the metal monster-第24章

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A　few　paces　away　from　it　we　stopped。　The　yellow　luminescence　streamed　through　a　slit　not　more　than　a　foot　wide　in　the　wall。　We　were　in　a　cul…de…sac　for　the　opening　was　not　wide　enough　for　either　Drake　or　me　to　push　through。　Through　it　with　the　light　gushed　the　curious　heat　enveloping　us。

Drake　walked　to　the　opening；　peered　through。　I　joined　him。

At　first　all　that　I　could　see　was　a　space　filled　with　the　saffron　lambency。　Then　I　saw　that　this　was　splashed　with　tiny　flashes　of　the　jewel　fires；　little　lances　and　javelin　thrusts　of　burning　emeralds　and　rubies；　darting　gem　hard　flames　rose　scarlet　and　pale　sapphire；　quick　flares　of　violet。

Into　my　sight　through　the　irised；　crocus　mist　swam　the　radiant　body　of　Norhala！

She　stood　naked；　clad　only　in　the　veils　of　her　hair　that　glowed　now　like　spun　silk　of　molten　copper；　her　strange　eyes　wide　and　smiling；　the　galaxies　of　tiny　stars　sparkling　through　their　gray　depths。

And　all　about　her　swirled　a　countless　host　of　the　Little　Things！

From　them　came　the　gem　fires　piercing　the　aureate　mists。　They　played　and　frolicked　about　her　in　scores　of　swiftly　forming；　swiftly　changing；　goblin　shapes。　They　circled　her　feet　in　shining；　elfin　rings；　then　opening　into　flaming　disks　and　stars；　shot　up　and　spun　about　the　white　miracle　of　her　body　in　great　girdles　of　multi…colored　living　fires。　Mingled　with　disk　and　star　were　tiny　crosses　gleaming　with　sullen；　deep　crimsons　and　smoky　orange。

A　flash　of　blue　incandescence　and　a　slender　pillared　shape　leaped　from　the　floor；　became　a　coronet；　a　whirling；　flashing　halo　toward　which　streamed　up　the　flaming　tendrilings　of　her　tresses。　Other　halos　circled　her　arms　and　breasts；　they　spun　like　bracelets　about　the　outstretched　arms。

Then　like　a　swiftly　rushing　wave　a　host　of　the　Little　Things　thrust　themselves　up；　covered　her；　hid　her　in　a　coruscating　cloud。

I　saw　an　exquisite　arm　thrust　itself　from　their　clinging；　wave　gaily；　saw　her　glorious　head　emerge　from　the　incredible；　the　seething　draperies　of　living　jewels。　I　heard　her　laughter；　sweet　and　golden　and　far　away。

Goddess　of　the　Inexplicable！　Madonna　of　the　Metal　Babes！

The　Nursery　of　the　Metal　People！

Norhala　was　gone；　blotted　out　from　our　sight！　Gone　too　were　the　bar　of　light　and　the　chamber　into　which　we　had　been　peering。　We　stared　at　a　smooth；　blank　wall。　With　that　same　ensorcelled　swiftness　the　wall　had　closed　even　as　we　had　stared　through　it；　closed　so　quickly　that　we　had　not　seen　its　motion。

I　gripped　Drake；　shrank　with　him　into　the　farthest　cornerfor　on　the　other　side　of　us　the　wall　was　opening。　First　it　was　only　a　crack；　then　rapidly　it　widened。　There　stretched　another　passageway；　luminous　and　long；　far　down　it　we　glimpsed　movement。　Closer　that　movement　came；　grew　plainer。　Out　of　the　mistily　luminous　distances；　three　abreast　and　filling　the　corridor　from　side　to　side；　raced　upon　us　a　company　of　the　great　spheres！

Back　we　cowered　from　their　approachback　and　back；　arms　outstretched；　pressing　against　the　barrier；　flattening　ourselves　against　the　shock　of　the　destroying　impact　menacing。

〃It's　all　up；〃　muttered　Drake。　〃No　place　to　run。　They're　bound　to　smash　us。　Stick　close；　Doc。　Get　back　to　Ruth。　Maybe　I　can　stop　them！〃

Before　I　could　check　him；　he　had　leaped　straight　in　the　path　of　the　rushing　globes；　now　a　scant　twoscore　yards　away。

The　globes　stoppedhalted　a　few　feet　from　him。　They　seemed　to　contemplate　us；　astonished。　They　turned　upon　themselves；　as　though　consulting。　Slowly　they　advanced。　We　were　pushed　forward　and　lifted　gently。　Then　as　we　hung　suspended；　held　by　that　force　which　always　I　can　liken　only　to　myriads　of　tiny　invisible　hands；　the　shining　arcs　of　their　backs　undulated　beneath　us。

Their　files　swung　around　the　corner　and　marched　down　the　passage　by　which　we　had　come　from　the　immense　hall。　And　when　the　last　rank　had　passed　from　under　us　we　were　dropped　softly　to　our　feet；　stood　swaying　in　their　wake。

A　curious　frenzy　of　helpless　indignation　shook　me；　a　rage　of　humiliation　obscuring　all　gratitude　I　should　have　felt　for　our　escape。　Drake's　eyes　blazed　wrath。

〃The　insolent　devils！〃　He　raised　clenched　fists。　〃The　insolent；　domineering　devils！〃

We　stared　after　them。

Was　the　passage　growing　narrowerclosing？　Even　as　I　gazed　I　saw　it　shrink；　saw　its　walls　slide　silently　toward　each　other。　I　pushed　Drake　into　the　newly　opened　way　and　sprang　after　him。

Behind　us　was　an　unbroken　wall　covering　all　that　space　in　which　but　a　moment　before　we　had　stood！

Is　it　to　be　wondered　that　a　panic　seized　us；　that　we　began　to　run　crazily　down　the　alley　that　still　lay　open　before　us；　casting　over　our　shoulders　quick；　fearful　glances　to　see　whether　that　inexorable；　dreadful　closing　was　continuing；　threatening　to　crush　us　between　these　walls　like　flies　in　a　vise　of　steel？

But　they　did　not　close。　Unbroken；　silent；　the　way　stretched　before　us　and　behind　us。　At　last；　gasping；　avoiding　each　other's　gaze；　we　paused。

And　at　that　very　moment　of　pause　a　deeper　tremor　shook　me；　a　trembling　of　the　very　foundations　of　life；　the　shuddering　of　one　who　faces　the　inconceivable　knowing　at　last　that　the　inconceivableIS。

For；　abruptly；　walls　and　floor　and　roof　broke　forth　into　countless　twinklings！

As　though　a　film　had　been　withdrawn　from　them；　as　though　they　had　awakened　from　slumber；　myriads　of　little　points　of　light　shone　forth　upon　us　from　the　pale…blue　surfaceslights　that　considered　us；　measured　usmocked　us。

The　little　points　of　living　light　that　were　the　eyes　of　the　Metal　People！

This　was　no　corridor　cut　through　inert　matter　by　mechanic　art；　its　opening　had　been　caused　by　no　hidden　mechanisms！　It　was　a　living　Thingwalled　and　floored　and　roofed　by　the　living　bodiesof　the　Metal　People　themselves。

Its　opening；　as　had　been　the　closing　of　that　other　passage；　was　the　conscious；　coordinate　and　voluntary　action　of　the　Things　that　formed　these　mighty　walls。

An　action　that　obeyed；　was　directed　by；　the　incredibly　gigantic；　communistic　will　which；　like　the　spirit　of　the　hive；　the　soul　of　the　formicary；　animated　every　unit　of　them。

A　greater　realization　swept　us。　If　THIS　were　true；　then　those　pillars　in　the　vast　hall；　its　towering　wallsall　this　City　was　one　living　Thing！

Built　of　the　animate　bodies　of　countless　millions！　Tons　upon　countless　tons　of　them　shaping　a　gigantic　pile　of　which　every　atom　was　sentient；　mobileintelligent！

A　Metal　Monster！

Now　I　knew　why　it　was　that　its　frowning　facade　had　seemed　to　watch　us　Argus…eyed　as　the　Things　had　tossed　us　toward　it。　It　HAD　watched　us！

That　flood　of　watchfulness　pulsing　about　us　had　been　actual　concentration　of　regard　of　untold　billions　of　tiny　eyes　of　the　living　block　which　formed　the　City's　cliff。

A　City　that　Saw！　A　City　that　was　Alive！

No　secret　mechanism　thenback　darted　my　mind　to　that　first　terrorhad　closed　the　wall；　shutting　from　our　sight　Norhala　at　play　with　the　Little　Things。　None　had　opened　the　way　for；　had　closed　the　way　behind；　the　coursing　spheres。　It　had　been　done　by　the　conscious　action　of　the　conscious　Things　of　whose　living　bodies　was　built　this　whole　tremendous　thinking　pile！


I　think　that　for　a　moment　we　both　went　a　little　mad　as　that　staggering　truth　came　to　us。　I　know　we　started　to　run　once　more；　side　by　side；　gripping　like　frightened　children　each　other's　hands。　Then　Drake　stopped。

〃By　all　the　HELL　of　this　place；〃　he　said；　solemnly；　〃I'll　run　no　more。　After　allwe're　men。　If　they　kill　us；　they　kill　us。　But　by　the　God　who　made　me　I'll　run　from　them　no　more。　I'll　die　standing。〃

His　courage　steadied　me。　Defiantly　we　marched　on。　Up　from　below　us；　down　from　the　roof；　out　from　the　walls　of　our　way　the　hosts　of　eyes　gleamed　and　twinkled　upon　us。

〃Who　could　have　believed　it？〃　he　muttered；　half　to　himself。　〃A　living　city　of　them！　A　living　nest　of　them；　a　prodigious　living　nest　of　metal！〃

〃A　nest？〃　I　caught　the　word。　What　did　it　suggest？　That　was　itthe　nest　of　the　army　ants；　the　city　of　the　army　ants；　that　Beebe　had　studied　in　the　South　American　jungles　and　once　described　to　me。　After　all；　was　this　more　wonderful；　more　unbelievable　than　thatthe　city　of　ants　which　was　formed　by　their　living　bodies　precisely　as　this　was　of　the　bodies　of　the　Cubes？

How　had　Beebe*　phrased　it〃the　home；　the　nest；　the　hearth；　the　nursery；　the　bridal　suite；　the　kitchen；　the　bed　and　board　of　the　army　ants。〃　Built　of　and　occupied　by　those　blind　and　dead　and　savage　little　insects　which　by　the　guidance　of　smell　alone　carried　on　the　most　intricate　operations；　the　most　complex　activities。　Nothing　here　was　stranger　than　that；　I　reflectedif　once　one　could　rid　the　mind　of　the　paralyzing　influence　of　the　shapes　of　the　Metal　Things。　Whence　came　the　stimuli　that　moved　THEM；　the　stimuli　to　which　THEY　reacted？

*　William　Beebe；　Atlantic　Monthly；　October；　1919。

Well　thenwhence　and　how　came　the　orders　to　which　the　ANTS　responded；　that　bade　them　open　THIS　corridor　in　their　nest；　close　THAT；　form　this　chamber；　fill　that　one？　Was　one　more　mysterious　than　the　other？

Breaking　into　my　current　of　thoughts　came　consciousness　that　I　was　moving　with　increased　speed；　that　my　body　was　fast　growing　lighter。

Simultaneously　with　this　recognition　I　felt　myself　lifted　from　the　floor　of　the　corridor　and　levitated　with　considerable　rapidity　forward；　looking　down　I　saw　that　floor　several　feet　below　me。　Drake's　arm　wound　itself　around　my　shoulder。

〃Closing　up　behind　us；〃　he　muttered。　〃They're　putting　usout。〃

It　was；　indeed；　as　though　the　passageway　had　wearied　of　our　deliberate　progress。　Had　decided　togive　us　a　lift。　Rearward　it　was　shutting。　I　noted　with　interest　how　accurately　this　motion　kept　pace　with　our　own　speed；　and　how　fluidly　the　walls　seemed　to　run　together。

Our　movement　became　accelerated。　It　was　as　though　we　floated　buoyantly；　weightless；　upon　some　swift　stream。　The　sensation　was　curiously　pleasant；　languorouswhat　was　that　word　Ruth　had　used？ELEMENTALand　free。　The　supporting　force　seemed　to　flow　equally　from　walls　and　floor；　to　reach　down　to　us　from　the　roof。　It　was　slumberously　even；　and　effortless。　I　saw　that　in　advance　of　us　the　living　corridor　was　opening　even　as　behind　us　it　was　closing。

All　around　us　the　little　eye　points　twinkled　and　laughed。

There　was　no　danger　herethere　could　be　none。　Deeper　and　deeper　dropped　my　mind　into　the　depths　of　that　alien　tranquillity。　Faster　and　faster　we　floatedonward。

Abruptly；　ahead　of　us　shone　a　blaze　of　daylight。　We　passed　into　it。　The　force　holding　us　withdrew　its　grip；　I　felt　solidity　beneath　my　feet；　stood　and　leaned　back　against　a　smooth　wall。

The　corridor　had　ended　andhad　shut　us　out　from　itself。

〃Bounced！〃　exclaimed　Drake。

And　incongruous；　flippant；　colloquial　as　was　that　word；　I　know　none　that　would　better　describe　my　own　feelings。

We　were　BOUNCED　out　upon　a　turret　jutting　from　the　barrier。　And　before　us　lay　spread　the　most　amazing；　the　most　extraordinary　fantastic　scene　upon　which；　I　think；　the　vision　of　man　has　rested　since　the　advent　of　time。





CHAPTER　XX

VAMPIRES　OF　THE　SUN

It　was　a　crater；　a　half　mile　on　high　and　all　of　two　thousand　feet　across　ran　the　circular　lip　of　its　vast　rim。　Above　it　was　a　circle　of　white　and　glaring　sky　in　whose　center　flamed　the　sun。

And　instantly；　before　my　vision　could　grasp　a　tithe　of　t