the metal monster-第37章

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With　no　faltering；　with　no　glance　toward　us　three　lover；　brother；　old　friendRuth　crept　closer　to　her；　rested　her　head　upon　the　virginal；　royal　breasts。

〃It　shall　be　so！〃　she　murmured。　〃Sisterit　shall　be　so。　NorhalaI　am　tired。　NorhalaI　have　seen　enough　of　men。〃

An　ecstasy　of　tenderness；　a　flame　of　unearthly　rapture；　trembled　over　the　woman's　wondrous　face。　Hungrily；　defiantly；　she　pressed　the　girl　to　her；　the　stars　in　the　lucid　heavens　of　her　eyes　were　soft　and　gentle　and　caressing。

〃Ruth！〃　cried　Drakeand　sprang　toward　them。　She　paid　no　heed；　and　even　as　he　leaped　he　was　caught；　whirled　back　against　us。

〃Wait；〃　said　Ventnor；　and　caught　him　by　the　arm　as　wrathfully；　blindedly；　he　strove　against　the　force　that　held　him。　〃Wait。　No　usenow。〃

There　was　a　curious　understanding　in　his　voicea　curious　sympathy；　too；　in　the　patient；　untroubled　gaze　that　dwelt　upon　his　sister　and　this　weirdly　exquisite　woman　who　held　her。

〃Wait！〃　exclaimed　Drake。　〃Waithell！　The　damned　witch　is　stealing　her　away　from　us！〃

Again　he　threw　himself　forward；　recoiled　as　though　swept　back　by　an　invisible　arm；　fell　against　us　and　was　clasped　and　held　by　Ventnor。　And　as　he　struggled　the　Thing　we　rode　halted。　Like　metal　waves　back　into　it　rushed　the　enigmatic　billows　that　had　washed　over　the　fragments　of　the　city。

We　were　lifted；　between　us　and　the　woman　and　girl　a　cleft　appeared；　it　widened　into　a　rift。　It　was　as　though　Norhala　had　decreed　it　as　a　symbol　of　this　her　second　victoryor　had　set　it　between　us　as　a　barrier。


Wider　grew　the　rift。　Save　for　the　bridge　of　our　voices　it　separated　us　from　Ruth　as　though　she　stood　upon　another　world。

Higher　we　rose；　the　three　of　us　now　upon　the　flat　top　of　a　tower　upon　whose　counterpart　fifty　feet　away　and　facing　the　homeward　path；　Ruth　and　Norhala　stood　with　white　arms　interlaced。

The　serpent　shape　flashed　toward　us；　it　vanished　beneath；　merging　into　the　waiting　Thing。

Then　slowly　the　Thing　began　to　move；　quietly　it　glided　to　the　chasm　it　had　blasted　in　the　cliff　wall。　The　shadow　of　those　walls　fell　upon　us。　As　one　we　looked　back；　as　one　we　searched　out　the　patch　of　blue　with　the　black　blot　at　its　breast。

We　found　it；　then　the　precipices　hid　it。　Silently　we　streamed　through　the　chasm；　through　the　canyon　and　the　tunnelspeaking　no　word；　Drake's　eyes　fixed　with　bitter　hatred　upon　Norhala；　Ventnor　brooding　upon　her　always　with　that　enigmatic　sympathy。　We　passed　between　the　walls　of　the　further　cleft；　stood　for　an　instant　at　the　brink　of　the　green　forest。

There　came　to　us　as　though　from　immeasurable　distances；　a　faint；　sustained　thrumminglike　the　beating　of　countless　muffled　drums。　The　Thing　that　carried　us　trembledthe　sound　died　away。　The　Thing　quieted；　it　began　its　steady；　effortless　striding　through　the　crowding　treesbut　now　with　none　of　that　speed　with　which　it　had　come；　spurred　forward　by　Norhala's　awakened　hate。

Ventnor　stirred；　broke　the　silence。　And　now　I　saw　how　wasted　was　his　body；　how　sharpened　his　face；　almost　ethereal；　purged　not　only　by　suffering　but　by；　it　came　to　me；　some　strange　knowledge。

〃No　use；　Drake；〃　he　said　dreamily。　〃All　this　is　now　on　the　knees　of　the　gods。　And　whether　those　gods　are　humanity's　or　whether　they　areGods　of　MetalI　do　not　know。

〃But　this　I　do　knowonly　one　way　or　another　can　the　balance　fall；　and　if　it　be　one　way；　then　you　and　we　shall　have　Ruth　back。　And　if　it　falls　the　other　waythen　there　will　be　little　need　for　us　to　care。　For　man　will　be　done！〃

〃Martin！　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃It　is　the　crisis；〃　he　answered。　〃We　can　do　nothing；　Goodwinnothing。　Whatever　is　to　be　steps　forth　now　from　the　womb　of　Destiny。〃

Again　there　came　that　distant　rollinglouder；　now。　Again　the　Thing　trembled。

〃The　drums；〃　whispered　Ventnor。　〃The　drums　of　destiny。　What　is　it　they　are　heralding？　A　new　birth　of　Earth　and　the　passing　of　man？　A　new　child　to　whom　shall　be　given　dominionnay；　to　whom　has　been　given　dominion？　Or　is　ittapsfor　Them？〃

The　drumming　died　as　I　listenedfearfully。　About　us　was　only　the　swishing；　the　sighing　of　the　falling　trees　beneath　the　tread　of　the　Thing。　Motionless　stood　Norhala；　and　as　motionless　Ruth。

〃Martin；〃　I　cried　once　more；　a　dreadful　doubt　upon　me。　〃Martinwhat　do　you　mean？〃

〃Whence　didTheycome？〃　His　voice　was　clear　and　calm；　the　eyes　beneath　the　red　brand　clear　and　quiet；　too。　〃Whence　did　They　comethese　Things　that　carry　us？　That　strode　like　destroying　angels　over　Cherkis's　city？　Are　they　spawn　of　Earthas　we　are？　Or　are　they　foster　childrenchangelings　from　another　star？

〃These　creatures　that　when　many　still　are　onethat　when　one　still　are　many。　Whence　did　They　come？　What　are　They？〃

He　looked　down　upon　the　cubes　that　held　us；　their　hosts　of　tiny　eyes　shone　up　at　him；　enigmaticallyas　though　they　heard　and　understood。

〃I　do　not　forget；〃　he　said。　〃At　least　not　all　do　I　forget　of　what　I　saw　during　that　time　when　I　seemed　an　atom　outside　spaceas　I　told　you；　or　think　I　told　you；　speaking　with　unthinkable　effort　through　lips　that　seemed　eternities　away　from　me；　the　atom；　who　strove　to　open　them。

〃There　were　threevisions；　revelationsI　know　not　what　to　call　them。　And　though　each　seemed　equally　real；　of　two　of　them；　only　one；　I　think；　can　be　true；　and　of　the　thirdthat　may　some　time　be　true　but　surely　is　not　yet。〃


Through　the　air　came　a　louder　drum　rollin　it　something　ominous；　something　sinister。　It　swelled　to　a　crescendo；　abruptly　ceased。　And　now　I　saw　Norhala　raise　her　head；　listen。

〃I　saw　a　world；　a　vast　world；　Goodwin；　marching　stately　through　space。　It　was　no　globeit　was　a　world　of　many　facets；　of　smooth　and　polished　planes；　a　huge　blue　jewel　world；　dimly　luminous；　a　crystal　world　cut　out　from　Aether。　A　geometric　thought　of　the　Great　Cause；　of　God；　if　you　will；　made　material。　It　was　airless；　waterless；　sunless。

〃I　seemed　to　draw　closer　to　it。　And　then　I　saw　that　over　every　facet　patterns　were　traced；　gigantic　symmetrical　designs；　mathematical　hieroglyphs。　In　them　I　read　unthinkable　calculations；　formulas　of　interwoven　universes；　arithmetical　progressions　of　armies　of　stars；　pandects　of　the　motions　of　the　suns。　In　the　patterns　was　an　appalling　harmonyas　though　all　the　laws　from　those　which　guide　the　atom　to　those　which　direct　the　cosmos　were　there　resolved　into　completenesstotalled。

〃The　faceted　world　was　like　a　cosmic　abacist；　tallying　as　it　marched　the　errors　of　the　infinite。

〃The　patterned　symbols　constantly　changed　form。　I　drew　nearerthe　symbols　were　alive。　They　were；　in　untold　numbersThese！〃

He　pointed　to　the　Thing　that　bore　us。

〃I　was　swept　back；　looked　again　upon　it　from　afar。　And　a　fantastic　notion　came　to　mefantasy　it　was；　of　course；　yet　built　I　know　around　a　nucleus　of　strange　truth。　It　was〃his　tone　was　half　whimsical；　half　apologetic　〃it　was　that　this　jeweled　world　was　ridden　by　some　mathematical　god；　driving　it　through　space；　noting　occasionally　with　amused　tolerance　the　very　bad　arithmetic　of　another　Deity　the　reverse　of　mathematicala　more　or　less　haphazard　Deity；　the　god；　in　fact；　of　us　and　the　things　we　call　living。

〃It　had　no　mission；　it　wasn't　at　all　out　to　do　any　reforming；　it　wasn't　in　the　least　concerned　in　rectifying　any　of　the　inaccuracies　of　the　Other。　Only　now　and　then　it　took　note　of　the　deplorable　differences　between　the　worlds　it　saw　and　its　own　impeccably　ordered　and　tidy　temple　with　its　equally　tidy　servitors。

〃Just　an　itinerant　demiurge　of　supergeometry　riding　along　through　space　on　its　perfectly　summed…up　world；　master　of　all　celestial　mechanics；　its　people　independent　of　all　that　complex　chemistry　and　labor　for　equilibrium　by　which　we　live；　needing　neither　air　nor　water；　heeding　neither　heat　nor　cold；　fed　with　the　magnetism　of　interstellar　space　and　stopping　now　and　then　to　banquet　off　the　energy　of　some　great　sun。〃

A　thrill　of　amazement　passed　through　me；　fantasy　all　this　might　be　buthow；　if　so；　had　he　gotten　that　last　thought？　He　had　not　seen；　as　we　had；　the　orgy　in　the　Hall　of　the　Cones；　the　prodigious　feeding　of　the　Metal　Monster　upon　our　sun。

〃That　passed；〃　he　went　on；　unnoticing。　〃I　saw　vast　caverns　filled　with　the　Things；　working；　growing；　multiplying。　In　caverns　of　our　Earththe　fruit　of　some　unguessed　womb？　I　do　not　know。

〃But　in　those　caverns；　under　countless　orbs　of　many　colored　lights〃again　the　thrill　of　amaze　shook　me　〃they　grew。　It　came　to　me　that　they　were　reaching　out　toward　sunlight　and　the　open。　They　burst　into　itinto　yellow；　glowing　sunlight。　Ours？　I　do　not　know。　And　that　picture　passed。〃

His　voice　deepened。

〃There　came　a　third　vision。　I　saw　our　EarthI　knew；　Goodwin；　indisputably；　unmistakably　that　it　was　our　earth。　But　its　rolling　hills　were　leveled；　its　mountains　were　ground　and　shaped　into　cold　and　polished　symbols　geometric；　fashioned。

〃The　seas　were　fettered；　gleaming　like　immense　jewels　in　patterned　settings　of　crystal　shores。　The　very　Polar　ice　was　chiseled。　On　the　ordered　plains　were　traced　the　hieroglyphs　of　the　faceted　world。　And　on　all　Earth；　Goodwin；　there　was　no　green　life；　no　city；　no　trace　of　man。　On　this　Earth　that　had　been　ours　were　onlyThese。

〃Visioning！〃　he　said。　〃Don't　think　that　I　accept　them　in　their　entirety。　Part　truth；　part　illusionthe　groping　mind　dazzled　with　light　of　unfamiliar　truths　and　making　pictures　from　half　light　and　half　shadow　to　help　it　understand。

〃But　stillSOME　truth　in　them。　How　much　I　do　not　know。　But　this　I　do　knowthat　last　vision　was　of　a　cataclysm　whose　beginnings　we　face　nowthis　very　instant。〃

The　picture　flashed　behind　my　own　eyesof　the　walled　city；　its　thronging　people；　its　groves　and　gardens；　its　science　and　its　art；　of　the　Destroying　Shapes　trampling　it　flatand　then　the　dreadful；　desolate　mount。

And　suddenly　I　saw　that　mount　as　Earththe　city　as　Earth's　citiesits　gardens　and　groves　as　Earth's　fields　and　forestsand　the　vanished　people　of　Cherkis　seemed　to　expand　into　all　humanity。

〃But　Martin；〃　I　stammered；　fighting　against　choking；　intolerable　terror；　〃there　was　something　else。　Something　of　the　Keeper　of　the　Cones　and　of　our　striking　through　the　sun　to　destroy　the　Thingssomething　of　them　being　governed　by　the　same　laws　that　govern　us　and　that　if　they　broke　them　they　must　fall。　A　hopea　PROMISE；　that　they　would　NOT　conquer。〃

〃I　remember；〃　he　replied；　〃but　not　clearly。　There　WAS　somethinga　shadow　upon　them；　a　menace。　It　was　a　shadow　that　seemed　to　be　born　of　our　own　worldsome　threatening　spirit　of　earth　hovering　over　them。

〃I　cannot　remember；　it　eludes　me。　Yet　it　is　because　I　remember　but　a　little　of　it　that　I　say　those　drums　may　not　betapsfor　us。〃


As　though　his　words　had　been　a　cue；　the　sounds　again　burst　forthno　longer　muffled　nor　faint。　They　roared；　they　seemed　to　pelt　through　air　and　drop　upon　us；　they　beat　about　our　ears　with　thunderous　tattoo　like　covered　caverns　drummed　upon　by　Titans　with　trunks　of　great　trees。

The　drumming　did　not　die；　it　grew　louder；　more　vehement；　defiant　and　deafening。　Within　the　Thing　under　us　a　mighty　pulse　began　to　throb；　accelerating　rapidly　to　the　rhythm　of　that　clamorous　roll。

I　saw　Norhala　draw　herself　up；　sharply；　stand　listening　and　alert。　Under　me；　the　throbbing　turned　to　an　uneasy　churning；　a　ferment。

〃Drums？〃　muttered　Drake。　〃THEY'RE　no　drums。　It's　drum　fire。　It's　like　a　dozen　Marnes；　a　dozen　Verduns。　But　where　could　batter