the metal monster-第40章

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ced　luminous　symbols　of　agony。

Shrilled　a　stronger　wailing。　Up　from　behind　the　ray　hurling　Towers　shot　hosts　of　globes。　Thousands　of　palely　azure；　metal　moons　they　soared；　warrior　moons　charging　in　meteor　rush　and　streaming　with　fluttering　battle　pennons　of　violet　flame。　High　they　flew；　they　curved　over　the　mile　high　back　of　the　Monster；　they　dropped　upon　it。

Arose　to　meet　them　immense　columns　of　the　cubes；　battered　against　the　spheres；　swept　them　over　and　down　into　the　depths。　Hundreds　fell；　brokenbut　thousands　held　their　place。　I　saw　them　twine　about　the　pillars　writhing　columns　of　interlaced　cubes　and　globes　straining　like　monstrous　serpents　while　all　along　their　coils　the　open　disks　and　crosses　smote　with　the　scimitars　of　their　lightnings。

In　the　wall　of　the　City　appeared　a　shining　crack；　from　top　to　bottom　it　ran；　it　widened　into　a　rift　from　which　a　flood　of　radiance　gushed。　Out　of　this　rift　poured　a　thousand…foot…high　torrent　of　horned　globes。

Only　for　an　instant　they　flowed。　The　rift　closed　upon　them；　catching　those　still　emerging　in　a　colossal　vise。　It　CRUNCHED　them。　Plain　through　the　turmoil　came　a　dreadful　bursting　roar。

Down　from　the　closing　jaws　of　the　vise　dripped　a　stream　of　fragments　that　flashed　and　flickeredand　died。　And　now　in　the　wall　was　no　trace　of　the　breach。

A　hurricane　of　radiant　lances　swept　it。　Under　them　a　mile　wide　section　of　the　living　scarp　split　away；　dropped　like　an　avalanche。　Its　fall　revealed　great　spaces；　huge　vaults　and　chambers　filled　with　warring　lightningsout　from　them　came　roaring；　bellowing　thunders。　Swiftly　from　each　side　of　the　gap　a　metal　curtaining　of　the　cubes　joined。　Again　the　wall　was　whole。

I　turned　my　stunned　gaze　from　the　Cityswept　over　the　valley。　Everywhere；　in　towers；　in　writhing　coils；　in　whipping　flails；　in　waves　that　smote　and　crashed；　in　countless　forms　and　combinations　the　Metal　Hordes　battled。　Here　were　pillars　against　which　metal　billows　rushed　and　were　broken；　there　were　metal　comets　that　crashed　high　above　the　mad　turmoil。

From　streaming　silent　veil　to　veilnorth　and　south；　east　and　west　the　Monster　slew　itself　beneath　its　racing；　flaming　banners；　the　tempests　of　its　lightnings。

The　tortured　hulk　of　the　City　lurched；　it　swept　toward　us。　Before　it　blotted　out　from　our　eyes　the　Pit　I　saw　that　the　crystal　spans　upon　the　river　of　jade　were　gone；　that　the　wondrous　jeweled　ribbons　of　its　banks　were　broken。

Closer　came　the　reeling　City。

I　fumbled　for　my　lenses；　focussed　them　upon　it。　Now　I　saw　that　where　the　radiant　lances　struck　theykilled　the　blocks　blackened　under　them；　became　lustreless；　the　sparkling　of　the　tiny　eyeswent　out；　the　metal　carapaces　crumbled。

Closer　to　the　Citycame　the　Monster；　shuddering　I　lowered　the　glasses　that　it　might　not　seem　so　near。

Down　dropped　the　bristling　Shapes　that　wrestled　with　the　squared　Towers。　They　rose　again　in　a　single　monstrous　wave　that　rushed　to　overwhelm　them。　Before　they　could　strike　the　City　swept　closer；　had　hidden　them　from　me。

Again　I　raised　the　glasses。　They　brought　the　metal　scarp　not　fifty　feet　awaywithin　it　the　hosts　of　tiny　eyes　glittered；　no　longer　mocking　nor　malicious；　but　insane。

Nearer　drew　the　Monsternearer。

A　thousand　feet　away　it　checked　its　movement；　seemed　to　draw　itself　together。　Then　like　the　roar　of　a　falling　world　that　whole　side　facing　us　slid　down　to　the　valley's　floor。





CHAPTER　XXIX

THE　PASSING　OF　NORHALA

Hundreds　of　feet　through　must　have　been　the　fallen　masswithin　it　who　knows　what　chambers　filled　with　mysteries？　Yes；　thousands　of　feet　thick　it　must　have　been；　for　the　debris　of　it　splintered　and　lashed　to　the　very　edge　of　the　ledge　on　which　we　crouched；　heaped　it　with　the　dimming　fragments　of　the　bodies　that　had　formed　it。

We　looked　into　a　thousand　vaults；　a　thousand　spaces。　There　came　another　avalanche　roaringbefore　us　opened　the　crater　of　the　cones。

Through　the　torn　gap　I　saw　them；　clustering　undisturbed　about　the　base　of　that　one　slender；　coroneted　and　star　pointing　spire；　rising　serene　and　unshaken　from　a　hell　of　lightnings。　But　the　shields　that　had　rimmed　the　crater　were　gone。

Ventnor　snatched　the　glasses　from　my　hand；　leveled　and　held　them　long　to　his　eyes。

He　thrust　them　back　to　me。　〃Look！〃

Through　the　lenses　the　great　hall　leaped　into　full　view　apparently　only　a　few　yards　away。　It　was　a　cauldron　of　chameleon　flame。　It　seethed　with　the　Hordes　battling　over　the　remaining　walls　and　floor。　But　around　the　crystal　base　of　the　cones　was　an　open　zone　into　which　none　broke。

In　that　wide　ring；　girdling　the　shimmering　fantasy　like　a　circled　sanctuary；　were　but　three　forms。　One　was　the　wondrous　Disk　of　jeweled　fires　I　have　called　the　Metal　Emperor；　the　second　was　the　sullen　fired　cruciform　of　the　Keeper。

The　third　was　Norhala！

She　stood　at　the　side　of　that　weird　master　of　hersor　was　it　after　all　the　servant？　Between　them　and　the　Keeper's　planes　gleamed　the　gigantic　T…shaped　tablet　of　countless　rods　which　controlled　the　activities　of　the　cones；　that　had　controlled　the　shifting　of　the　vanished　shields；　that　manipulated　too；　perhaps；　the　energies　of　whatever　similar　but　smaller　cornute　ganglia　were　scattered　throughout　the　City　and　one　of　which　we　had　beheld　when　the　Emperor's　guards　had　blasted　Ventnor。

Close　was　Norhala　in　the　lensesso　close　that　almost；　it　seemed；　I　could　reach　out　and　touch　her。　The　flaming　hair　streamed　and　billowed　above　her　glorious　head　like　a　banner　of　molten　floss　of　coppery　gold；　her　face　was　a　mask　of　wrath　and　despair；　her　great　eyes　blazed　upon　the　Keeper；　her　exquisite　body　was　bare；　stripped　of　every　shred　of　silken　covering。

From　streaming　tresses　to　white　feet　an　oval　of　pulsing；　golden　light　nimbused　her。　Maiden　Isis；　virgin　Astarte　she　stood　there；　held　in　the　grip　of　the　Disklike　a　goddess　betrayed　and　hopeless　yet　thirsting　for　vengeance。

For　all　their　stillness；　their　immobility；　it　came　to　me　that　Emperor　and　Keeper　were　at　grapple；　locked　in　death　grip；　the　realization　was　as　definite　as　though；　like　Ruth；　I　thought　with　Norhala's　mind；　saw　with　her　eyes。

Clearly　too　it　came　to　me　that　in　this　contest　between　the　two　was　epitomized　all　the　vast　conflict　that　raged　around　them；　that　in　it　was　fast　ripening　that　fruit　of　destiny　of　which　Ventnor　had　spoken；　and　that　here　in　the　Hall　of　the　Cones　would　be　settledand　soon　the　fate　not　only　of　Disk　and　Cross；　but　it　might　be　of　humanity。

But　with　what　unknown　powers　was　that　duel　being　fought？　They　cast　no　lightnings；　they　battled　with　no　visible　weapons。　Only　the　great　planes　of　the　inverted　cruciform　Shape　smoked　and　smoldered　with　their　sullen　flares　of　ochres　and　of　scarlets；　while　over　all　the　face　of　the　Disk　its　cold　and　irised　fires　raced　and　shone；　beating　with　a　rhythm　incredibly　rapid；　its　core　of　incandescent　ruby　blazed；　its　sapphire　ovals　were　cabochoned　pools　of　living；　lucent　radiance。

There　was　a　splitting　roar　that　arose　above　all　the　clamor；　deafening　us　even　in　the　shelter　of　the　silent　veils。　On　each　side　of　the　crater　whole　masses　of　the　City　dropped　away。　Fleetingly　I　was　aware　of　scores　of　smaller　pits　in　which　uprose　lesser　replicas　of　the　Coned　Mount；　lesser　reservoirs　of　the　Monster's　force。

Neither　the　Emperor　nor　the　Keeper　moved；　both　seemingly　indifferent　to　the　catastrophe　fast　developing　around　them。

Now　I　strained　forward　to　the　very　thinnest　edge　of　the　curtainings。　For　between　the　Disk　and　Cross　began　to　form　fine　black　mist。　It　was　transparent。　It　seemed　spun　of　minute　translucent　ebon　corpuscles。　It　hung　like　a　black　shroud　suspended　by　unseen　hands。　It　shook　and　wavered　now　toward　the　Disk；　now　toward　the　Cross。

I　sensed　a　keying　up　of　force　within　the　two；　knew　that　each　was　striving　to　cast　like　a　net　that　hanging　mist　upon　the　other。

Abruptly　the　Emperor　flashed　forth；　blindingly。　As　though　caught　upon　a　blast；　the　black　shroud　flew　toward　the　Keeperenveloped　it。　And　as　the　mist　covered　and　clung　I　saw　the　sulphurous　and　crimson　flares　dim。　They　were　snuffed　out。

The　Keeper　fell！


Upon　Norhala's　face　flamed　a　wild　triumph；　banishing　despair。　The　outstretched　planes　of　the　Cross　swept　up　as　though　in　torment。　For　an　instant　its　fires　flared　and　licked　through　the　clinging　blackness；　it　writhed　half　upright；　threw　itself　forward；　crashed　down　prostrate　upon　the　enigmatic　tablet　which　only　its　tentacles　could　manipulate。

From　Norhala's　face　the　triumph　fled。　On　its　heels　rushed　stark；　incredulous　horror。

The　Mount　of　Cones　shuddered。　From　it　came　a　single　mighty　throb　of　forcelike　a　prodigious　heart…beat。　Under　that　pulse　of　power　the　Emperor　staggered；　spunand　spinning；　swept　Norhala　from　her　feet；　swung　her　close　to　its　flashing　rose。

A　second　throb　pulsed　from　the　cones；　and　mightier。

A　spasm　shook　the　Diska　paroxysm。

Its　fires　faded；　they　flared　out　again；　bathing　the　floating；　unearthly　figure　of　Norhala　with　their　iridescences。

I　saw　her　body　writheas　though　it　shared　the　agony　of　the　Shape　that　held　her。　Her　head　twisted；　the　great　eyes；　pools　of　uncomprehending；　unbelieving　horror；　stared　into　mine。

With　a　spasmodic；　infinitely　dreadful　movement　the　Disk　closed

And　closed　upon　her！

Norhala　was　gonewas　shut　within　it。　Crushed　to　the　pent　fires　of　its　crystal　heart。

I　heard　a　sobbing；　agonized　chokingknew　it　was　I　who　sobbed。　Against　me　I　felt　Ruth's　body　strike；　bend　in　convulsive　arc；　drop　inert。

The　slender　steeple　of　the　cones　drooped　sending　its　faceted　coronet　shattering　to　the　floor。　The　Mount　melted。　Beneath　the　flooding　radiance　sprawled　Keeper　and　the　great　inert　Globe　that　was　the　Goddess　woman's　sepulcher。

The　crater　filled　with　the　pallid　luminescence。　Faster　and　ever　faster　it　poured　down　into　the　Pit。　And　from　all　the　lesser　craters　of　the　smaller　cones　swept　silent　cataracts　of　the　same　pale　radiance。

The　City　began　to　crumblethe　Monster　to　fall。

Like　pent…up　waters　rushing　through　a　broken　dam　the　gleaming　deluge　swept　over　the　valley；　gushing　in　steady　torrents　from　the　breaking　mass。　Over　the　valley　fell　a　vast　silence。　The　lightnings　ceased。　The　Metal　Hordes　stood　rigid；　the　shining　flood　lapping　at　their　bases；　rising　swiftly　ever　higher。

Now　from　the　sinking　City　swarmed　multitudes　of　its　weird　luminaries。

Out　they　trooped；　swirling　from　every　rent　and　gap　orbs　scarlet　and　sapphire；　ruby　orbs；　orbs　tuliped　and　irised　the　jocund　suns　of　the　birth　chamber　and　side　by　side　with　them　hosts　of　the　frozen；　pale　gilt；　stiff　rayed　suns。

Thousands　upon　thousands　they　marched　forth　and　poised　themselves　solemnly　over　all　the　Pit　that　now　was　a　fast　rising　lake　of　yellow　froth　of　sun　flame。

They　swept　forth　in　squadrons；　in　companies；　in　regiments；　those　mysterious　orbs。　They　floated　over　all　the　valley；　they　separated　and　swung　motionless　above　it　as　though　they　were　mysterious　multiple　souls　of　fire　brooding　over　the　dying　shell　that　had　held　them。

Beneath；　thrusting　up　from　the　lambent　lake　like　grotesque　towers　of　some　drowned　fantastic　metropolis；　the　great　Shapes　stood；　black　against　its　glowing。

What　had　been　the　Citythat　which　had　been　the　bulk　of　the　Monsterwas　now　only　a　vast　and　shapeless　hill　from　which　streamed　the　silent　torrents　of　that　released；　unknown　force　which；　concentrate　and　bound；