the metal monster-第40部分

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riving　to　hide　themselves　from　us　in　the　mass　that　was　themselves。　They　beat　against　the　barred　doors　of　the　sanctuaries；　they　climbed　the　pillars；　they　swarmed　over　the　golden　roofs。

There　was　a　moment　of　chaosa　chaos　of　which　we　were　the　heart。　Then　temple　and　palace　cracked；　burst；　were　shattered；　fell。　I　caught　glimpses　of　gleaming　sculptures；　glitterings　of　gold　and　of　silver；　flashing　of　gems；　shimmering　of　gorgeous　draperiesunder　them　a　weltering　of　men　and　women。

We　closed　down　upon　themover　them！

The　dreadful　sobbing　ceased。　I　saw　the　head　of　Cherkis　swing　heavily　upon　a　shoulder；　the　eyes　closed。

The　Destroying　Things　touched。　Their　flailing　arms　coiled　back；　withdrew　into　their　bodies。　They　joined；　forming　for　an　instant　a　tremendous　hollow　pillar　far　down　in　whose　center　we　stood。　They　parted；　shifted　in　shape？　rolled　down　the　mount　over　the　ruins　like　a　widening　wave　crushing　into　the　stone　all　over　which　they　passed。

Afar　away　I　saw　the　gleaming　serpent　still　at　play　still　writhing　among；　still　obliterating　the　few　score　scattered　fugitives　that　some　way；　somehow；　had　slipped　by　the　Destroying　Things。

We　halted。　For　one　long　moment　Norhala　looked　upon　the　drooping　body　of　him　upon　whom　she　had　let　fall　this　mighty　vengeance。

Then　the　metal　arm　that　held　Cherkis　whirled。　Thrown　from　it；　the　cloaked　form　flew　like　a　great　blue　bat。　It　fell　upon　the　flattened　mound　that　had　once　been　the　proud　crown　of　his　city。　A　blue　blot　upon　desolation　the　broken　body　of　Cherkis　lay。

A　black　speck　appeared　high　in　the　sky；　grew　fast　the　lammergeier。

〃I　have　left　carrion　for　youafter　all！〃　cried　Norhala。

With　an　ebon　swirling　of　wings　the　vulture　dropped　beside　the　blue　heapthrust　in　it　its　beak。





CHAPTER　XXVII

〃THE　DRUMS　OF　DESTINY〃

Slowly　we　descended　that　mount　of　desolation；　lingeringly；　as　though　the　brooding　eyes　of　Norhala　were　not　yet　sated　with　destruction。　Of　human　life；　of　green　life；　of　life　of　any　kind　there　was　none。

Man　and　tree；　woman　and　flower；　babe　and　bud；　palace；　temple　and　homeNorhala　had　stamped　flat。　She　had　crushed　them　within　the　rockeven　as　she　had　promised。

The　tremendous　tragedy　had　absorbed　my　every　faculty；　I　had　had　no　time　to　think　of　my　companions；　I　had　forgotten　them。　Now　in　the　painful　surges　of　awakening　realization；　of　full　human　understanding　of　that　inhuman　annihilation；　I　turned　to　them　for　strength。　Faintly　I　wondered　again　at　Ruth's　scantiness　of　garb；　her　more　than　half　nudity；　dwelt　curiously　upon　the　red　brand　across　Ventnor's　forehead。

In　his　eyes　and　in　Drake's　I　saw　reflected　the　horror　I　knew　was　in　my　own。　But　in　the　eyes　of　Ruth　was　none　of　thissternly；　coldly　triumphant；　indifferent　to　its　piteousness　as　Norhala　herself；　she　scanned　the　waste　that　less　than　an　hour　since　had　been　a　place　of　living　beauty。

I　felt　a　shock　of　repulsion。　After　all；　those　who　had　been　destroyed　so　ruthlessly　could　not　ALL　have　been　wholly　evil。　Yet　mother　and　blossoming　maid；　youth　and　oldster；　all　the　pageant　of　humanity　within　the　great　walls　were　now　but　lines　within　the　stone。　According　to　their　different　lights；　it　came　to　me；　there　had　been　in　Ruszark　no　greater　number　of　the　wicked　than　one　could　find　in　any　great　city　of　our　own　civilization。

From　Norhala；　of　course；　I　looked　for　no　perception　of　any　of　this。　But　from　Ruth

My　reaction　grew；　the　pity　long　withheld　racing　through　me　linked　with　a　burning　anger；　a　hatred　for　this　woman　who　had　been　the　directing　soul　of　that　catastrophe。

My　gaze　fell　again　upon　the　red　brand。　I　saw　that　it　was　a　deep　indentation　as　though　a　thong　had　been　twisted　around　Ventnor's　head　biting　the　bone。　There　was　dried　blood　on　the　edges；　a　double　ring　of　swollen　white　flesh　rimming　the　cincture。　It　was　the　mark　oftorture！

〃Martin；〃　I　cried。　〃That　ring？　What　did　they　do　to　you？〃

〃They　waked　me　with　that；〃　he　answered　quietly。　〃I　suppose　I　ought　to　be　gratefulalthough　their　intentions　were　not　exactlytherapeutic〃

〃They　tortured　him；〃　Ruth's　voice　was　tense；　bitter；　she　spoke　in　Persianfor　Norhala's　benefit　I　thought　then；　not　guessing　a　deeper　reason。　〃They　tortured　him。　They　gave　him　agony　until　hereturned。　And　they　promised　him　other　agonies　that　would　make　him　pray　long　for　death。

〃And　meme〃she　raised　little　clenched　hands〃me　they　stripped　like　a　slave。　They　led　me　through　the　city　and　the　people　mocked　me。　They　took　me　before　that　swine　Norhala　has　punishedand　stripped　me　before　him　like　a　slave。　Before　my　eyes　they　tortured　my　brother。　Norhalathey　were　evil；　all　evil！　Norhalayou　did　well　to　slay　them！〃

She　caught　the　woman's　hands；　pressed　close　to　her。　Norhala　gazed　at　her　from　great　gray　eyes　in　which　the　wrath　was　dying；　into　which　the　old　tranquillity；　the　old　serenity　was　flowing。　And　when　she　spoke　the　golden　voice　held　more　than　returning　echoes　of　the　far…away；　faint　chimings。

〃It　is　done；〃　she　said。　〃And　it　was　well　donesister。　Now　you　and　I　shall　dwell　together　in　peacesister。　Or　if　there　be　those　in　the　world　from　which　you　came　that　you　would　have　slain；　then　you　and　I　shall　go　forth　with　our　companies　and　stamp　them　outeven　as　I　did　these。〃

My　heart　stopped　beatingfor　from　the　depths　of　Ruth's　eyes　shining　shadows　were　rising；　wraiths　answering　Norhala's　calling；　and；　as　they　rose；　steadily　they　drew　life　from　the　clear　radiance　summoningdrew　closer　to　the　semblance　of　that　tranquil　spirit　which　her　vengeance　had　banished　but　that　had　now　returned　to　its　twin　thrones　of　Norhala's　eyes。

And　at　last　it　was　twin　sister　of　Norhala　who　looked　upon　her　from　the　face　of　Ruth！

The　white　arms　of　the　woman　encircled　her；　the　glorious　head　bent　over　her；　flaming　tresses　mingled　with　tender　brown　curls。

〃Sister！〃　she　whispered。　〃Little　sister！　These　men　you　shall　have　as　long　as　it　pleases　youto　do　with　as　you　will。　Or　if　it　is　your　wish　they　shall　go　back　to　their　world　and　I　will　guard　them　to　its　gates。

〃But　you　and　I；　little　sister；　will　dwell　togetherin　the　vastnessesin　the　peace。　Shall　it　not　be　so？〃

With　no　faltering；　with　no　glance　toward　us　three　lover；　brother；　old　friendRuth　crept　closer　to　her；　rested　her　head　upon　the　virginal；　royal　breasts。

〃It　shall　be　so！〃　she　murmured。　〃Sisterit　shall　be　so。　NorhalaI　am　tired。　NorhalaI　have　seen　enough　of　men。〃

An　ecstasy　of　tenderness；　a　flame　of　unearthly　rapture；　trembled　over　the　woman's　wondrous　face。　Hungrily；　defiantly；　she　pressed　the　girl　to　her；　the　stars　in　the　lucid　heavens　of　her　eyes　were　soft　and　gentle　and　caressing。

〃Ruth！〃　cried　Drakeand　sprang　toward　them。　She　paid　no　heed；　and　even　as　he　leaped　he　was　caught；　whirled　back　against　us。

〃Wait；〃　said　Ventnor；　and　caught　him　by　the　arm　as　wrathfully；　blindedly；　he　strove　against　the　force　that　held　him。　〃Wait。　No　usenow。〃

There　was　a　curious　understanding　in　his　voicea　curious　sympathy；　too；　in　the　patient；　untroubled　gaze　that　dwelt　upon　his　sister　and　this　weirdly　exquisite　woman　who　held　her。

〃Wait！〃　exclaimed　Drake。　〃Waithell！　The　damned　witch　is　stealing　her　away　from　us！〃

Again　he　threw　himself　forward；　recoiled　as　though　swept　back　by　an　invisible　arm；　fell　against　us　and　was　clasped　and　held　by　Ventnor。　And　as　he　struggled　the　Thing　we　rode　halted。　Like　metal　waves　back　into　it　rushed　the　enigmatic　billows　that　had　washed　over　the　fragments　of　the　city。

We　were　lifted；　between　us　and　the　woman　and　girl　a　cleft　appeared；　it　widened　into　a　rift。　It　was　as　though　Norhala　had　decreed　it　as　a　symbol　of　this　her　second　victoryor　had　set　it　between　us　as　a　barrier。


Wider　grew　the　rift。　Save　for　the　bridge　of　our　voices　it　separated　us　from　Ruth　as　though　she　stood　upon　another　world。

Higher　we　rose；　the　three　of　us　now　upon　the　flat　top　of　a　tower　upon　whose　counterpart　fifty　feet　away　and　facing　the　homeward　path；　Ruth　and　Norhala　stood　with　white　arms　interlaced。

The　serpent　shape　flashed　toward　us；　it　vanished　beneath；　merging　into　the　waiting　Thing。

Then　slowly　the　Thing　began　to　move；　quietly　it　glided　to　the　chasm　it　had　blasted　in　the　cliff　wall。　The　shadow　of　those　walls　fell　upon　us。　As　one　we　looked　back；　as　one　we　searched　out　the　patch　of　blue　with　the　black　blot　at　its　breast。

We　found　it；　then　the　precipices　hid　it。　Silently　we　streamed　through　the　chasm；　through　the　canyon　and　the　tunnelspeaking　no　word；　Drake's　eyes　fixed　with　bitter　hatred　upon　Norhala；　Ventnor　brooding　upon　her　always　with　that　enigmatic　sympathy。　We　passed　between　the　walls　of　the　further　cleft；　stood　for　an　instant　at　the　brink　of　the　green　forest。

There　came　to　us　as　though　from　immeasurable　distances；　a　faint；　sustained　thrumminglike　the　beating　of　countless　muffled　drums。　The　Thing　that　carried　us　trembledthe　sound　died　away。　The　Thing　quieted；　it　began　its　steady；　effortless　striding　through　the　crowding　treesbut　now　with　none　of　that　speed　with　which　it　had　come；　spurred　forward　by　Norhala's　awakened　hate。

Ventnor　stirred；　broke　the　silence。　And　now　I　saw　how　wasted　was　his　body；　how　sharpened　his　face；　almost　ethereal；　purged　not　only　by　suffering　but　by；　it　came　to　me；　some　strange　knowledge。

〃No　use；　Drake；〃　he　said　dreamily。　〃All　this　is　now　on　the　knees　of　the　gods。　And　whether　those　gods　are　humanity's　or　whether　they　areGods　of　MetalI　do　not　know。

〃But　this　I　do　knowonly　one　way　or　another　can　the　balance　fall；　and　if　it　be　one　way；　then　you　and　we　shall　have　Ruth　back。　And　if　it　falls　the　other　waythen　there　will　be　little　need　for　us　to　care。　For　man　will　be　done！〃

〃Martin！　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃It　is　the　crisis；〃　he　answered。　〃We　can　do　nothing；　Goodwinnothing。　Whatever　is　to　be　steps　forth　now　from　the　womb　of　Destiny。〃

Again　there　came　that　distant　rollinglouder；　now。　Again　the　Thing　trembled。

〃The　drums；〃　whispered　Ventnor。　〃The　drums　of　destiny。　What　is　it　they　are　heralding？　A　new　birth　of　Earth　and　the　passing　of　man？　A　new　child　to　whom　shall　be　given　dominionnay；　to　whom　has　been　given　dominion？　Or　is　ittapsfor　Them？〃

The　drumming　died　as　I　listenedfearfully。　About　us　was　only　the　swishing；　the　sighing　of　the　falling　trees　beneath　the　tread　of　the　Thing。　Motionless　stood　Norhala；　and　as　motionless　Ruth。

〃Martin；〃　I　cried　once　more；　a　dreadful　doubt　upon　me。　〃Martinwhat　do　you　me