the metal monster-第33部分

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s　of　tiny　golden　star　bells　could　be　named。

Toward　source　of　light　and　sound　we　moved；　nor　could　we　have　halted　nor　withdrawn　had　we　willed；　the　radiance　drew　us　to　it　as　the　sun　the　water　drop；　and　irresistibly　the　sweet；　unearthly　music　called。　Closer　we　cameit　was　a　narrow　alcove　from　which　sound　and　light　poured　into　it　we　creptand　went　no　further。

We　peered　into　a　vast　and　columnless　vault；　a　limitless　temple　of　light。　High　up　in　it；　strewn　manifold；　danced　and　shone　soft　orbs　like　tender　suns。　No　pale　gilt　luminaries　of　frozen　rays　were　these。　Effulgent；　jubilant；　they　flamedorbs　red　as　wine　of　rubies　that　Djinns　of　Al　Shiraz　press　from　his　enchanted　vineyards　of　jewels；　twin　orbs　rosy　white　as　breasts　of　pampered　Babylonian　maids；　orbs　of　pulsing　opalescences　and　orbs　of　the　murmuring　green　of　bursting　buds　of　spring；　crocused　orbs　and　orbs　of　royal　coral；　suns　that　throbbed　with　singing　rays　of　wedded　rose　and　pearl　and　of　sapphires　and　topazes　amorous；　orbs　born　of　cool　virginal　dawns　and　of　imperial　sunsets　and　orbs　that　were　the　tuliped　fruit　of　mating　rainbows　of　fire。

They　danced；　these　countless　aureoles；　they　swung　and　threaded　in　radiant　choral　patterns；　in　linked　harmonies　of　light。　And　as　they　danced　their　gay　rays　caressed　and　bathed　myriads　of　the　Metal　Folk　open　beneath　them。　Under　the　rays　the　jewel　fires　of　disk　and　star　and　cross　leaped　and　pulsed　and　danced　to　the　same　bright　rhythm。

We　sought　the　source　of　the　musica　tremendous　thing　of　shimmering　crystal　pipes　like　some　colossal　organ。　Out　of　the　radiance　around　it　great　flames　gathered；　shook　into　sight　with　streamings　and　pennonings；　in　bannerets　and　bandrols；　leaped　upon　the　crystal　pipes；　and　merged　within　them。

And　as　the　pipes　drank　them　the　flames　changed　into　sound！

Throbbing　bass　viols　of　roaring　vernal　winds；　diapasons　of　waterfall　and　torrentsthese　had　been　flames　of　emerald；　flaming　trumpetings　of　desire　that　had　been　great　streamers　of　scarletrose　flames　that　had　dissolved　into　echoes　of　fulfillment；　diamond　burgeonings　that　melted　into　silver　symphonies　like　mist　entangled　Pleiades　transmuted　into　melodies；　chameleon　harmonies　to　which　the　strange　suns　danced。

And　now　I　sawrealizing　with　a　clutch　of　indescribable　awe；　with　a　sense　of　inexplicable　profanation　the　secret　of　this　ensorcelled　chamber。

Within　every　pulsing　rose　of　irised　fire　that　was　the　heart　of　a　disk；　from　every　rubrous；　clipped　rose　of　a　cross；　and　from　every　rayed　purple　petaling　of　a　star　there　nestled　a　tiny　disk；　a　tiny　cross；　a　tiny　star；　luminous　and　symboled　even　as　those　that　cradled　them。

The　Metal　Babes　building　like　crystals　from　hearts　of　radiance　beneath　the　play　of　jocund　orbs！

Incredible　blossomings　of　crystal　and　of　metal　whose　lullabies　and　cradle　songs　were　singing　symphonies　of　flame。

It　was　the　birth　chamber　of　the　City！

The　womb　of　the　Metal　Monster！

Abruptly　the　walls　of　the　niche　sparkled　out；　the　glittering　eye　points　regarding　us　with　a　most　disquieting　suggestion　of　sentinels　who；　slumbering；　had　been　caught　unaware；　and　now　awakening　challenged　us。　Swiftly　the　niche　closedso　swiftly　that　barely　had　we　time　to　spring　over　its　threshold　into　the　corridor。

The　corridor　was　awakealive！

The　power　darted　out；　gripped　us。　Up　it　swept　us　and　on。　Far　away　a　square　of　light　appeared；　grew　quickly　larger。　Framed　in　it　was　the　amethystine　burning　of　the　great　ring　that　girdled　the　encircling　cliffs。

I　turned　my　headbehind　us　the　corridor　was　closing！

Now　the　opening　was　so　close　that　through　it　I　could　see　the　vast　panorama　of　the　valley。　The　wall　behind　us　touched　us；　pushed　us　on。　We　thrust　ourselves　against　it；　despairingly。　As　well　might　flies　have　tried　to　press　back　a　moving　mountain。

Resistingly；　inexorably　we　were　pressed　forward。　Now　we　cowered　within　a　yard…deep　niche；　now　we　trembled　upon　a　foot…wide　ledge。

Shuddering；　gasping；　we　glared　down　the　sheer　drop　of　the　City's　wall。　The　smooth　and　glimmering　scarp　fell　thousands　of　feet　straight　to　the　valley　floor。　And　there　were　no　merciful　mists　to　hide　what　awaited　us　there；　no　mists　anywhere。　In　that　brief；　agonized　glance　every　detail　of　the　Pit　was　disclosed　with　an　abnormal　clarity。

We　tottered　on　the　brink。　The　ledge　melted。

Down；　down　we　plunged；　locked　in　each　other's　arms；　hurtling　to　the　shattering　death　so　far　below！





CHAPTER　XXIII

THE　TREACHERY　OF　YURUK

Was　it　true　that　Time　is　within　ourselvesthat　like　Space；　its　twin；　it　is　only　a　self…created　illusion　of　the　human　mind？　There　are　hours　that　flash　by　on　hummingbird　wings；　there　are　seconds　that　shuffle　on　shod　in　leaden　shoes。

Was　it　true　that　when　death　faces　us　the　consciousness　finds　power　through　its　will　to　live　to　conquer　the　illusion　to　prolong　Time？　That；　recoiling　from　oblivion；　we　can　recreate　in　a　fractional　moment　whole　years　gone　past；　years　yet　to　comestriving　to　lengthen　our　existence；　stretching　out　our　apperception　beyond　the　phantom　boundaries；　overdrawing　upon　a　Barmecide　deposit　of　minutes；　staking　fresh　claims　upon　a　mirage？

How　else　explain　the　seeming　slowness　with　which　we　were　fallingthe　seeming　leisureness　with　which　the　wall　drifted　up　past　us？

And　was　this　punishmenta　sentence　meted　out　for　profaning　with　our　eyes　a　forbidden　place；　a　penalty　for　touching　with　our　gaze　the　ark　of　the　Metal　Tribes　their　holy　of　holiesthe　budding　place　of　the　Metal　Babes？

The　valley　was　swingingswinging　in　slow　broad　curves；　was　oscillating　dizzily。

Slowly　the　colossal　wall　slipped　upward。

Realization　swept　me；　left　me　amazed；　only　half　believing。　This　was　no　illusion。　After　that　first　swift　plunge　our　fall　had　been　checked。　We　were　swingingnot　the　valley。

Deliberately；　in　wide　arcs　like　pendulums；　we　were　swinging　across　the　City's　scarp；　three　feet　out　from　it；　and　as　we　swung；　slowly　sinking。

And　now　I　saw　the　countless　eyes　of　the　watching　wall　again　were　twinkling；　regarding　us　with　impish　mockery。

It　was　the　grip　of　the　living　wall　that　held　us；　that　rocked　us　from　side　to　side　as　though　giving　greater　breadths　of　it　chance　to　behold　us；　that　was　dropping　us　gently；　carefully；　to　the　valley　floor　now　a　scant　two　thousand　feet　below。

A　storm　of　rage；　of　intensest　resentment　swept　me；　as　once　before　any　gratitude　I　should　have　felt　for　escape　was　submerged　in　the　utter　humiliation　with　which　it　was　charged。

I　shook　my　fists　at　the　twinkling　wall；　strove　to　kick　and　smite　it　like　an　angry　child；　cursed　itnot　childishly。　Dared　it　to　hurl　me　down　to　death。

I　felt　Drake's　hand　touch　mine。

〃Steady；〃　he　said。　〃Steady；　old　boy。　It's　no　use。　Steady。　Look　down。〃

Hot　with　shame　for　my　outburst；　weak　from　its　violence；　I　obeyed。　The　valley　floor　was　not　more　than　a　thousand　feet　away。　Thronging　about　where　we　must　at　last　touch；　clustered　and　seething；　was　a　multitude　of　the　Metal　Things。　They　seemed　to　be　looking　up　at　us；　watching；　waiting　for　us。

〃Reception　committee；〃　grinned　Drake。

I　glanced　away；　over　the　valley。　It　was　luminously　clear；　yet　the　sky　was　overcast；　no　stars　showing。　The　light　was　no　stronger　than　that　of　the　moon　at　full；　but　it　held　a　quality　unfamiliar　to　me。　It　cast　no　shadows；　though　soft；　it　was　piercing；　revealing　all　it　bathed　with　the　distinctness　of　bright　sunshine。　The　illumination　came；　I　thought；　from　the　encircling　veils　falling　from　the　band　of　amethyst。

And；　as　I　peered；　out　of　the　veils　and　far　away　sped　a　violet　spark。　With　meteor　speed　it　flew　toward　us。　Close　to　the　base　of　the　vast　facade　it　landed　with　a　flashing　of　blue　incandescence。　I　knew　it　for　one　of　the　Flying　Things；　the　Mark　Makersone　of　the　incredible　messengers。

Close　upon　its　fall　came　increase　in　the　turmoil　of　the　crowding　throng　awaiting　us。　Came；　too；　an　abrupt　change　in　our　own　motion。　The　long　arcs　lessened。　We　were　dropped　more　swiftly。

Far　away　in　the　direction　from　which　the　Flying　Thing　had　flown　I　sensed　another　movement；　something　coming　that　carried　with　it　subtle　suggestion　of　unlikeness　to　all　the　other　incessant；　linked　movement　over　the　pit。　Closer　it　drew。

〃Norhala！〃　gasped　Drake。

Robed　in　her　silken　amber　swathings；　red…copper　hair　streaming；　woven　with　elfin　sparklings；　she　was　racing　toward　the　City　like　some　lovely　witch；　riding　upon　the　back　of　a　steed　of　huge　cubes。

Nearer　she　raced。　More　direct　became　our　fall。　Now　we　were　dropping　as　though　at　the　end　of　an　unreeling　plummet　cord；　the　floor　of　the　valley　was　no　more　than　two　hundred　feet　below。

〃Norhala！〃　we　shouted；　and　again　and　againagain　〃Norhala！〃

Before　our　cries　could　have　reached　her　the　cubes　swerved；　came　to　a　halt　beneath　us。　Through　the　hundred　feet　of　space　between　I　caught　the　brilliancy　of　the　weird　constellations　in　Norhala's　great　eyessaw　with　a　vague　but　no　less　dire　foreboding　that　on　her　face　dwelt　a　terrifying；　a　blasting　wrath。

As　softly　as　though　by　the　hand　of　a　giant　of　cloud　we　were　lifted　out　from　the　wall；　and　were　set　with　no　perceptible　shock　beside　her　on　the　back　of　the　cubes。

〃Norhala〃　I　stopped。　For　this　was　no　Norhala　whom　we　had　known。　Gone　was　all　calm；　vanished　every　trace　of　unearthly　tranquillity。　It　was　a　Norhala　awakened　at　lastall　human。

Yet　in　the　still　rage　that　filled　her　I　sensed　a　force；　an　intensity；　more　than　human。　Over　the　blazing　eyes　the　brows　were　knit　in　a　rigid；　golden　bar；　the　delicate　nostrils　were　pinched；　the　sweet　red　mouth　was　white　and　merciless。　It　was　as　though　in　its　long　sleep　her　human　self　had　gathered　more　than　human　strength；　and　that　now；　awakened　and　unleashed；　the　violence　of　its　rage　touched　the　vibrant　zenith　of　that　sphere　of　which　her　quiet　had　been　the　nadir。


She　was　like　an　urn　filled　and　flaming　with　the　fires　of　the　Gods　of　wrath。

What　was　it　that　had　awakened　herwhat　in　awakening　had　changed　the　inpouring　human　consciousness　into　this　flood　of　fury？　Foreboding　gripped　me。

〃Norhala！〃　My　voice　was　shaking。　〃Those　we　left〃

〃They　are　gone！〃　The　golden　voice　was　octaves　deeper；　vibrant；　throbbing　with　that　muffled；　menacing　note　that　must　have　pulsed　from　the　golden　tambours　that　summoned　to　battle　Timur's　fierce　hordes。　〃They　weretaken。〃

〃Taken！〃　I　gasped。　〃Taken　by　whatthese？〃　I　swept　my　hands　out　toward　the　Metal　T