the metal monster-第26部分

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ation　of　such　streams　flowing　above　us？　Such　a　theory　might　account　for　their　disappearance；　and　reappearance；　shiftings　of　the　flows　that　changed　the　light　producing　points　of　contact。　Wireless　lights？　If　so　here　was　an　idea　that　human　science　might　elaborate　if　ever　we　returned　to

〃Now　which　way？〃　Drake　broke　in　upon　my　musing。　The　hall　had　ended。　We　stood　before　a　blank　wall　vanishing　into　the　soft　mists　hiding　the　roof　of　the　chamber。

〃I　thought　we　had　been　going　along　the　way　They　went；〃　I　said　in　amazement。

〃So　did　I；〃　he　answered。　〃We　must　have　circled。　They　never　went　through　THAT　unlessunless〃　He　hesitated。

〃Unless　what？〃　I　asked　sharply。

〃Unless　it　opened　and　let　them　through；〃　he　said。　〃Have　you　forgotten　those　great　ovalslike　cat's　eyes　that　opened　in　the　outer　walls？〃　he　added　quietly。

I　HAD　forgotten。　I　looked　again　at　the　wall。　Certainly　it　was　smooth；　lineless。　In　one　unbroken；　shining　surface　it　rose；　a　facade　of　polished　metal。　Within　it　the　deep　set　points　of　light　were　duller　even　than　they　had　been　in　the　pillars；　almost　indeed　indistinguishable。

〃Go　on　to　the　left；〃　I　said　none　too　patiently。　〃And　get　that　absurd　notion　out　of　your　head。〃

〃All　right。〃　He　flushed。　〃But　you　don't　think　I'm　afraid；　do　you？〃

〃If　what　you're　thinking　were　true；　you'd　have　a　right　to　be；〃　I　replied　tartly。　〃And　I　want　to　tell　you　I'D　be　afraid。　Damned　afraid。〃

For　perhaps　two　hundred　paces　we　skirted　the　base　of　the　wall。　We　came　abruptly　to　an　opening；　an　oblong　passageway　fully　fifty　foot　wide　by　twice　as　high。　At　its　entrance　the　mellow；　saffron　light　was　cut　off　as　though　by　an　invisible　screen。　The　tunnel　itself　was　filled　with　a　dim　grayish　blue　luster。　For　an　instant　we　contemplated　it。

〃I　wouldn't　care　to　be　caught　in　there　by　any　rush；〃　I　hesitated。

〃There's　not　much　good　in　thinking　of　that　now；〃　said　Drake；　grimly。　〃A　few　chances　more　or　less　in　a　joint　of　this　kind　is　nothing　between　friends；　Goodwin；　take　it　from　me。　Come　on。〃

We　entered。　Walls；　floor　and　roof　were　composed　of　the　same　substance　as　the　great　pillars；　the　wall　of　the　outer　chamber；　filled　like　them　with　dimmed　replicas　of　the　twinkling　eye　points。

〃Odd　that　all　the　places　in　here　are　square；〃　muttered　Drake。　〃They　don't　seem　to　have　used　any　spherical　or　pyramidal　ideas　in　their　buildingif　it　is　a　building。〃

It　was　true。　All　was　mathematically　straight　up　and　down　and　across。　It　was　strangestill　we　had　seen　little　as　yet。

There　was　a　warmth　about　this　passageway　we　trod；　a　difference　in　the　air　of　it。　The　warmth　grew；　a　dry　and　baking　heat；　but　stimulative　rather　than　oppressive。　I　touched　the　walls；　the　warmth　did　not　come　from　them。　And　there　was　no　wind。　Yet　as　we　went　on　the　heat　increased。

The　passageway　turned　at　a　right　angle；　continuing　in　a　corridor　half　its　former　dimensions。　Far　away　shone　a　high　bar　of　pale　yellow　radiance；　rising　like　a　pillar　of　light　from　floor　to　roof。　Toward　it；　perforce；　we　trudged。　Its　brilliancy　grew　greater。

A　few　paces　away　from　it　we　stopped。　The　yellow　luminescence　streamed　through　a　slit　not　more　than　a　foot　wide　in　the　wall。　We　were　in　a　cul…de…sac　for　the　opening　was　not　wide　enough　for　either　Drake　or　me　to　push　through。　Through　it　with　the　light　gushed　the　curious　heat　enveloping　us。

Drake　walked　to　the　opening；　peered　through。　I　joined　him。

At　first　all　that　I　could　see　was　a　space　filled　with　the　saffron　lambency。　Then　I　saw　that　this　was　splashed　with　tiny　flashes　of　the　jewel　fires；　little　lances　and　javelin　thrusts　of　burning　emeralds　and　rubies；　darting　gem　hard　flames　rose　scarlet　and　pale　sapphire；　quick　flares　of　violet。

Into　my　sight　through　the　irised；　crocus　mist　swam　the　radiant　body　of　Norhala！

She　stood　naked；　clad　only　in　the　veils　of　her　hair　that　glowed　now　like　spun　silk　of　molten　copper；　her　strange　eyes　wide　and　smiling；　the　galaxies　of　tiny　stars　sparkling　through　their　gray　depths。

And　all　about　her　swirled　a　countless　host　of　the　Little　Things！

From　them　came　the　gem　fires　piercing　the　aureate　mists。　They　played　and　frolicked　about　her　in　scores　of　swiftly　forming；　swiftly　changing；　goblin　shapes。　They　circled　her　feet　in　shining；　elfin　rings；　then　opening　into　flaming　disks　and　stars；　shot　up　and　spun　about　the　white　miracle　of　her　body　in　great　girdles　of　multi…colored　living　fires。　Mingled　with　disk　and　star　were　tiny　crosses　gleaming　with　sullen；　deep　crimsons　and　smoky　orange。

A　flash　of　blue　incandescence　and　a　slender　pillared　shape　leaped　from　the　floor；　became　a　coronet；　a　whirling；　flashing　halo　toward　which　streamed　up　the　flaming　tendrilings　of　her　tresses。　Other　halos　circled　her　arms　and　breasts；　they　spun　like　bracelets　about　the　outstretched　arms。

Then　like　a　swiftly　rushing　wave　a　host　of　the　Little　Things　thrust　themselves　up；　covered　her；　hid　her　in　a　coruscating　cloud。

I　saw　an　exquisite　arm　thrust　itself　from　their　clinging；　wave　gaily；　saw　her　glorious　head　emerge　from　the　incredible；　the　seething　draperies　of　living　jewels。　I　heard　her　laughter；　sweet　and　golden　and　far　away。

Goddess　of　the　Inexplicable！　Madonna　of　the　Metal　Babes！

The　Nursery　of　the　Metal　People！

Norhala　was　gone；　blotted　out　from　our　sight！　Gone　too　were　the　bar　of　light　and　the　chamber　into　which　we　had　been　peering。　We　stared　at　a　smooth；　blank　wall。　With　that　same　ensorcelled　swiftness　the　wall　had　closed　even　as　we　had　stared　through　it；　closed　so　quickly　that　we　had　not　seen　its　motion。

I　gripped　Drake；　shrank　with　him　into　the　farthest　cornerfor　on　the　other　side　of　us　the　wall　was　opening。　First　it　was　only　a　crack；　then　rapidly　it　widened。　There　stretched　another　passageway；　luminous　and　long；　far　down　it　we　glimpsed　movement。　Closer　that　movement　came；　grew　plainer。　Out　of　the　mistily　luminous　distances；　three　abreast　and　filling　the　corridor　from　side　to　side；　raced　upon　us　a　company　of　the　great　spheres！

Back　we　cowered　from　their　approachback　and　back；　arms　outstretched；　pressing　against　the　barrier；　flattening　ourselves　against　the　shock　of　the　destroying　impact　menacing。

〃It's　all　up；〃　muttered　Drake。　〃No　place　to　run。　They're　bound　to　smash　us。　Stick　close；　Doc。　Get　back　to　Ruth。　Maybe　I　can　stop　them！〃

Before　I　could　check　him；　he　had　leaped　straight　in　the　path　of　the　rushing　globes；　now　a　scant　twoscore　yards　away。

The　globes　stoppedhalted　a　few　feet　from　him。　They　seemed　to　contemplate　us；　astonished。　They　turned　upon　themselves；　as　though　consulting。　Slowly　they　advanced。　We　were　pushed　forward　and　lifted　gently。　Then　as　we　hung　suspended；　held　by　that　force　which　always　I　can　liken　only　to　myriads　of　tiny　invisible　hands；　the　shining　arcs　of　their　backs　undulated　beneath　us。

Their　files　swung　around　the　corner　and　marched　down　the　passage　by　which　we　had　come　from　the　immense　hall。　And　when　the　last　rank　had　passed　from　under　us　we　were　dropped　softly　to　our　feet；　stood　swaying　in　their　wake。

A　curious　frenzy　of　helpless　indignation　shook　me；　a　rage　of　humiliation　obscuring　all　gratitude　I　should　have　felt　for　our　escape。　Drake's　eyes　blazed　wrath。

〃The　insolent　devils！〃　He　raised　clenched　fists。　〃The　insolent；　domineering　devils！〃

We　stared　after　them。

Was　the　passage　growing　narrowerclosing？　Even　as　I　gazed　I　saw　it　shrink；　saw　its　walls　slide　silently　toward　each　other。　I　pushed　Drake　into　the　newly　opened　way　and　sprang　after　him。

Behind　us　was　an　unbroken　wall　covering　all　that　space　in　which　but　a　moment　before　we　had　stood！

Is　it　to　be　wondered　that　a　panic　seized　us；　that　we　began　to　run　crazily　down　the　alley　that　still　lay　open　before　us；　casting　over　our　shoulders　quick；　fearful　glances　to　see　whether　that　inexorable；　dreadful　closing　was　continuing；　threatening　to　crush　us　between　these　walls　like　flies　in　a　vise　of　steel？

But　they　did　not　close。　Unbroken；　silent；　the　way　stretched　before　us　and　behind　us。　At　last；　gasping；　avoiding　each　other's　gaze；　we　paused。

And　at　that　very　moment　of　pause　a　deeper　tremor　shook　me；　a　trembling　of　the　very　foundations　of　life；　the　shuddering　of　one　who　faces　the　inconceivable　knowing　at　last　that　the　inconceivableIS。

For；　abruptly；　walls　and　floor　and　roof　broke　forth　into　countless　twinklings！

As　though　a　film　had　been　withdrawn　from　them；　as　though　they　had　awakened　from　slumber；　myriads　of　little　points　of　light　shone　forth　upon　us　from　the　pale…blue　surfaceslights　that　considered　us；　measured　usmocked　us。

The　little　points　of　living　light　that　were　the　eyes　of　the　Metal　People！

This　was　no　corridor　cut　through　inert　matter　by　mechanic　art；　its　opening　had　been　caused　by　no　hidden　mechanisms！　It　was　a　living　Thingwalled　and　floored　and　roofed　by　the　living　bodiesof　the　Metal　People　themselves。

Its　opening；　as　had　been　the　closing　of　that　other　passage；　was　the　conscious；　coordinate　and　voluntary　action　of　the　Things　that　formed　these　mighty　walls。

An　action　that　obeyed；　was　directed　by；　the　incredibly　gigantic；　communistic　will　which；　like　the　spirit　of　the　hive；　the　soul　of　the　formicary；　animated　every　unit　of　them。

A　greater　realization　swept　us。　If　THIS　were　true；　then　those　pillars　in　the　vast　hall；　its　towering　wallsall　this　City　was　one　living　Thing！

Built　of　the　animate　bodies　of　countless　millions！　Tons　upon　countless　tons　of　them　shaping　a　gigantic　pile　of　which　every　atom　was　sentient；　mobileintelligent！

A　Metal　Monster！

Now　I　knew　why　it　was　that　its　frowning　facade　had　seemed　to　watch　us　Argus…eyed　as　the　Things　had　tossed　us　toward　it。　It　HAD　watched　us！

That　flood　of　watchfulness　pulsing　about　us　had　been　actual　concentration　of　regard　of　untold　billions　of　tiny　eyes　of　the　living　block　which　formed　the　City's　cliff。

A　City　that　Saw！　A　City　that　was　Alive！

No　secret　mechanism　thenback　darted　my　mind　to　that　first　terrorhad　closed　the　wall；　shutting　from　our　sight　Norhala　at　play　with　the　Little　Things。　None　had　opened　the　way　for；　had　closed　the　way　behind；　the　coursing　spheres。　It　had　been　done　by　the　conscious　action　of　the　conscious　Things　of　whose　living　bodies　was　built　this　whole　tremendous　thinking　pile！


I　think　that　for　a　moment　we　both　went　a　little　mad　as　that　staggering　truth　came　to　us。　I　know　we　started　to　run　once　more；　side　by　sid