the metal monster-第26章

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diance　below　it。

The　tentacles　of　the　Keeper　moved　more　swiftly　over　the　enigmatic　tablet；　writhing　cloudily；　confusedly　rapid。　The　faceted　disks　wavered；　turned　upward；　the　wheel　began　to　whirlfasterfaster

Up　from　that　flaming　circle；　out　into　the　sky　leaped　a　thick；　pale　green　column　of　intensest　light。

With　prodigious　speed；　as　compact　as　water；　CONCENTRATE；　it　struckstraight　out　toward　the　face　of　the　sun。

It　thrust　up　with　the　speed　of　lightthe　speed　of　light？　A　thought　came　to　me；　incredible　I　believed　it　even　as　I　reacted　to　it。　My　pulse　is　uniformly　seventy　to　the　minute。　I　sought　my　wrist；　found　the　artery；　made　allowance　for　its　possible　acceleration；　began　to　count。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　asked　Drake。

〃Take　my　glasses；〃　I　muttered；　trying　to　keep　up；　while　speaking；　my　tally。　〃Matches　in　my　pocket。　Smoke　the　lenses。　I　want　to　look　at　sun。〃

With　a　look　of　stupefied　amazement　which；　at　another　time　I　would　have　found　laughable；　he　obeyed。

〃Hold　them　to　my　eyes；〃　I　ordered。

Three　minutes　had　gone　by。

There　it　wasthat　for　which　I　sought。　Clear　through　the　darkened　lenses　I　could　see　the　sun　spot；　high　up　on　the　northern…most　limb　of　the　sun。　An　unimaginable　cyclone　of　incandescent　gases；　an　unthinkably　huge　dynamo　pouring　its　floods　of　electro…magnetism　upon　all　the　circling　planets；　that　solar　crater　which　we　now　know　was；　when　at　its　maximum；　all　of　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　miles　across；　the　great　sun　spot　of　the　summer　of　1919the　most　enormous　ever　recorded　by　astronomical　science。

Five　minutes　had　gone　by。

Common　sense　whispered　to　me。　There　was　no　use　keeping　my　eyes　fixed　to　the　glasses。　Even　if　that　thought　were　trueeven　if　that　pillar　of　radiance　were　a　MESSENGER；　an　earth…hurled　bolt　flying　to　the　sun　through　atmosphere　and　outer　space　with　the　speed　of　light；　even　if　it　were　this　stupendous　creation　of　these　Things；　still　between　eight　and　nine　minutes　must　elapse　before　it　could　reach　the　orb；　and　as　many　minutes　must　go　by　before　the　image　of　whatever　its　impact　might　produce　upon　the　sun　could　pass　back　over　the　bridge　of　light　spanning　the　ninety　millions　of　miles　between　it　and　us。

And　after　all　did　not　that　hypothesis　belong　to　the　utterly　impossible？　Even　were　it　sowhat　was　it　that　the　Metal　Monster　expected　to　follow？　This　radiant　shaft；　colossal　as　it　was　to　us；　was　infinitesimal　compared　to　the　target　at　which　it　was　aimed。

What　possible　effect　could　that　spear　have　upon　the　solar　forces？

And　yetand　yeta　gnat's　bite　can　drive　an　elephant　mad。　And　Nature's　balance　is　delicate；　and　what　great　happenings　may　follow　the　slightest　disturbance　of　her　infinitely　sensitive；　her　complex；　equilibrium？　It　might　be　it　might　be

Eight　minutes　had　passed。

〃Take　the　glasses；〃　I　bade　Drake。　〃Look　up　at　the　sun　spotthe　big　one。〃

〃I　see　it。〃　He　had　obeyed　me。　〃What　of　it？〃

Nine　minutes。

The　shaft；　if　I　were　right；　had　by　now　touched　the　sun。　What　was　to　follow？

〃I　don't　get　you　at　all；〃　said　Drake；　and　lowered　the　glasses。

Ten　minutes。

〃What's　happening？　Look　at　the　Cones！　Look　at　the　Emperor！〃　gasped　Drake。


I　peered　down；　then　almost　forgot　to　count。

The　pyramidal　flame　that　had　been　the　mount　of　Cones　was　shrunken。　The　pillar　of　radiance　had　not　lessened　but　the　mechanism　that　was　its　source　had　retreated　whole　yards　within　the　field　of　its　crystal　base。

And　the　Metal　Emperor！　Dulled　and　faint　were　his　fires；　dimmed　his　splendors；　and　fainter　still　were　the　violet　luminescences　of　the　watching　Stars；　the　shimmering　livery　of　his　court。

The　Keeper　of　the　Cones！　Were　not　its　outstretched　planes　hovering　lower　and　lower　over　the　gleaming　tablet；　its　tentacles　moving　aimlessly；　feeblywearily？

I　had　a　sense　of　force　being　withdrawn　from　all　about　me。　It　was　as　though　all　the　City　were　being　drained　of　lifeas　though　vitality　were　being　sucked　from　it　to　feed　this　pyramid　of　radiance；　drained　from　it　to　forge　the　thrusting　spear　piercing　sunward。

The　Metal　People　seemed　to　hang　limply；　inert；　the　living　girders　seemed　to　sag；　the　living　columns　to　bend；　to　droop　and　to　sway。

Twelve　minutes。

With　a　nerve…racking　crash　one　of　the　laden　beams　fell；　dragging　down　with　it　others；　bending；　shattering　in　its　fall　a　thicket　of　the　horned　columns。　Behind　us　the　sparkling　eyes　of　the　wall　were　dimmed；　vacantdying。　Something　of　that　hellish　loneliness；　that　demoniac　desire　for　immolation　that　had　assailed　us　in　the　haunted　hollow　of　the　ruins　began　to　creep　over　me。

The　crowded　crater　was　fainting。　The　life　was　going　out　of　the　Cityits　magnetic　life；　draining　into　the　shaft　of　green　fire。

Duller　grew　the　Metal　Emperor's　glories。

Fourteen　minutes。

〃Goodwin；〃　cried　Drake；　〃the　life's　going　out　of　these　Things！　Going　out　with　that　ray　they're　shooting。〃

Fifteen　minutes。

I　watched　the　tentacles　of　the　Keeper　grope　over　the　tablet。　Abruptly　the　flaming　pyramid　darkenedWENT　OUT。

The　radiant　pillar　hurtled　upward　like　a　thunder…bolt；　vanished　in　space。

Before　us　stood　the　mount　of　cones；　shrunken　to　a　sixth　of　its　former　size。

Sixteen　minutes。

All　about　the　crater…lip　the　ringed　shields　tilted；　thrust　themselves　on　high；　as　though　behind　each　was　an　eager　lifting　arm。　Below　them　the　hived　clusters　of　disks　changed　from　globules　into　wide　coronets。

Seventeen　minutes。

I　dropped　my　wrist；　seized　the　glasses　from　Drake；　raised　them　to　the　sun。　For　a　moment　I　saw　nothingthen　a　tiny　spot　of　white　incandescence　shone　forth　at　the　lower　edge　of　the　great　spot。　It　grew　into　a　point　of　radiance；　dazzling　even　through　the　shadowed　lenses。

I　rubbed　my　eyes；　looked　again。　It　was　still　there；　larger　blazing　with　an　ever　increasing　and　intolerable　intensity。

I　handed　the　glasses　to　Drake；　silently。

〃I　see　it！〃　he　muttered。　〃I　see　it！　And　THAT　did　itthat！　Goodwin！〃　There　was　panic　in　his　cry。　〃Goodwin！　The　spot！　it's　widening！　It's　widening！〃

I　snatched　the　glasses　from　him。　I　caught　again　the　dazzling　flashing。　But　whether　Drake　HAD　seen　the　spot　widen；　changeto　this　day　I　do　not　know。

To　me　it　seemed　unchangedand　yetperhaps　it　was　not。　It　may　be　that　under　that　finger　of　force；　that　spear　of　light；　that　wound　in　the　side　of　our　sun　HAD　opened　further

That　the　sun　had　winced！

I　do　not　to　this　day　know。　But　whether　it　had　or　not　still　shone　the　intolerably　brilliant　light。　And　miracle　enough　that　was　for　me。

Twenty　minutessubconsciously　I　had　gone　on　counting　twenty　minutes

About　the　cratered　girdle　of　the　upthrust　shields　a　glimmering　mistiness　was　gathering；　a　translucent　mist；　beryl　pale　and　beryl　clear。　In　a　heart…beat　it　had　thickened　into　a　vast　and　vaporous　ring　through　whose　swarms　of　corpuscles　the　sun's　reflected　image　upon　each　disk　shone　clearas　though　seen　through　clouds　of　transparent　atoms　of　aquamarine。

Again　the　filaments　of　the　Keeper　movedfeebly。　As　one　of　the　hosts　of　circling　shields　shifted　downward。　Brilliant；　ever　more　brilliant；　waxed　the　fast…thickening　mists。

Abruptly；　and　again　as　one；　the　disks　began　to　revolve。　From　every　concave　surface；　from　the　surfaces　of　the　huge　circlets　below　them；　flashed　out　a　stream　of　green　firegreen　as　the　fire　of　green　life　itself。　Corpuscular；　spun　of　uncounted　rushing；　dazzling　ions　the　great　rays　struck　across；　impinged　upon　the　thousand…foot　wheel　that　crowned　the　cones；　set　it　whirling。

Over　it　I　saw　form　a　limpid　cloud　of　the　brilliant　vapors。　Whence　came　these　sparkling　nebulosities；　these　mists　of　light？　It　was　as　though　the　clustered；　spinning　disks　reached　into　the　shadowless　air；　sucked　from　it　some　unseen；　rhythmic　energy　and　transformed　it　into　this　visible；　coruscating　flood。

For　now　it　was　a　flood。　Down　from　the　immense　wheel　came　pouring　cataracts　of　green　fires。　They　cascaded　over　the　cones；　deluged　them；　engulfed　them。

Beneath　that　radiant　inundation　the　cones　grew。　Perceptibly　their　volume　increasedas　though　they　gorged　themselves　upon　the　light。　Noit　was　as　though　the　corpuscles　flew　to　them；　coalesced　and　built　themselves　into　the　structure。

Out　and　further　out　upon　the　base　of　crystal　they　crept。　And　higher　and　higher　soared　their　tips；　thrusting；　ever　thrusting　upward　toward　the　whirling　wheel　that　fed　them。

Now　from　the　Keeper's　planes　writhed　the　Keeper's　tangle　of　tentacles；　uncoiling　eagerly；　avidly；　through　the　twenty　feet　of　space　between　their　source　and　the　enigmatic　mechanism　they　manipulated。　The　crater's　disks　tilted　downward。　Into　the　vast　hollow　shot　their　jets　of　green　radiance；　drenching　the　Metal　Hordes；　splashing　from　the　polished　walls　wherever　the　Metal　Hordes　had　left　those　living　walls　exposed。

All　about　us　was　a　trembling；　an　accelerating　pulse　of　life。　Colossal；　rhythmic；　ever　quicker；　ever　more　powerfully　that　pulse　throbbeda　prodigious　vibration　monstrously　alive。

〃Feeding！〃　whispered　Drake。　〃Feeding！　Feeding　on　the　sun！〃

Faster　danced　the　radiant　beams。　The　crater　was　a　cauldron　of　green　fires　through　which　the　conical　rays　angled　and　interwove；　crossed　and　mingled。　And　where　they　mingled；　where　they　crossed；　flamed　out　suddenly　immense　rayless　orbs；　palpitant　for　an　instant；　then　dissolving　in　spiralling；　feathery　spray　of　pallid　emerald　incandescences。

Stronger　and　stronger　beat　the　pulse　of　returning　life。

A　jetting　stream　struck　squarely　upon　the　Metal　Emperor。　Out　blazed　his　splendorsjubilant。　His　golden　zodiac；　no　longer　tarnished　and　dull；　ran　with　sun　flames；　the　wondrous　rose　was　a　racing；　lambent　miracle。

Up　snapped　the　Keeper；　towered　behind　him；　all　flickering　scarlets　and　leaping　yellowsno　longer　wrathful　or　sullen。

The　place　dripped　radiance；　was　filling　like　a　chrisom　with　radiance。

Us；　too；　the　sparkling　mists　bathed。

I　was　conscious　of　a　curiously　wild　exhilaration；　a　quickening　of　the　pulse；　an　abnormally　rapid　breathing。　I　stooped　to　touch　Drake；　sparks　leaped　from　my　outstretched　fingers；　great　green　sparks　that　crackled　as　they　impacted　upon　him。　He　gave　them　no　heed；　but　stared　with　fascinated　eyes　upon　the　crater。

Now　from　every　side　broke　a　tempest　of　gem　fires。　From　every　girder　and　column；　from　every　arras；　pendent　and　looping；　burst　diamond　glitterings；　ruby　luminescences；　lanced　flames　of　molten　emerald　and　sapphires；　flashings　of　amethyst　and　opal；　meteoric　iridescences；　dazzling　spectrums。

The　hollow　was　a　cave　of　some　Aladdin　of　the　Titans　ablaze　with　enchanted　hoards。　It　was　a　place　of　gems　ensorcelled；　gems　in　which　imprisoned　hosts　of　the　Jinns　of　Light　beat　sparkling　against　their　crystal　walls　to　escape。

I　thrust　the　fantasies　from　me。　Fantastic　enough　was　this　realityglobe　and　pyramid　and　cube　of　the　Metal　People　opening　wide；　bathing　in；　drinking　from　the　radiant　maelstrom　that　faster　and　ever　faster　swirled　about　them。

〃Feeding！〃　It　was　Drake's　awed　voice。　〃Feeding　on　the　sun！〃

The　circling　shields　were　raising　themselves；　lifting　themselves　higher　above　the　crater…lip。　Into　the　crowded　cylinder　came　now　only　the　rays　from　the　high　circlets；　the　streams　from　the　huge　wheel　above　the　still　growing　cones。

Up　and　up　the　shields　rose；　but　by　what　mechanism　raised　I　could　not　see。　Their　motion　ceased；　in　all　their　thousands　they　turned。　Over　the　City's　top　and　out　into　the　oval　valley　they　poured　their　torrents　o