the metal monster-第5章

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ost　fascinating　could　hold　my　hand　back　from　my　rifle　when　Ruth　awakened。

〃She　jumped　up　like　a　little　fury。　Fired　a　pistol　point　blank　at　them。　Their　amazement　waswellludicrous。　I　know　it　seems　incredible；　but　they　seemed　to　know　nothing　of　firearmsthey　certainly　acted　as　though　they　didn't。

〃They　simply　flew　into　the　timber。　I　took　a　pistol　shot　at　one　but　missed。　Ruth　hadn't　though；　she　had　winged　her　man；　he　left　a　red　trail　behind　him。

〃We　didn't　follow　the　trail。　We　made　for　the　opposite　directionand　as　fast　as　possible。

〃Nothing　happened　that　day　or　night。　Next　morning；　creeping　up　a　slope；　we　caught　sight　of　a　suspicious　glitter　a　mile　or　two　away　in　the　direction　we　were　going。　We　sought　shelter　in　a　small　ravine。　In　a　little　while；　over　the　hill　and　half　a　mile　away　from　us；　came　about　two　hundred　of　these　fellows；　marching　along。

〃And　they　were　indeed　Darius's　men。　Men　of　that　Persia　which　had　been　dead　for　millenniums。　There　was　no　mistaking　them；　with　their　high；　covering　shields；　their　great　bows；　their　javelins　and　armor。

〃They　passed；　we　doubled。　We　built　no　fires　that　night　and　we　ought　to　have　turned　the　pony　loose；　but　we　didn't。　It　carried　my　instruments；　and　ammunition；　and　I　felt　we　were　going　to　need　the　latter。

〃The　next　morning　we　caught　sight　of　another　band　or　the　same。　We　turned　again。　We　stole　through　a　tree…covered　plain；　we　struck　an　ancient　road。　It　led　south；　into　the　peaks　again。　We　followed　it。　It　brought　us　here。

〃It　isn't；　as　you　observe；　the　most　comfortable　of　places。　We　struck　across　the　hollow　to　the　crevicewe　knew　nothing　of　the　entrance　you　came　through。　The　hollow　was　not　pleasant；　either。　But　it　was　penetrable；　then。

〃We　crossed。　As　we　were　about　to　enter　the　cleft　there　issued　out　of　it　a　most　unusual　and　disconcerting　chorus　of　soundswailings；　crashings；　splinterings。〃

I　started；　shot　a　look　at　Dick；　absorbed；　he　was　drinking　in　Ventnor's　every　word。

〃So　unusual；　sowell；　disconcerting　is　the　best　word　I　can　think　of；　that　we　were　not　encouraged　to　proceed。　Also　the　peculiar　unpleasantness　of　the　hollow　was　increasing　rapidly。

〃We　made　the　best　time　we　could　back　to　the　fortress。　And　when　next　we　tried　to　go　through　the　hollow；　to　search　for　another　outletwe　couldn't。　You　know　why；〃　he　ended　abruptly。

〃But　men　in　ancient　armor。　Men　like　those　of　Darius。〃　Dick　broke　the　silence　that　had　followed　this　amazing　recital。　〃It's　incredible！〃

〃Yes；〃　agreed　Ventnor；　〃isn't　it。　But　there　they　were。　Of　course；　I　don't　maintain　that　they　WERE　relics　of　Darius's　armies。　They　might　have　been　of　Xerxes　before　himor　of　Artaxerxes　after　him。　But　there　they　certainly　were；　Drake；　living；　breathing　replicas　of　exceedingly　ancient　Persians。

〃Why；　they　might　have　been　the　wall　carvings　on　the　tomb　of　Khosroes　come　to　life。　I　mention　Darius　because　he　fits　in　with　the　most　plausible　hypothesis。　When　Alexander　the　Great　smashed　his　empire　he　did　it　rather　thoroughly。　There　wasn't　much　sympathy　for　the　vanquished　in　those　days。　And　it's　entirely　conceivable　that　a　city　or　two　in　Alexander's　way　might　have　gathered　up　a　fleeting　regiment　or　so　for　protection　and　have　decided　not　to　wait　for　him；　but　to　hunt　for　cover。

〃Naturally；　they　would　have　gone　into　the　almost　inaccessible　heart　of　the　high　ranges。　There　is　nothing　impossible　in　the　theory　that　they　found　shelter　at　last　up　here。　As　long　as　history　runs　this　has　been　a　well…nigh　unknown　land。　Penetrating　some　mountain…guarded；　easily　defended　valley　they　might　have　decided　to　settle　down　for　a　time；　have　rebuilt　a　city；　raised　a　government；　laying　low；　in　a　sentence；　waiting　for　the　storm　to　blow　over。

〃Why　did　they　stay？　Well；　they　might　have　found　the　new　life　more　pleasant　than　the　old。　And　they　might　have　been　locked　in　their　valley　by　some　accidentlandslides；　rockfalls　sealing　up　the　entrance。　There　are　a　dozen　reasonable　possibilities。〃

〃But　those　who　hunted　you　weren't　locked　in；〃　objected　Drake。

〃No；〃　Ventnor　grinned　ruefully。　〃No；　they　certainly　weren't。　Maybe　we　drifted　into　their　preserves　by　a　way　they　don't　know。　Maybe　they've　found　another　way　out。　I'm　sure　I　don't　know。　But　I　DO　know　what　I　saw。〃

〃The　noises；　Martin；〃　I　said；　for　his　description　of　these　had　been　the　description　of　those　we　had　heard　in　the　blue　valley。　〃Have　you　heard　them　since？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　hesitating　oddly。

〃And　you　think　thosethose　soldiers　you　saw　are　still　hunting　for　you？〃

〃Haven't　a　doubt　of　it；〃　he　replied　more　cheerfully。　〃They　didn't　look　like　chaps　who　would　give　up　a　hunt　easilyat　least　not　a　hunt　for　such　novel；　interesting；　and　therefore　desirable　and　delectable　game　as　we　must　have　appeared　to　them。〃

〃Martin；〃　I　said　decisively；　〃where's　your　pony？　We'll　try　the　hollow　again；　at　once。　There's　Ruthand　we'd　never　be　able　to　hold　back　such　numbers　as　you've　described。〃

〃You　feel　strong　enough　to　try　it？〃





CHAPTER　IV

METAL　WITH　A　BRAIN

The　eagerness；　the　relief　in　his　voice　betrayed　the　tension；　the　anxiety　which　until　now　he　had　hidden　so　well；　and　hot　shame　burned　me　for　my　shrinking；　my　dread　of　again　passing　through　that　haunted　vale。

〃I　certainly　DO。〃　I　was　once　more　master　of　myself。　〃Drakedon't　you　agree？〃

〃Sure；〃　he　replied。　〃Sure。　I'll　look　after　RutherI　mean　Miss　Ventnor。〃

The　glint　of　amusement　in　Ventnor's　eyes　at　this　faded　abruptly；　his　face　grew　somber。

〃Wait；〃　he　said。　〃I　carried　away　somesome　exhibits　from　the　crevice　of　the　noises；　Goodwin。〃

〃What　kind　of　exhibits？〃　I　asked；　eagerly。

〃Put　'em　where　they'd　be　safe；〃　he　continued。　〃I've　an　idea　they're　far　more　curious　than　our　armored　men　and　of　far　more　importance。　At　any　rate；　we　must　take　them　with　us。

〃Go　with　Ruth；　you　and　Drake；　and　look　at　them。　And　bring　them　back　with　the　pony。　Then　we'll　make　a　start。　A　few　minutes　more　probably　won't　make　much　difference　but　hurry。〃

He　turned　back　to　his　watch。　Ordering　Chiu…Ming　to　stay　with　him　I　followed　Ruth　and　Drake　down　the　ruined　stairway。　At　the　bottom　she　came　to　me；　laid　little　hands　on　my　shoulders。

〃Walter；〃　she　breathed；　〃I'm　frightened。　I'm　so　frightened　I'm　afraid　to　tell　even　Mart。　He　doesn't　like　them；　either；　these　little　things　you're　going　to　see。　He　likes　them　so　little　that　he's　afraid　to　let　me　know　how　little　he　does　like　them。〃

〃But　what　are　they？　What's　to　fear　about　them？〃　asked　Drake。

〃See　what　you　think！〃　She　led　us　slowly；　almost　reluctantly　toward　the　rear　of　the　fortress。　〃They　lay　in　a　little　heap　at　the　mouth　of　the　cleft　where　we　heard　the　noises。　Martin　picked　them　up　and　dropped　them　in　a　sack　before　we　ran　through　the　hollow。

〃They're　grotesque　and　they're　almost　CUTE；　and　they　make　me　feel　as　though　they　were　the　tiniest　tippy…tip　of　the　claw　of　some　incredibly　large　cat　just　stealing　around　the　corner；　a　terrible　cat；　a　cat　as　big　as　a　mountain；〃　she　ended　breathlessly。

We　climbed　through　the　crumbling　masonry　into　a　central；　open　court。　Here　a　clear　spring　bubbled　up　in　a　ruined　and　choked　stone　basin；　close　to　the　ancient　well　was　their　pony；　contentedly　browsing　in　the　thick　grass　that　grew　around　it。　From　one　of　its　hampers　Ruth　took　a　large　cloth　bag。

〃To　carry　them；〃　she　said；　and　trembled。

We　passed　through　what　had　once　been　a　great　door　into　another　chamber　larger　than　that　we　had　just　left；　and　it　was　in　better　preservation；　the　ceiling　unbroken；　the　light　dim　after　the　blazing　sun　of　the　court。　Near　its　center　she　halted　us。

Before　me　ran　a　two…feet…wide　ragged　crack；　splitting　the　floor　and　dropping　down　into　black　depths。　Beyond　was　an　expanse　of　smooth　flagging；　almost　clear　of　debris。

Drake　gave　a　low　whistle。　I　followed　his　pointing　finger。　In　the　wall　at　the　end　whirled　two　enormous　dragon　shapes；　cut　in　low　relief。　Their　gigantic　wings；　their　monstrous　coils；　covered　the　nearly　unbroken　surface；　and　these　CHIMERAE　were　the　shapes　upon　the　upthrust　blocks　of　the　haunted　roadway。

In　Ruth's　gaze　I　read　a　nameless　fear；　a　half　shuddering　fascination。

But　she　was　not　looking　at　the　cavern　dragons。

Her　gaze　was　fixed　upon　what　at　my　first　glance　seemed　to　be　a　raised　and　patterned　circle　in　the　dust…covered　floor。　Not　more　than　a　foot　in　width；　it　shone　wanly　with　a　pale；　metallic　bluish　luster；　as　though；　I　thought；　it　had　been　recently　polished。　Compared　with　the　wall's　tremendous　winged　figures　this　floor　design　was　trivial；　ludicrously　insignificant。　What　could　there　be　about　it　to　stamp　that　dread　upon　Ruth's　face？

I　leaped　the　crevice；　Dick　joined　me。　Now　I　could　see　that　the　ring　was　not　continuous。　Its　broken　circle　was　made　of　sharply　edged　cubes　about　an　inch　in　height；　separated　from　each　other　with　mathematical　exactness　by　another　inch　of　space。　I　counted　themthere　were　nineteen。

Almost　touching　them　with　their　bases　were　an　equal　number　of　pyramids；　of　tetrahedrons；　as　sharply　angled　and　of　similar　length。　They　lay　on　their　sides　with　tips　pointing　starlike　to　six　spheres　clustered　like　a　conventionalized　five　petaled　primrose　in　the　exact　center。　Five　of　these　spheresthe　petalswere；　I　roughly　calculated；　about　an　inch　and　a　half　in　diameter；　the　ball　they　enclosed　larger　by　almost　an　inch。

So　orderly　was　their　arrangement；　so　much　like　a　geometrical　design　nicely　done　by　some　clever　child　that　I　hesitated　to　disturb　it。　I　bent；　and　stiffened；　the　first　touch　of　dread　upon　me。

For　within　the　ring；　close　to　the　clustering　globes；　was　a　miniature　replica　of　the　giant　track　in　the　poppied　valley！

It　stood　out　from　the　dust　with　the　same　hint　of　crushing　force；　the　same　die　cut　sharpness；　the　same　METALLIC　suggestion　and　pointing　toward　the　globes　were　the　claw　marks　of　the　four　spreading　star　points。

I　reached　down　and　picked　up　one　of　the　pyramids。　It　seemed　to　cling　to　the　rock；　it　was　with　effort　that　I　wrenched　it　away。　It　gave　to　the　touch　a　slight　sensation　of　warmthhow　can　I　describe　it？a　warmth　that　was　living。

I　weighed　it　in　my　hand。　It　was　oddly　heavy；　twice　the　weight；　I　should　say；　of　platinum。　I　drew　out　a　glass　and　examined　it。　Decidedly　the　pyramid　was　metallic；　but　of　finest；　almost　silken　textureand　I　could　not　place　it　among　any　of　the　known　metals。　It　certainly　was　none　I　had　ever　seen；　yet　it　was　as　certainly　metal。　It　was　striatedslender　filaments　radiating　from　tiny；　dully　lustrous　points　within　the　polished　surface。

And　suddenly　I　had　the　weird　feeling　that　each　of　these　points　was　an　eye；　peering　up　at　me；　scrutinizing　me。　There　came　a　startled　cry　from　Dick。

〃Look　at　the　ring！〃

The　ring　was　in　motion！

Faster　the　cubes　moved；　faster　the　circle　revolved；　the　pyramids　raised　themselves；　stood　bolt　upright　on　their　square　bases；　the　six　rolling　spheres　touched　them；　joined　the　spinning；　and　with　sleight…of…hand　suddenness　the　ring　drew　together；　its　units　coalesced；　cubes　and　pyramids　and　globes　threading　with　a　curious　suggestion　of　ferment。

With　the　same　startling　abruptness　there　stood　erect；　where　but　a　moment　before　they　had　seethed；　a　little　figure；　grotesque；　a　weirdly　humorous；　a　vaguely　terrifying　foot…high　shape；　squared　and　angled　and　pointed　and　ANIMATEas　though　a　child　should　build　from　nursery　blocks　a　fantastic　shape　which　abruptly　is　filled　with　throbbing　life。

A　troll　f