the metal monster-第25章

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And　instantly；　before　my　vision　could　grasp　a　tithe　of　that　panorama；　I　knew　that　this　place　was　the　very　heart　of　the　City；　its　vital　ganglion；　its　soul。

Around　the　crater　lip　were　poised　thousands　of　concave　disks；　vernal　green；　enormous。　They　were　like　a　border　of　gigantic；　upthrust　shields；　and　within　each；　emblazoned　like　a　shield's　device；　was　a　blinding　flower　of　flame　the　reflected；　dilated　face　of　the　sun。　Below　this　diadem　hung；　pendent；　clusters　of　other　disks；　swarmed　like　the　globular　hiving　of　the　constellation　Hercules'　captured　stars。　And　each　of　these　prisoned　the　image　of　our　sun。

A　hundred　feet　below　us　was　the　crater　floor。

Up　from　it　thrust　a　mountainous　forest　of　the　pallidly　radiant　cones；　bristling；　prodigious。　Tier　upon　tier；　thicket　upon　thicket；　phalanx　upon　phalanx　they　climbed。　Up　and　up；　pyramidically；　they　flung　their　spiked　hosts。

They　drew　together　two　thousand　feet　above　us；　clustering　close　about　the　foot　of　a　single　huge　spire　which　thrust　itself　skyward　above　them。　The　crest　of　this　spire　was　truncated。　From　its　shorn　tip　radiated　scores　of　long　and　slender　spokes　holding　in　place　a　thousand　feet　wide　wheel　of　wan　green　disks　whose　concave　surfaces；　unlike　those　smooth　ones　girding　the　crater；　were　curiously　faceted。

This　amazing　structure　rested　upon　a　myriad…footed　base　of　crystal；　even　as　had　that　other　cornute　fantasy　beside　which　we　had　met　the　great　Disk。　But　it　was　in　size　to　that　asas　Leviathan　to　a　minnow。　From　it　streamed　the　same　baffling　suggestion　of　invincible　force　transmuted　into　matter；　energy　coalesced　into　the　tangible；　power　made　concentrate　in　the　vestments　of　substance。

Half…way　between　crater　lip　and　floor　began　the　hordes　of　the　Metal　People。

In　colossal　animate　cheveau…de…frise　of　hundred…foot　girders　they　thrust　themselves　out　from　the　curving　walls　walls；　I　knew；　as　alive　as　they！

From　these　Brobdignagian　beams　they　swung　in　ropes　and　clustersspheres　and　cubes　studded　as　thickly　with　the　pyramids　as　ever　Titan's　mace　with　spikes。　Group　after　bizarre　group　they　dropped；　pendulous。　Coppices　of　slender　columns　of　thistled　globes　sprang　up　to　meet　the　festooned　joists。

Between　the　girders　they　draped　themselves　in　long；　stellated　garlands；　grouped　themselves　in　innumerable；　kaleidoscopic　patterns。

They　clicked　into　place　around　the　golden　turret　in　which　we　crouched。

In　fantastic　arrases　they　swayed　in　front　of　usnow　hiding　by；　now　revealing　through　their　quicksilver　interweavings　the　mounts　of　the　Cones。

And　steadily　those　flowing　in　below　added　to　their　multitudes；　gliding　up　cable　and　pillar；　building　out　still　further　the　living　girders；　stringing　themselves　upon　living　festoon　and　living　garland；　weaving　in　among　them；　changing　their　shapes；　rewriting　their　symbols。

They　swung　and　threaded　swiftly；　in　shifting　arabesque；　in　Gothic　traceries；　in　lace…like　fantasies；　utterly　bizarre；　unutterably　beautifulcrystalline；　geometric　always。

Abruptly　their　movement　ceasedso　abruptly　that　the　stoppage　of　all　the　ordered　turmoil　had　the　quality　of　appalling　silence。

An　unimaginable　tapestry　bedight　with　incredible　broidery；　the　Metal　People　draped　the　vast　cup。

Pillared　it　as　though　it　were　a　temple。

Garnished　it　with　their　bodies　as　though　it　were　a　shrine。

Across　the　floor　toward　the　Cones　glided　a　palely　lustrous　sphere。　In　shape　only　a　globe　like　all　its　kind；　yet　it　was　invested　with　power；　it　radiated　power　as　a　star　does　light；　was　clothed　in　unseen　garments　of　supernal　force。　In　its　wake　drifted　two　great　pyramids；　after　them　ten　spheres　but　little　smaller　than　the　Shape　which　led。

〃The　Metal　Emperor！〃　breathed　Drake。

On　they　swept　until　they　reached　the　base　of　the　Cones。　They　paused　at　the　edge　of　the　crystal　tabling。　They　turned。

There　was　a　flashing　as　of　a　meteor　bursting。　The　globe　had　opened　into　that　splendor　of　jewel　fires　before　which　had　floated　Norhala　and　Ruth。

I　saw　again　the　luminous　ovals　of　sapphire；　studding　its　golden　zone；　the　mystic　rose　of　pulsing；　petal　flame；　the　still　core　of　incandescent　ruby　that　was　the　heart　of　that　rose。

Strangely　I　felt　my　own　heart　veer　toward　thisThing；　bowing　before　its　beauty　and　its　strength；　almost　worshiping！

A　shock　of　revulsion　went　through　me。　I　shot　a　quick；　half　frightened　glance　at　Drake。　He　was　crouching　dangerously　close　to　the　lip　of　the　ledge；　hands　clasped　and　knuckles　white　with　the　intensity　of　his　grip；　eyes　rapt；　staringupon　the　verge　of　worship　even　as　I　had　been。

〃Drake！〃　I　thrust　my　elbow　into　his　side　brutally。　〃None　of　that！　Remember　you're　human！　Guard　yourself；　man　guard　yourself！〃

〃What？〃　he　muttered；　then；　abruptly：　〃How　did　you　know？〃

〃I　felt　it　myself；〃　I　answered：　〃For　God's　sake；　Dick　hold　fast　to　yourself！　Remember　Ruth！〃

He　shook　his　head　violentlyas　though　to　be　rid　of　some　clinging；　cloying　thing。

〃I'll　not　forget　again；〃　he　said。

He　huddled　down　once　more　close　to　the　edge　of　the　shelf；　peering　over。　No　one　of　the　Metal　People　had　moved；　the　silence；　the　stillness；　was　unbroken。

Now　the　flanking　pyramids　shot　forth　into　twin　stars；　blazing　with　violet　luminescences。　And　one　by　one　after　them　the　ten　lesser　spheres　expanded　into　flaming　orbs；　beautiful　they　were；　but　far　less　glorious　than　that　Disk　of　whom　they　were　the　counselors？ministers？what？

Still　there　was　no　movement　among　all　the　arrased；　girdered；　pillared　hosts。

There　came　a　little　wailing；　far　away　it　was　and　far。　Nearer　it　drew。　Was　that　a　tremor　that　passed　through　the　crowded　crater？　A　quick　pulse　ofeagerness？

〃Hungry！〃　whispered　Drake。　〃They're　HUNGRY！〃


Closer　was　the　wailing；　again　that　faint　tremor　quivered　over　the　place。　And　now　I　caught　ita　quick　and　avid　pulsing。

〃Hungry；〃　whispered　Drake　again。　〃Like　a　lot　of　lions　with　the　keeper　coming　along　with　meat。〃

The　wailing　was　below　us。　I　felt；　not　a　quiver　this　time；　but　an　unmistakable　shock　pass　through　the　Horde。　It　throbbedand　passed。

Into　the　field　of　our　vision；　up　to　the　flaming　Disk　rushed　an　immense　cube。

Thrice　the　height　of　a　tall　manas　I　think　I　have　noted　beforewhen　it　unfolded　its　radiance　was　that　shape　of　mingled　beauty　and　power　I　call　the　Metal　Emperor。

Yet　this　Thing　eclipsed　it。　Black；　uncompromising；　in　some　indefinable　way　BRUTAL；　its　square　bulk　blotted　out　the　Disk's　effulgence；　shrouded　it。　And　a　shadow　seemed　to　fall　upon　the　crater。　The　violet　fires　of　the　flanking　stars　pulsed　outwatchfully；　threateningly。

For　only　an　instant　the　darkening　block　loomed　against　the　Disk；　blackened　it。

There　came　another　meteor　burst　of　light。　Where　the　cube　had　been　was　now　a　tremendous；　fiery　crossa　cross　inverted。

Its　upper　arm　arose　to　twice　the　length　either　of　its　horizontals　or　the　square　that　was　its　foot。　In　its　opening　it　must　have　turned；　for　itsFACEwas　toward　us　and　away　from　the　Cones；　its　body　hid　the　Disk；　and　almost　all　the　surfaces　of　the　two　watchful　Stars。

Eighty　feet　at　least　in　height；　this　cruciform　shape　stood。　It　flamed　and　flickered　with　angry；　smoky　crimsons　and　scarlets；　with　sullen　orange　glowings　and　glitterings　of　sulphurous　yellows。　Within　its　fires　were　none　of　those　leaping；　multicolored　glories　that　were　the　Metal　Emperor's；　no　trace　of　the　pulsing；　mystic　rose；　no　shadow　of　jubilant　sapphire；　no　purple　royal；　no　tender；　merciful　greens　nor　gracious　opalescences。　Nothing　even　of　the　blasting　violet　of　the　Stars。

All　angry；　smoky　reds　and　ochres　the　cross　blazed　forthand　in　its　lurid　glowings　was　something　sinister；　something　real；　something　cruel；　somethingnearer　to　earth；　closer　to　man。

〃The　Keeper　of　the　Cones　and　the　Metal　Emperor！〃　muttered　Drake。　〃I　begin　to　get　ityesI　begin　to　get　Ventnor！〃

Once　more　the　pulse；　the　avid　throbbing　shook　the　crater。　And　as　swiftly　in　its　wake　rushed　back　the　stillness；　the　silence。

The　Keeper　turnedI　saw　its　palely　lustrous　blue　metallic　back。　I　drew　out　my　little　field…glasses；　focussed　them。

The　Cross　slipped　sidewise　past　the　Disk；　its　courtiers；　its　stellated　guardians。　As　it　went　by　they　swung　about　with　it；　ever　facing　it。

And　now　at　last　was　clear　a　thing　that　had　puzzled　greatlythe　mechanism　of　that　opening　process　by　which　sphere　became　oval　disk；　pyramid　a　four…pointed　star　and　as　I　had　glimpsed　in　the　play　of　the　Little　Things　about　Norhala；　could　see　now　so　plainly　in　the　Keeperthe　blocks　took　this　inverted　cruciform　shape。

The　Metal　People　were　hollow！

Hollow　metalboxes！

In　their　enclosing　sides　dwelt　all　their　vitalitytheir　powersthemselves！

And　those　sides　wereeverything　that　THEY　were！

Folded；　the　oval　disk　became　the　sphere；　the　four　points　of　the　star；　the　square　from　which　those　points　radiated；　shutting　became　the　pyramid；　the　six　faces　of　the　cubes　were　when　opened　the　inverted　cross。

Nor　were　these　flexible；　mobile　walls　massive。　They　were　indeed；　considering　the　apparent　mass　of　the　Metal　Folk；　most　astonishingly　fragile。　Those　of　the　Keeper；　despite　its　eighty　feet　of　height；　could　not　have　been　more　than　a　yard　in　thickness。　At　the　edges　I　thought　I　could　see　groovings；　noted　the　same　appearances　at　the　outlines　of　the　Stars。　Seen　sidewise；　the　body　of　the　Metal　Emperor　showed　as　a　convexity；　its　surface　smooth；　with　a　suggestion　of　transparency。

The　Keeper　was　bending；　its　oblong　upper　plane　dropping　forward　as　though　upon　a　hinge。　Lower　and　lower　this　flange　bentin　a　grotesque；　terrifying　obeisance；　a　horrible　mockery　of　reverence。

Was　this　mountain　of　Cones　then　actually　a　shrinean　idol　of　the　Metal　Peopletheir　God？

The　oblong　that　was　the　upper　half　of　the　cruciform　Shape　extended　now　at　right　angles　to　the　horizontal　arms。　It　hovered；　a　rectangle　forty　feet　long；　as　many　feet　over　the　floor　at　the　base　of　the　crystal　pedestal。　It　bent　again；　this　time　from　the　hinge　that　held　the　outstretched　arms　to　the　base。　And　now　it　was　a　huge　truncated　cross；　a　T…shaped　figure；　hovering　only　twenty　feet　above　the　pave。

Down　from　the　Keeper　writhed　and　flicked　a　tangle　of　tentacles；　serpentine；　whiplike。　Silvery　white；　they　were　dyed　with　the　scarlet　and　orange　flaming　of　the　surface　now　hidden　from　my　eyes；　reflected　those　sullen　and　angry　gleamings。　Vermiceous；　coiling；　they　seemed　to　drop　from　every　inch　of　the　overhanging　planes。

Something　there　was　beneath　themsomething　like　an　immense　and　luminous　tablet。　The　tentacles　were　moving　over　itpressing　here；　thrusting　there；　turning；　pushing；　manipulating


A　shuddering　passed　through　the　crowding　cones。　I　saw　the　tremor　shake　their　bristling　hosts；　oscillate　the　great　spire；　set　the　faceted　disks　quivering。

The　trembling　grew；　a　vibration　in　every　separate　cone　that　became　even　more　rapid。　There　was　a　faint；　curiously　oppressive　humminglike　the　distant　echo　of　a　tempest　in　chaos。

Faster；　ever　faster　grew　the　vibration。　Now　the　sharp　outlines　of　the　cones　were　dissolving。

And　now　they　weregone。

The　mount　of　the　cones　had　become　a　mighty　pyramid　of　pale　green　radianceone　tremendous；　pallid　flame；　of　which　the　spire　was　the　tongue。　Out　from　the　disked　wheel　at　its　shorn　tip　gushed　a　flood　of　lightlight　that　gathered　itself　from　the　leaping　radiance　below　it。

The　tentacles　of　the　Keeper　moved　more　swiftly　over　the　enigmatic　tablet；　writh