the metal monster-第4部分

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ss。　We　stepped　out　into　a　blaze　of　sunlight。

Before　us　lay　a　wide　green　bowl　held　in　the　hands　of　the　clustered　hills；　shallow；　circular；　as　though；　while　plastic　still；　the　thumb　of　God　had　run　round　its　rim；　shaping　it。　Around　it　the　peaks　crowded；　craning　their　lofty　heads　to　peer　within。

It　was　about　a　mile　in　its　diameter；　this　hollow；　as　my　gaze　then　measured　it。　It　had　three　openingsone　that　lay　like　a　crack　in　the　northeast　slope；　another；　the　tunnel　mouth　through　which　we　had　come。　The　third　lifted　itself　out　of　the　bowl；　creeping　up　the　precipitous　bare　scarp　of　the　western　barrier　straight　to　the　north；　clinging　to　the　ochreous　rock　up　and　up　until　it　vanished　around　a　far　distant　shoulder。

It　was　a　wide　and　bulwarked　road；　a　road　that　spoke　as　clearly　as　though　it　had　tongue　of　human　hands　which　had　cut　it　there　in　the　mountain's　breast。　An　ancient　road　weary　beyond　belief　beneath　the　tread　of　uncounted　years。

From　the　hollow　the　blind　soul　of　loneliness　groped　out　to　greet　us！

Never　had　I　felt　such　loneliness　as　that　which　lapped　the　lip　of　the　verdant　bowl。　It　was　tangibleas　though　it　had　been　poured　from　some　reservoir　of　misery。　A　pool　of　despair


Half　the　width　of　the　valley　away　the　ruins　began。　Weirdly　were　they　its　visible　expression。　They　huddled　in　two　bent　rows　to　the　bottom。　They　crouched　in　a　wide　cluster　against　the　cliffs。　From　the　cluster　a　curving　row　of　them　ran　along　the　southern　crest　of　the　hollow。

A　flight　of　shattered；　cyclopean　steps　lifted　to　a　ledge　and　here　a　crumbling　fortress　stood。

Irresistibly　did　the　ruins　seem　a　colossal　hag；　flung　prone；　lying　listlessly；　helplessly；　against　the　barrier's　base。　The　huddled　lower　ranks　were　the　legs；　the　cluster　the　body；　the　upper　row　an　outflung　arm　and　above　the　neck　of　the　stairway　the　ancient　fortress；　rounded　and　with　two　huge　ragged　apertures　in　its　northern　front　was　an　aged；　bleached　and　withered　head　staring；　watching。

I　looked　at　Drakethe　spell　of　the　bowl　was　heavy　upon　him；　his　face　drawn。　The　Chinaman　and　Tibetan　were　murmuring；　terror　written　large　upon　them。

〃A　hell　of　a　joint！〃　Drake　turned　to　me；　a　shadow　of　a　grin　lightening　the　distress　on　his　face。　〃But　I'd　rather　chance　it　than　go　back。　What　d'you　say？〃

I　nodded；　curiosity　mastering　my　oppression。　We　stepped　over　the　rim；　rifles　on　the　alert。　Close　behind　us　crowded　the　two　servants　and　the　ponies。

The　vale　was　shallow；　as　I　have　said。　We　trod　the　fragments　of　an　olden　approach　to　the　green　tunnel　so　the　descent　was　not　difficult。　Here　and　there　beside　the　path　upreared　huge　broken　blocks。　On　them　I　thought　I　could　see　faint　tracings　as　of　carvingsnow　a　suggestion　of　gaping；　arrow…fanged　dragon　jaws；　now　the　outline　of　a　scaled　body；　a　hint　of　enormous；　batlike　wings。

Now　we　had　reached　the　first　of　the　crumbling　piles　that　stretched　down　into　the　valley's　center。

Half　fainting；　I　fell　against　Drake；　clutching　to　him　for　support。

A　stream　of　utter　hopelessness　was　racing　upon　us；　swirling　and　eddying　around　us；　reaching　to　our　hearts　with　ghostly　fingers　dripping　with　despair。　From　every　shattered　heap　it　seemed　to　pour；　rushing　down　the　road　upon　us　like　a　torrent；　engulfing　us；　submerging；　drowning。

Unseen　it　wasyet　tangible　as　water；　it　sapped　the　life　from　every　nerve。　Weariness　filled　me；　a　desire　to　drop　upon　the　stones；　to　be　rolled　away。　To　die。　I　felt　Drake's　body　quivering　even　as　mine；　knew　that　he　was　drawing　upon　every　reserve　of　strength。

〃Steady；〃　he　muttered。　〃Steady〃

The　Tibetan　shrieked　and　fled；　the　ponies　scrambling　after　him。　Dimly　I　remembered　that　mine　carried　precious　specimens；　a　surge　of　anger　passed；　beating　back　the　anguish。　I　heard　a　sob　from　Chiu…Ming；　saw　him　drop。

Drake　stopped；　drew　him　to　his　feet。　We　placed　him　between　us；　thrust　each　an　arm　through　his　own。　Then；　like　swimmers；　heads　bent；　we　pushed　on；　buffeting　that　inexplicable　invisible　flood。

As　the　path　rose；　its　force　lessened；　my　vitality　grew；　and　the　terrible　desire　to　yield　and　be　swept　away　waned。　Now　we　had　reached　the　foot　of　the　cyclopean　stairs；　now　we　were　half　up　themand　now　as　we　struggled　out　upon　the　ledge　on　which　the　watching　fortress　stood；　the　clutching　stream　shoaled　swiftly；　the　shoal　became　safe；　dry　land　and　the　cheated；　unseen　maelstrom　swirled　harmlessly　beneath　us。

We　stood　erect；　gasping　for　breath；　again　like　swimmers　who　have　fought　their　utmost　and　barely；　so　barely；　won。

There　was　an　almost　imperceptible　movement　at　the　side　of　the　ruined　portal。

Out　darted　a　girl。　A　rifle　dropped　from　her　hands。　Straight　she　sped　toward　me。

And　as　she　ran　I　recognized　her。

Ruth　Ventnor！

The　flying　figure　reached　me；　threw　soft　arms　around　my　neck；　was　weeping　in　relieved　gladness　on　my　shoulder。

〃Ruth！〃　I　cried。　〃What　on　earth　are　YOU　doing　here？〃

〃Walter！〃　she　sobbed。　〃Walter　GoodwinOh；　thank　God！　Thank　God！〃

She　drew　herself　from　my　arms；　catching　her　breath；　laughed　shakily。

I　took　swift　stock　of　her。　Save　for　fear　upon　her；　she　was　the　same　Ruth　I　had　known　three　years　before；　wide；　deep　blue　eyes　that　were　now　all　seriousness；　now　sparkling　wells　of　mischief；　petite；　rounded　and　tender；　the　fairest　skin；　an　impudent　little　nose；　shining　clusters　of　intractable　curls；　all　human；　sparkling　and　sweet。

Drake　coughed；　insinuatingly。　I　introduced　him。

〃II　watched　you　struggling　through　that　dreadful　pit。〃　She　shuddered。　〃I　could　not　see　who　you　were；　did　not　know　whether　friend　or　enemybut　oh；　my　heart　almost　died　in　pity　for　you；　Walter；〃　she　breathed。　〃What　can　it　beTHERE？〃

I　shook　my　head。

〃Martin　could　not　see　you；〃　she　went　on。　〃He　was　watching　the　road　that　leads　above。　But　I　ran　downto　help。〃

〃Mart　watching？〃　I　asked。　〃Watching　for　what？〃

〃I〃　she　hesitated　oddly。　〃I　think　I'd　rather　tell　you　before　him。　It's　so　strangeso　incredible。〃

She　led　us　through　the　broken　portal　and　into　the　fortress。　It　was　more　gigantic　even　than　I　had　thought。　The　floor　of　the　vast　chamber　we　had　entered　was　strewn　with　fragments　fallen　from　the　crackling；　stone…vaulted　ceiling。　Through　the　breaks　light　streamed　from　the　level　above　us。

We　picked　our　way　among　the　debris　to　a　wide　crumbling　stairway；　crept　up　it；　Ruth　flitting　ahead。　We　came　out　opposite　one　of　the　eye…like　apertures。　Black　against　it；　perched　high　upon　a　pile　of　blocks；　I　recognized　the　long；　lean　outline　of　Ventnor；　rifle　in　hand；　gazing　intently　up　the　ancient　road　whose　windings　were　plain　through　the　opening。　He　had　not　heard　us。

〃Martin；〃　called　Ruth　softly。

He　turned。　A　shaft　of　light　from　a　crevice　in　the　gap's　edge　struck　his　face；　flashing　it　out　from　the　semidarkness　of　the　corner　in　which　he　crouched。　I　looked　into　the　quiet　gray　eyes；　upon　the　keen　face。

〃Goodwin！〃　he　shouted；　tumbling　down　from　his　perch；　shaking　me　by　the　shoulders。　〃If　I　had　been　in　the　way　of　prayingyou're　the　man　I'd　have　prayed　for。　How　did　you　get　here？〃

〃Just　wandering；　Mart；〃　I　answered。　〃But　Lord！　I'm　sure　GLAD　to　see　you。〃

〃Which　way　did　you　come？〃　he　asked；　keenly。　I　threw　my　hand　toward　the　south。

〃Not　through　that　hollow？〃　he　asked　incredulously。

〃And　some　hell　of　a　place　to　get　through；〃　Drake　broke　in。　〃It　cost　us　our　ponies　and　all　my　ammunition。〃

〃Richard　Drake；〃　I　said。　〃Son　of　old　Alvinyou　knew　him；　Mart。〃

〃Knew　him　well；〃　cried　Ventnor；　seizing　Dick's　hand。　〃Wanted　me　to　go　to　Kamchatka　to　get　some　confounded　sort　of　stuff　for　one　of　his　devilish　experiments。　Is　he　well？〃

〃He's　dead；〃　replied　Dick　soberly。

〃Oh！〃　said　Ventnor。　〃OhI'm　sorry。　He　was　a　great　man。〃

Briefly　I　acquainted　him　with　my　wanderings；　my　encounter　with　Drake。

〃That　place　out　there〃　he　considered　us　thoughtfully。　〃Damned　if　I　know　what　it　is。　Thought　maybe　it's　gas　of　a　sort。　If　it　hadn't　been　for　it　we'd　have　been　out　of　this　hole　two　days　ago。　I'm　pretty　sure　it　must　be　gas。　And　it　must　be　much　less　than　it　was　this　morning；　for　then　we　made　an　attempt　to　get　through　againand　couldn't。〃

I　was　hardly　listening。　Ventnor　had　certainly　advanced　a　theory　of　our　unusual　symptoms　that　had　not　occurred　to　me。　That　hollow　might　indeed　be　a　pocket　into　which　a　gas　flowed；　just　as　in　the　mines　the　deadly　coal　damp　collects　in　pits；　flows　like　a　stream　along　the　passages。　It　might　be　thatsome　odorless；　colorless　gas　of　unknown　qualities；　and　yet

〃Did　you　try　respirators？〃　asked　Dick。

〃Surely；〃　said　Ventnor。　〃First　off　the　go。　But　they　weren't　of　any　use。　The　gas；　if　it　is　gas；　seems　to　operate　as　well　through　the　skin　as　through　the　nose　and　mouth。　We　just　couldn't　make　itand　that's　all　there　is　to　it。　But　if　you　made　itcould　we　try　it　now；　do　you　think？〃　he　asked　eagerly。

I　felt　myself　go　white。

〃Notnot　for　a　little　while；〃　I　stammered。

He　nodded；　understandingly。

〃I　see；〃　he　said。　〃Well；　we'll　wait　a　bit；　then。〃

〃But　why　are　you　staying　here？　Why　didn't　you　make　for　the　road　up　the　mountain？　What　are　you　watching　for；　anyway？〃　asked　Drake。

〃Go　to　it；　Ruth；〃　Ventnor　grinned。　〃Tell　'em。　After　all　it　was　YOUR　party　you　know。〃

〃Mart！〃　she　cried；　blushing。

〃Wellit　wasn't　ME　they　admired；〃　he　laughed。

〃Martin！〃　she　cried　again；　and　stamped　her　foot。

〃Shoot；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　busy。　I've　got　to　watch。〃

〃Well〃Ruth's　voice　was　uncertain〃we'd　been　hunting　up　in　Kashmir。　Martin　wanted　to　come　over　somewhere　here。　So　we　crossed　the　passes。　That　was　about　a　month　ago。　The　fourth　day　out　we　ran　across　what　looked　like　a　road　running　south。

〃We　thought　we'd　take　it。　It　looked　sort　of　old　and　lost　but　it　was　going　the　way　we　wanted　to　go。　It　took　us　first　into　a　country　of　little　hills；　then　to　the　very　base　of　the　great　range　itself；　finally　into　the　mountainsand　then　it　ran　blank。〃

〃Bing！〃　interjected　Ventnor；　looking　around　for　a　moment。　〃Bingjust　like　that。　Slap　dash　against　a　prodigious　fall　of　rock。　We　couldn't　get　over　it。〃

〃So　we　cast　about　to　find　another　road；〃　went　on　Ruth。　〃All　we　could　strike　werejust　strikes。〃

〃No　fish　on　the　end　of　'em；〃　said　Ventnor。　〃God！　But　I'm　glad　to　see　you；　Walter　Goodwin。　Believe　me；　I　am。　Howevergo　on；　Ruth。〃

〃At　the　end　of　the　second　week；〃　she　said；　〃we　knew　we　were　lost。　We　were　deep　in　the　heart　of　the　range。　All　around　us　was　a　forest　of　enorm