the metal monster-第14部分

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to　touch　him；　comfort　him　as　well　as　I　might。

And　then；　as　though　his　cry　had　been　a　signal；　the　great　cone　began　to　move。　Slowly　the　circled　base　slipped　down　the　shimmering　facades；　down；　steadily　down；　I　realized　that　we　had　paused　at　the　edge　of　some　steep　declivity；　for　the　bottom　of　the　cone　was　now　at　a　decided　angle　while　the　upper　edge　of　the　circle　had　dropped　a　full　two　hundred　feet　below　the　place　where　it　had　rested　and　still　it　fell。


There　came　a　gasp　of　relief　from　Ventnor；　a　sigh　from　Drake　while；　from　my　own　heart；　a　weight　rolled。　Not　ten　yards　ahead　of　us　and　still　deep　within　the　luminosity　had　appeared　the　regal　head　of　Norhala；　the　lovely　head　of　Ruth。　The　two　rose　out　of　the　glow　like　swimmers　floating　from　the　depths。　Now　they　were　clear　before　us；　and　now　we　could　see　the　surface　of　the　cube　on　which　they　rode。

But　neither　turned　to　us；　each　stared　straightly；　motionless　along　the　axis　of　the　sinking　cone；　the　woman's　left　arm　holding　Ruth　close　to　her　side。

Drake's　hand　caught　my　shoulder　in　a　grip　that　hurt　nor　did　he　need　to　point　toward　that　which　had　wrung　the　exclamation　from　him。　The　funnel　had　broken　from　its　slow　falling；　it　had　made　one　swift；　startling　drop　and　had　come　to　rest。　Its　recumbent　side　was　now　flattened　into　a　triangular　plane；　widening　from　the　narrow　tip　in　which　we　stood　to　all　of　five　hundred　feet　where　its　base　rested　against　the　blue　wall；　and　falling　at　a　full　thirty…degree　pitch。

The　misty…edged　circle　had　become　an　oval；　a　flattened　ellipse　another　five　hundred　feet　high　and　three　times　that　in　length。　And　in　its　exact　center；　shining　forth　as　though　it　opened　into　a　place　of　pale　azure　incandescence　was　another　rectangular　Cyclopean　portal。

On　each　side　of　it；　in　the　apparently　solid　face　of　the　gleaming；　metallic　cliffs；　a　slit　was　opening。

They　began　as　thin　lines　a　hundred　yards　in　height　through　which　the　intense　light　seemed　to　hiss；　quickly　they　openedwidening　like　monstrous　cat　pupils　until　at　last；　their　widening　ceasing；　they　glared　forth；　the　blue　incandescence　gushing　from　them　like　molten　steel　from　an　opened　sluice。

Deep　within　them　I　sensed　a　movement。　Scores　of　towering　shapes　swam　within　and　glided　out　of　them；　each　reflecting　the　vivid　light　as　though　they　themselves　were　incandescent。　Around　their　crests　spun　wide　and　flaming　coronets。

They　rushed　forth；　wheeling；　whirling；　driven　like　leaves　in　a　whirlwind。　Out　they　swirled　from　the　cat's　eyes　of　the　glimmering　wall；　these　dervish　obelisks　crowded　with　spinning　fires。　They　vanished　in　the　mists。　Instantly　with　their　going；　the　eyes　contracted；　were　but　slits；　were　gone。　And　before　us　within　the　oval　was　only　the　waiting　portal。

The　leading　block　leaped　forward。　As　abruptly；　those　that　bore　us　followed。　Again　under　that　strain　of　projectile　flight　we　clutched　each　other；　the　pony　screamed　in　terror。　The　metal　cliff　rushed　to　meet　us　like　a　thunder　cloud　of　steel；　the　portal　raced　upon　usa　square　mouth　of　cold　blue　flame。

And　into　it　we　swept；　were　devoured　by　it。

Light　in　blinding；　intolerable　flood　beat　about　us；　blackening　the　sight　with　agony。　We　pressed；　the　three　of　us；　against　the　side　of　the　pony；　burying　our　faces　in　its　shaggy　coat；　striving　to　hide　our　eyes　from　the　radiance　which；　strain　closely　as　we　might；　seemed　to　pierce　through　the　body　of　the　little　beast；　through　our　own　heads；　searing　the　sight。





CHAPTER　X

〃WITCH！　GIVE　BACK　MY　SISTER〃

How　long　we　were　within　that　glare　I　do　not　know；　it　seemed　unending　hours；　it　was　of　course　only　minutes　seconds；　perhaps。　Then　I　was　sensible　of　a　permeating　shadow；　a　darkness　gentle　and　healing。

I　raised　my　head　and　opened　my　eyes。　We　were　moving　tranquilly；　with　a　curious　suggestion　of　homing　leisureliness；　through　a　soft；　blue　shimmering　darkness。　It　was　as　though　we　were　drifting　within　some　high　borderland　of　light；　a　region　in　which　that　rapid　vibration　we　call　the　violet　was　mingled　with　a　still　more　rapid　vibration　whose　quick　pulsing　was　felt　by　the　brain　but　ever　fled　ere　that　brain　could　register　it　in　terms　of　color。　And　there　seemed　to　be　a　film　over　my　sight；　dazzlement　from　the　unearthly　blaze；　I　thought；　shaking　my　head　impatiently。

My　eyes　focused　upon　an　object　a　little　more　than　a　foot　away；　my　neck　grew　rigid；　my　scalp　prickled　while　I　stared；　unbelieving。　And　that　at　which　I　stared　wasa　skeleton　hand。　Every　bone　a　grayish　black；　sharply　silhouetted；　clean　as　some　master　surgeon's　specimen；　it　was　extended　as　though　clutching　atclutching　atwhat　was　that　toward　which　it　was　reaching？

Again　the　icy　prickling　over　scalp　and　skinfor　its　talons　stretched　out　to　grasp　a　steed　that　Death　himself　might　have　ridden；　a　rack　whose　bare　skull　hung　drooping　upon　bent　vertebrae。

I　raised　my　hands　to　my　face　to　shut　out　the　ghostly　sightand　swiftly　the　clutching　bony　hand　moved　toward　mewas　before　my　eyestouched　me。

The　cry　that　sheer　horror　wrested　from　me　was　strangled　by　realization。　And　so　acute　was　my　relief；　so　reassuring　was　it　to　have　in　the　midst　of　these　mysteries　some　sane；　understandable　thing　occur　that　I　laughed　aloud。

For　the　skeleton　hand　was　my　own。　The　mournful　ghastly　mount　of　death　wasour　pony。　And　when　I　looked　again　I　knew　what　I　would　seeand　see　them　I　didtwo　tall　skeletons；　skulls　resting　on　their　bony　arms；　leaning　against　the　frame　of　the　beast。

While　ahead　of　us；　floating　poised　upon　the　surface　of　the　glistening　cube；　were　two　women　skeletonsRuth　and　Norhala！

Weird　enough　was　the　sight。　Dureresque；　grimly　awful　as　materialization　of　a　scene　of　the　Dance　Macabreand　yetvastly　comforting。

For　here　was　something　which　was　well　within　the　range　of　human　knowledge。　It　was　the　light　about　us　that　did　it；　a　vibration　that　even　as　I　conjectured；　was　within　the　only　partly　explored　region　of　the　ultraviolet　and　the　comparatively　unexplored　region　above　it。

Yet　there　were　differences；　for　there　was　none　of　that　misty　halo　around　the　bones；　the　flesh　which　the　X…rays　cannot　render　wholly　invisible。　The　skeletons　stood　out　clean　cut；　with　no　trace　of　fleshly　vestments。

I　crept　over；　spoke　to　the　two。

〃Don't　look　up　yet；〃　I　said。　〃Don't　open　your　eyes。　We're　going　through　a　queer　light。　It　has　an　X…ray　quality。　You're　going　to　see　me　as　a　skeleton〃

〃What？〃　shouted　Drake。　Disobeying　my　warning　he　straightened；　glared　at　me。　And　disquieting　as　the　spectacle　had　been　before；　fully　understanding　it　as　I　did；　I　could　not　restrain　my　shudder　at　the　utter　weirdness　of　that　skull　which　was　his　head　thrusting　itself　toward　me。

The　skeleton　that　was　Ventnor　turned　to　me；　was　arrested　by　the　sight　of　the　flitting　pair　ahead。　I　saw　the　fleshless　jaws　clamp；　then　opened　to　speak。

Abruptly；　upon　the　skeletons　in　front　the　flesh　dropped　back。　Girl　and　woman　stood　there　once　again　robed　in　beauty。

So　swift　was　that　transition　from　the　grisly　unreal　to　the　normal　that　even　to　my　unsuperstitious　mind　it　smacked　of　necromancy。　The　next　instant　the　three　of　us　stood　looking　at　each　other；　clothed　once　more　in　the　flesh；　and　the　pony　no　longer　the　steed　of　death；　but　our　shaggy；　patient　little　companion。

The　light　had　changed；　the　high　violet　had　gone　from　it；　and　it　was　shot　with　yellow　gleamings　like　fugitive　sunbeams。　We　were　passing　through　a　wide　corridor　that　seemed　to　be　unending。　The　yellow　light　grew　stronger。

〃That　light　wasn't　exactly　the　Roentgen　variety；〃　Drake　interrupted　my　absorption　in　our　surroundings。　〃And　I　hope　to　God　it's　as　different　as　it　seemed。　If　it's　not　we　may　be　up　against　a　lot　of　trouble。〃

〃More　trouble　than　we're　in？〃　I　asked；　a　trifle　satirically。

〃X…ray　burns；〃　he　answered；　〃and　no　way　to　treat　them　in　this　placeif　we　live　to　want　treatment；〃　he　ended　grimly。

〃I　don't　think　we　were　subjected　to　their　action　long　enough〃　I　began；　and　was　silent。

The　corridor　had　opened　without　warning　into　a　place　for　whose　immensity　I　have　no　images　that　are　adequate。　It　was　a　chamber　that　was　vaster　than　ten　score　of　the　Great　Halls　of　Karnac　in　one；　great　as　that　fabled　hall　in　dread　Amenti　where　Osiris　sits　throned　between　the　Searcher　of　Hearts　and　the　Eater　of　Souls；　judging　the　jostling　hosts　of　the　newly　dead。

Temple　it　was　in　its　immensity；　and　its　solemn　vastness　but　unlike　any　temple　ever　raised　by　human　toil。　In　no　ruin　of　earth's　youth　giants'　work　now　crumbling　under　the　weight　of　time　had　I　ever　sensed　a　shadow　of　the　strangeness　with　which　this　was　instinct。　Nonor　in　the　shattered　fanes　that　once　had　held　the　gods　of　old　Egypt；　nor　in　the　pillared　shrines　of　Ancient　Greece；　nor　Imperial　Rome；　nor　mosque；　basilica　nor　cathedral。

All　these　had　been　dedicated　to　gods　which；　whether　created　by　humanity　as　science　believes；　or　creators　of　humanity　as　their　worshippers　believed；　still　held　in　them　that　essence　we　term　human。

The　spirit；　the　force；　that　filled　this　place　had　in　it　nothing；　NOTHING　of　the　human。

No　place？　Yes；　there　was　oneStonehenge。　Within　that　monolithic　circle　I　had　felt　a　something　akin　to　this；　as　inhuman；　a　brooding　spirit　stony；　stark；　unyieldingas　though　not　men　but　a　people　of　stone　had　raised　the　great　Menhirs。

This　was　a　sanctuary　built　by　a　people　of　metal！

It　was　filled　with　a　soft　yellow　glow　like　pale　sunshine。　Up　from　its　floor　arose　hundreds　of　tremendous；　square　pillars　down　whose　polished　sides　the　crocus　light　seemed　to　flow。

Far；　far　as　the　gaze　could　reach；　the　columns　marched；　oppressively　ordered；　appallingly　mathematical。　From　their　massiveness　distilled　a　sense　of　power；　mysterious；　mechanical　yetliving；　something　priestly；　hierophantic　as　though　they　were　guardians　of　a　shrine。

Now　I　saw　whence　came　the　light　suffusing　this　place。　High　up　among　the　pillars　floated　scores　of　orbs　that　shone　like　pale　gilt　frozen　suns。　Great　and　small；　through　all　the　upper　levels　these　strange　luminaries　gleamed；　fixed　and　motionless；　hanging　unsupported　in　space。　Out　from　their　shining　spherical　surfaces　darted　rays　of　the　same　pale　gold；　rigid；　unshifting；　with　the　same　suggestion　of　frozen　stillness。

〃They　look　like　big　Christmas…tree　stars；〃　muttered　Drake。

〃They're　lights；〃　I　answered。　〃Of　course　they　are。　They're　not　matternot　metal；　I　mean〃

〃There's　something