the metal monster-第16部分

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Where　the　azure　globe　had　been；　flashed　out　a　disk　of　flaming　splendors；　the　very　secret　soul　of　flowered　flame！　And　simultaneously　the　pyramids　leaped　up　and　out　behind　ittwo　gigantic；　four…rayed　stars　blazing　with　cold　blue　fires。

The　green　auroral　curtainings　flared　out；　ran　with　streaming　radianceas　though　some　Spirit　of　Jewels　had　broken　bonds　of　enchantment　and　burst　forth　jubilant；　flooding　the　shaft　with　its　freed　glories。　Norhala's　song　ceased；　an　arm　dropped　down　upon　the　shoulders　of　Ruth。

Then　woman　and　girl　began　to　float　toward　the　radiant　disk。

As　one；　the　three　of　us　sprang　after　them。　I　felt　a　shock　that　was　like　a　quick；　abrupt　tap　upon　every　nerve　and　muscle；　stiffening　them　into　helpless　rigidity。

Paralyzing　that　sharp；　unseen　contact　had　been；　but　nothing　of　pain　followed　it。　Instead　it　created　an　extraordinary　acuteness　of　sight　and　hearing；　an　abnormal　keying　up　of　the　observational　faculties；　as　though　the　energy　so　mysteriously　drawn　from　our　motor　centers　had　been　thrown　back　into　the　sensory。

I　could　take　in　every　minute　detail　of　the　flashing　miracle　of　gemmed　fires　and　its　flaming　ministers。　Halfway　between　them　and　us　Norhala　and　Ruth　drifted；　I　could　catch　no　hint　of　voluntary　motion　on　their　part　and　knew　that　they　were　not　walking；　but　were　being　borne　onward　by　some　manifestation　of　that　same　force　which　held　us　motionless。

I　forgot　them　in　my　contemplation　of　the　Disk。

It　was　oval；　twenty　feet　in　height；　I　judged；　and　twelve　in　its　greatest　width。　A　broad　band；　translucent　as　sun　golden　chrysolite；　ran　about　its　periphery。

Set　within　this　zodiac　and　spaced　at　mathematically　regular　intervals　were　nine　ovoids　of　intensely　living　light。　They　shone　like　nine　gigantic　cabochon　cut　sapphires；　they　ranged　from　palest；　watery　blue　up　through　azure　and　purple　and　down　to　a　ghostly　mauve　shot　with　sullen　undertones　of　crimson。

In　each　of　them　was　throned　a　flame　that　seemed　the　very　fiery　essence　of　vitality。

TheBODYwas　convex；　swelling　outward　like　the　boss　of　a　shield；　shimmering　rosy…gray　and　crystalline。　From　the　vital　ovoids　ran　a　pattern　of　sparkling　threads；　irised　and　brilliant　as　floss　of　molten　jewels；　converging　with　interfacings　of　spirals；　of　volutes　and　of　triangles　into　the　nucleus。

And　that　nucleus；　what　was　it？

Even　now　I　can　but　guessbrain　in　part　as　we　understand　brain；　certainly；　but　far；　far　more　than　that　in　its　energies；　its　powers。

It　was　like　an　immense　rose。　An　incredible　rose　of　a　thousand　close　clustering　petals。　It　blossomed　with　a　myriad　shifting　hues。　And　instant　by　instant　the　flood　of　varicolored　flame　that　poured　into　its　petalings　down　from　the　sapphire　ovoids　waxed　and　waned　in　crescendoes　and　diminuendoes　of　relucent　harmoniesecstatic；　awesome。

The　heart　of　the　rose　was　a　star　of　incandescent　ruby。

From　the　flaming　crimson　center　to　aureate；　flashing　penumbra　it　was　instinct　with　and　poured　forth　powerpower　vast　and　conscious。

Not　with　that　same　completeness　could　I　realize　the　ministering　star　shapes；　half　hidden　as　they　were　by　the　Disk。　Their　radiance　was　less；　nor　had　they　its　miracle　of　pulsing　gem　fires。　Blue　they　were；　blue　of　a　peculiar　vibrancy；　and　blue　were　the　glistening　threads　that　ran　down　from　blue…black　circular　convexities　set　within　each　of　the　points　visible　to　me。

Unlike　in　shape；　their　flame　of　vitality　dimmer　than　the　ovoids　of　the　Disk's　golden　zone；　still　I　knew　that　they　were　even　as　thoseORGANS；　organs　of　unknown　senses；　unknown　potentialities。　Their　nuclei　I　could　not　observe。

The　floating　figures　had　drawn　close　to　that　disk　and　had　paused。

And　on　the　moment　of　their　pausing　I　felt　a　surge　of　strength；　a　snapping　of　the　spell　that　had　bound　us；　an　instantaneous　withdrawal　of　the　inhibiting　force。　Ventnor　broke　into　a　run；　holding　his　rifle　at　the　alert。　We　raced　after　him；　were　close　to　the　shining　shapes。　And；　gasping；　we　stopped　short　not　a　dozen　paces　away。

For　Norhala　had　soared　up　toward　the　flaming　rose　of　the　Disk　as　though　lifted　by　gentle；　unseen　hands。　Close　to　it　for　an　instant　she　swung。　I　saw　the　exquisite　body　gleam　through　her　thin　robes　as　though　bathed　in　soft　flames　of　rosy　pearl。

Higher　she　floated；　and　toward　the　right　of　the　zodiac。　From　the　edges　of　three　of　the　ovoids　swirled　a　little　cloud　of　tentacles；　gossamer　filaments　of　opal。　They　whipped　out　a　full　yard　from　the　Disk's　surface；　touching　her；　caressing　her。

For　a　moment　she　hung　there；　her　face　hidden　from　us；　then　was　dropped　softly　to　her　feet　and　stood；　arms　stretched　wide；　her　copper　hair　streaming　cloudily　about　her　regal　head。

And　up　past　her　floated　Ruth；　levitated　as　had　been　she　and　her　face；　ecstatic　as　though　she　were　gazing　into　Paradise；　yet　drenched　with　the　tranquillity　of　the　infinite。　Her　wide　eyes　stared　up　toward　that　rose　of　splendors　through　which　the　pulsing　colors　now　raced　more　swiftly。　She　hung　poised　before　it　while　around　her　head　a　faint　aureole　began　to　form。

Again　the　gossamer　threads　thrust　forth；　searched　her。　They　ran　over　her　rough　clothingperplexedly。　They　coiled　about　her　neck；　stole　through　her　hair；　brushed　shut　her　eyes；　circled　her　brow；　her　breasts；　girdled　her。

Weirdly　was　it　like　some　intelligence　observing；　studying；　some　creature　of　another　speciespuzzled　by　its　similarity　and　unsimilarity　with　the　one　other　creature　of　its　kind　it　knew；　and　striving　to　reconcile　those　differences。　And　like　such　a　questioning　brain　calling　upon　others　for　counsel；　it　swung　Ruth　upward　to　the　watching　star　at　the　right。

A　rifle　shot　rang　out。

Anotherthe　reports　breaking　the　silence　like　a　profanation。　Unseen　by　either　of　us；　Ventnor　had　slipped　to　one　side　where　he　could　cover　the　core　of　ruby　flame　that　must　have　seemed　to　him　the　heart　of　the　Disk's　rose　of　fire。　He　knelt　a　few　yards　away；　white　lipped；　eyes　cold　gray　ice；　sighting　carefully　for　a　third　shot。

〃Don't！　Martindon't　fire！〃　I　shouted；　leaping　toward　him。

〃Stop！　Ventnor〃　Drake's　panic　cry　mingled　with　my　own。

But　before　we　could　reach　him；　Norhala　flew　to　him；　like　a　darting　swallow。　Down　the　face　of　the　Disk　glided　the　upright　body　of　Ruth；　struck　softly；　stood　swaying。

And　out　of　the　blue…black　convexity　within　a　star　point　of　one　of　the　opened　pyramids　a　lance　of　intense　green　flame　darted；　a　lightning　bolt　as　real　as　any　hurled　by　tempest；　upon　Ventnor。

The　shattered　air　closed　behind　the　streaming　spark　with　the　sound　of　breaking　glass。

It　struckNorhala。

It　struck　her。　It　seemed　to　splash　upon　her；　to　run　down　her　like　water。　One　curling　tongue　writhed　over　her　bare　shoulder　and　leaped　to　the　barrel　of　the　rifle　in　Ventnor's　hands。　It　flashed　up　it　and　licked　him。　The　gun　was　torn　from　his　grip；　hurled　high　in　air；　exploding　as　it　went。　He　leaped　convulsively　from　his　knees　and　dropped。

I　heard　a　wailing；　low；　bitter　and　heartbroken。　Past　us　ran　Ruth；　all　dream；　all　unearthliness　gone　from　a　face　now　a　tragic　mask　of　human　woe　and　terror。　She　threw　herself　down　beside　her　brother；　felt　of　his　heart；　then　raised　herself　upon　her　knees　and　thrust　out　supplicating　hands　to　the　shapes。

〃Don't　hurt　him　any　more！　He　didn't　mean　it！〃　she　cried　out　to　them　piteouslylike　a　child。　She　reached　up；　caught　one　of　Norhala's　hands。　〃Norhaladon't　let　them　kill　him。　Don't　let　them　hurt　him　any　more。　Please！〃　she　sobbed。

Beside　me　I　heard　Drake　cursing。

〃If　they　touch　her　I'll　kill　the　woman！　I　will；　by　God　I　will！〃　He　strode　to　Norhala's　side。

〃If　you　want　to　live；　call　off　these　devils　of　yours。〃　His　voice　was　strangled。

She　looked　at　him；　wonder　deepening　on　the　tranquil　brow；　in　the　clear；　untroubled　gaze。　Of　course　she　could　not　understand　his　wordsbut　it　was　not　that　which　made　my　own　sick　apprehension　grow。

It　was　that　she　did　not　understand　what　called　them　forth。　Did　not　even　understand　what　reason　lay　behind　Ruth's　sorrow；　Ruth's　prayer。

And　more　and　more　wondering　grew　in　her　eyes　as　she　looked　from　the　threatening　Drake　to　the　supplicating　Ruth；　and　from　them　to　the　still　body　of　Ventnor。

〃Tell　her　what　I　say；　Goodwin。　I　mean　it。〃

I　shook　my　head。　That　was　not　the　way；　I　knew。　I　looked　toward　the　Disk；　still　flanked　with　its　sextette　of　spheres；　still　guarded　by　the　flaming　blue　stars。　They　were　motionless；　calm；　watching。　I　sensed　no　hostility；　no　anger；　it　was　as　though　they　were　waiting　for　us　toto　waiting　for　us　to　do　what？

It　came　to　methey　were　indifferent。　That　was　itas　indifferent　as　we　could　be　to　the　struggle　of　an　ephemera；　and　as　mildly　curious。

〃Norhala；〃　I　turned　to　the　woman；　〃she　would　not　have　him　suffer；　she　would　not　have　him　die。　She　loves　him。〃

〃Love？〃　she　repeated；　and　all　of　her　wonderment　seemed　crystallized　in　the　word。　〃Love？〃　she　asked。

〃She　loves　him；〃　I　said；　and　then；　why　I　did　not　know；　but　I　added；　pointing　to　Drake：　〃and　he　loves　her。〃

There　was　a　tiny；　astonished　sob　from　Ruth。　Again　Norhala　brooded　over　her。　Then　with　a　little　despairing　shake　of　her　head；　she　paced　over　and　faced　the　great　Disk。


Tensely　we　waited。　Communication　there　was　between　them；　interchange　ofthought；　how　carried　out　I　would　not　hazard　even　to　myself。

But　of　a　surety　these　twothe　goddess　woman；　the　wholly　unhuman　shape　of　metal；　of　jeweled　fires　and　conscious　forceunderstood　each　other。

For　she　turned；　stood　asideand　the　body　of　Ventnor　quivered；　arose　from　the　floor；　stood　upright　and　with　closed　eyes；　head　dropping　upon　one　shoulder；　glided　toward　the　Disk　like　a　dead　man　carried　by　those　messengers　never　seen　by　man　who；　the　Arabs　believe；　bear　the　death　drugged　souls　before　Allah　for　their　awakening。

Ruth　moaned　and　hid　her　eyes；　Drake　reached　down；　gathered　her　up　in　his　arms；　held　her　close。

Ventnor's　body　stood　before　the　Disk；　then　swam　up　along　its　face。　The　tendrils　waved　out；　felt　of　it；　thrust　themselves　down　through　the　wide　collar　of　the　shirt。　The　floating　form　passed　higher；　over　the　edge　of　the　Disk；　lay　high　beside　the　right　star　point　of　the　rayed　shape　to　which　Ruth　had　been　passing　when　Ventnor's　shot　brought　the　tragedy　upon　us。　I　saw　other　tentacles　whip　forth；　examine；　caress。

Then　down　the　body　swung；　was　borne　through　air；　laid　gently　at　our　feet。

〃He　is　notdead；〃　it　was　Norhala　besi