region　in　which　that　rapid　vibration　we　call　the　violet　was　mingled　with　a　still　more　rapid　vibration　whose　quick　pulsing　was　felt　by　the　brain　but　ever　fled　ere　that　brain　could　register　it　in　terms　of　color。　And　there　seemed　to　be　a　film　over　my　sight；　dazzlement　from　the　unearthly　blaze；　I　thought；　shaking　my　head　impatiently。

My　eyes　focused　upon　an　object　a　little　more　than　a　foot　away；　my　neck　grew　rigid；　my　scalp　prickled　while　I　stared；　unbelieving。　And　that　at　which　I　stared　wasa　skeleton　hand。　Every　bone　a　grayish　black；　sharply　silhouetted；　clean　as　some　master　surgeon's　specimen；　it　was　extended　as　though　clutching　atclutching　atwhat　was　that　toward　which　it　was　reaching？

Again　the　icy　prickling　over　scalp　and　skinfor　its　talons　stretched　out　to　grasp　a　steed　that　Death　himself　might　have　ridden；　a　rack　whose　bare　skull　hung　drooping　upon　bent　vertebrae。

I　raised　my　hands　to　my　face　to　shut　out　the　ghostly　sightand　swiftly　the　clutching　bony　hand　moved　toward　mewas　before　my　eyestouched　me。

The　cry　that　sheer　horror　wrested　from　me　was　strangled　by　realization。　And　so　acute　was　my　relief；　so　reassuring　was　it　to　have　in　the　midst　of　these　mysteries　some　sane；　understandable　thing　occur　that　I　laughed　aloud。

For　the　skeleton　hand　was　my　own。　The　mournful　ghastly　mount　of　death　wasour　pony。　And　when　I　looked　again　I　knew　what　I　would　seeand　see　them　I　didtwo　tall　skeletons；　skulls　resting　on　their　bony　arms；　leaning　against　the　frame　of　the　beast。

While　ahead　of　us；　floating　poised　upon　the　surface　of　the　glistening　cube；　were　two　women　skeletonsRuth　and　Norhala！

Weird　enough　was　the　sight。　Dureresque；　grimly　awful　as　materialization　of　a　scene　of　the　Dance　Macabreand　yetvastly　comforting。

For　here　was　something　which　was　well　within　the　range　of　human　knowledge。　It　was　the　light　about　us　that　did　it；　a　vibration　that　even　as　I　conjectured；　was　within　the　only　partly　explored　region　of　the　ultraviolet　and　the　comparatively　unexplored　region　above　it。

Yet　there　were　differences；　for　there　was　none　of　that　misty　halo　around　the　bones；　the　flesh　which　the　X…rays　cannot　render　wholly　invisible。　The　skeletons　stood　out　clean　cut；　with　no　trace　of　fleshly　vestments。

I　crept　over；　spoke　to　the　two。

〃Don't　look　up　yet；〃　I　said。　〃Don't　open　your　eyes。　We're　going　through　a　queer　light。　It　has　an　X…ray　quality。　You're　going　to　see　me　as　a　skeleton〃

〃What？〃　shouted　Drake。　Disobeying　my　warning　he　straightened；　glared　at　me。　And　disquieting　as　the　spectacle　had　been　before；　fully　understanding　it　as　I　did；　I　could　not　restrain　my　shudder　at　the　utter　weirdness　of　that　skull　which　was　his　head　thrusting　itself　toward　me。

The　skeleton　that　was　Ventnor　turned　to　me；　was　arrested　by　the　sight　of　the　flitting　pair　ahead。　I　saw　the　fleshless　jaws　clamp；　then　opened　to　speak。

Abruptly；　upon　the　skeletons　in　front　the　flesh　dropped　back。　Girl　and　woman　stood　there　once　again　robed　in　beauty。

So　swift　was　that　transition　from　the　grisly　unreal　to　the　normal　that　even　to　my　unsuperstitious　mind　it　smacked　of　necromancy。　The　next　instant　the　three　of　us　stood　looking　at　each　other；　clothed　once　more　in　the　flesh；　and　the　pony　no　longer　the　steed　of　death；　but　our　shaggy；　patient　little　companion。

The　light　had　changed；　the　high　violet　had　gone　from　it；　and　it　was　shot　with　yellow　gleamings　like　fugitive　sunbeams。　We　were　passing　through　a　wide　corridor　that　seemed　to　be　unending。　The　yellow　light　grew　stronger。

〃That　light　wasn't　exactly　the　Roentgen　variety；〃　Drake　interrupted　my　absorption　in　our　surroundings。　〃And　I　hope　to　God　it's　as　different　as　it　seemed。　If　it's　not　we　may　be　up　against　a　lot　of　trouble。〃

〃More　trouble　than　we're　in？〃　I　asked；　a　trifle　satirically。

〃X…ray　burns；〃　he　answered；　〃and　no　way　to　treat　them　in　this　placeif　we　live　to　want　treatment；〃　he　ended　grimly。

〃I　don't　think　we　were　subjected　to　their　action　long　enough〃　I　began；　and　was　silent。

The　corridor　had　opened　without　warning　into　a　place　for　whose　immensity　I　have　no　images　that　are　adequate。　It　was　a　chamber　that　was　vaster　than　ten　score　of　the　Great　Halls　of　Karnac　in　one；　great　as　that　fabled　hall　in　dread　Amenti　where　Osiris　sits　throned　between　the　Searcher　of　Hearts　and　the　Eater　of　Souls；　judging　the　jostling　hosts　of　the　newly　dead。

Temple　it　was　in　its　immensity；　and　its　solemn　vastness　but　unlike　any　temple　ever　raised　by　human　toil。　In　no　ruin　of　earth's　youth　giants'　work　now　crumbling　under　the　weight　of　time　had　I　ever　sensed　a　shadow　of　the　strangeness　with　which　this　was　instinct。　Nonor　in　the　shattered　fanes　that　once　had　held　the　gods　of　old　Egypt；　nor　in　the　pillared　shrines　of　Ancient　Greece；　nor　Imperial　Rome；　nor　mosque；　basilica　nor　cathedral。

All　these　had　been　dedicated　to　gods　which；　whether　created　by　humanity　as　science　believes；　or　creators　of　humanity　as　their　worshippers　believed；　still　held　in　them　that　essence　we　term　human。

The　spirit；　the　force；　that　filled　this　place　had　in　it　nothing；　NOTHING　of　the　human。

No　place？　Yes；　there　was　oneStonehenge。　Within　that　monolithic　circle　I　had　felt　a　something　akin　to　this；　as　inhuman；　a　brooding　spirit　stony；　stark；　unyieldingas　though　not　men　but　a　people　of　stone　had　raised　the　great　Menhirs。

This　was　a　sanctuary　built　by　a　people　of　metal！

It　was　filled　with　a　soft　yellow　glow　like　pale　sunshine。　Up　from　its　floor　arose　hundreds　of　tremendous；　square　pillars　down　whose　polished　sides　the　crocus　light　seemed　to　flow。

Far；　far　as　the　gaze　could　reach；　the　columns　marched；　oppressively　ordered；　appallingly　mathematical。　From　their　massiveness　distilled　a　sense　of　power；　mysterious；　mechanical　yetliving；　something　priestly；　hierophantic　as　though　they　were　guardians　of　a　shrine。

Now　I　saw　whence　came　the　light　suffusing　this　place。　High　up　among　the　pillars　floated　scores　of　orbs　that　shone　like　pale　gilt　frozen　suns。　Great　and　small；　through　all　the　upper　levels　these　strange　luminaries　gleamed；　fixed　and　motionless；　hanging　unsupported　in　space。　Out　from　their　shining　spherical　surfaces　darted　rays　of　the　same　pale　gold；　rigid；　unshifting；　with　the　same　suggestion　of　frozen　stillness。

〃They　look　like　big　Christmas…tree　stars；〃　muttered　Drake。

〃They're　lights；〃　I　answered。　〃Of　course　they　are。　They're　not　matternot　metal；　I　mean〃

〃There's　something　about　them　like　St。　Elmo's　fire；　witch　lightscondensations　of　atmospheric　electricity；〃　Ventnor's　voice　was　calm；　now　that　it　was　plain　we　were　nearing　the　heart　of　this　mystery　in　which　we　were　enmeshed　he　had　clearly　taken　fresh　grip；　was　again　his　observant；　scientific　self。

We　watched；　once　more　silent；　and　indeed　we　had　spoken　little　since　we　had　begun　that　ride　whose　end　we　sensed　close。　In　the　unfolding　of　enigmatic　happening　after　happening　the　mind　had　deserted　speech　and　crouched　listening　at　every　door　of　sight　and　hearing　to　gather　some　clue　to　causes；　some　thread　of　understanding。

Slowly　now　we　were　gliding　through　the　forest　of　pillars；　so　effortless；　so　smooth　our　flight　that　we　seemed　to　be　standing　still；　the　tremendous　columns　flitting　past　us；　turning　and　wheeling　around　us；　dizzyingly。　My　head　swam　with　the　mirage　motion；　I　closed　my　eyes。

〃Look；〃　Drake　was　shaking　me。　〃Look。　What　do　you　make　of　that？〃

Half　a　mile　ahead　the　pillars　stopped　at　the　edge　of　a　shimmering；　quivering　curtain　of　green　luminescence。　High；　high　up　past　the　pale　gilt　suns　its　smooth　folds　ran；　into　the　golden　amber　mist　that　canopied　the　columns。

In　its　sparkling　was　more　than　a　hint　of　the　dancing　corpuscles　of　the　aurora；　it　was；　indeed；　as　though　woven　of　the　auroral　rays。　And　all　about　it　played　shifting；　tremulous　shadows　formed　by　the　merging　of　the　golden　light　with　the　curtain's　emerald　gleaming。

Up　to　its　base　swept　the　cube　that　bore　Ruth　and　Norhala　and　stopped。　From　it　leaped　the　woman；　and　drew　Ruth　down　beside　her；　then　turned　and　gestured　toward　us。

That　upon　which　we　rode　drew　close。　I　felt　it　quiver　beneath　me；　felt　on　the　instant；　the　magnetic　grip　drop　from　me；　angle　downward　and　leave　me　free。　Shakily　I　arose　from　aching　knees；　and　saw　Ventnor　flash　down　and　run；　rifle　in　hand；　toward　his　sister。

Drake　bent　for　his　gun。　I　moved　unsteadily　toward　the　side　of　the　clustered　cubes。　There　came　a　curious　pushing　motion　driving　me　to　the　edge。　Sliding　over　upon　me　came　Drake　and　the　pony

The　cube　tilted；　gently；　playfullyand　with　the　slightest　of　jars　the　three　of　us　stood　beside　it　on　the　floor；　we　two　men　gaping　at　it　in　renewed　wonder；　and　the　little　beast　stretching　its　legs；　lifting　its　feet　and　whinnying　with　relief。

Then　abruptly　the　four　blocks　that　had　been　our　steed　broke　from　each　other；　that　which　had　been　the　woman's　glided　to　them。

The　four　clicked　into　place　behind　it　and　darted　from　sight。

〃Ruth！〃　Ventnor's　voice　was　vibrant　with　his　fear。　〃Ruth！　What　is　wrong　with　you？　What　has　she　done　to　you？〃

We　ran　to　his　side。　He　stood　clutching　her　hands；　searching　her　eyes。　They　were　wide；　unseeing；　dream　filled。　Upon　her　face　the　calm　and　stillness；　which　were　mirrored　reflections　of　Norhala's　unearthly　tranquillity；　had　deepened。

〃Brother。〃　The　sweet　voice　seemed　far　away；　drifting　out　of　untroubled　space；　an　echo　of　Norhala's　golden　chimings　〃Brother；　there　is　nothing　wrong　with　me。　Indeed　all　iswell　with　mebrother。〃

He　dropped　the　listless　palms；　faced　the