the metal monster-第41部分

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　as　motionless　Ruth。

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

〃Whence　didTheycome？〃　His　voice　was　clear　and　calm；　the　eyes　beneath　the　red　brand　clear　and　quiet；　too。　〃Whence　did　They　comethese　Things　that　carry　us？　That　strode　like　destroying　angels　over　Cherkis's　city？　Are　they　spawn　of　Earthas　we　are？　Or　are　they　foster　childrenchangelings　from　another　star？

〃These　creatures　that　when　many　still　are　onethat　when　one　still　are　many。　Whence　did　They　come？　What　are　They？〃

He　looked　down　upon　the　cubes　that　held　us；　their　hosts　of　tiny　eyes　shone　up　at　him；　enigmaticallyas　though　they　heard　and　understood。

〃I　do　not　forget；〃　he　said。　〃At　least　not　all　do　I　forget　of　what　I　saw　during　that　time　when　I　seemed　an　atom　outside　spaceas　I　told　you；　or　think　I　told　you；　speaking　with　unthinkable　effort　through　lips　that　seemed　eternities　away　from　me；　the　atom；　who　strove　to　open　them。

〃There　were　threevisions；　revelationsI　know　not　what　to　call　them。　And　though　each　seemed　equally　real；　of　two　of　them；　only　one；　I　think；　can　be　true；　and　of　the　thirdthat　may　some　time　be　true　but　surely　is　not　yet。〃


Through　the　air　came　a　louder　drum　rollin　it　something　ominous；　something　sinister。　It　swelled　to　a　crescendo；　abruptly　ceased。　And　now　I　saw　Norhala　raise　her　head；　listen。

〃I　saw　a　world；　a　vast　world；　Goodwin；　marching　stately　through　space。　It　was　no　globeit　was　a　world　of　many　facets；　of　smooth　and　polished　planes；　a　huge　blue　jewel　world；　dimly　luminous；　a　crystal　world　cut　out　from　Aether。　A　geometric　thought　of　the　Great　Cause；　of　God；　if　you　will；　made　material。　It　was　airless；　waterless；　sunless。

〃I　seemed　to　draw　closer　to　it。　And　then　I　saw　that　over　every　facet　patterns　were　traced；　gigantic　symmetrical　designs；　mathematical　hieroglyphs。　In　them　I　read　unthinkable　calculations；　formulas　of　interwoven　universes；　arithmetical　progressions　of　armies　of　stars；　pandects　of　the　motions　of　the　suns。　In　the　patterns　was　an　appalling　harmonyas　though　all　the　laws　from　those　which　guide　the　atom　to　those　which　direct　the　cosmos　were　there　resolved　into　completenesstotalled。

〃The　faceted　world　was　like　a　cosmic　abacist；　tallying　as　it　marched　the　errors　of　the　infinite。

〃The　patterned　symbols　constantly　changed　form。　I　drew　nearerthe　symbols　were　alive。　They　were；　in　untold　numbersThese！〃

He　pointed　to　the　Thing　that　bore　us。

〃I　was　swept　back；　looked　again　upon　it　from　afar。　And　a　fantastic　notion　came　to　mefantasy　it　was；　of　course；　yet　built　I　know　around　a　nucleus　of　strange　truth。　It　was〃his　tone　was　half　whimsical；　half　apologetic　〃it　was　that　this　jeweled　world　was　ridden　by　some　mathematical　god；　driving　it　through　space；　noting　occasionally　with　amused　tolerance　the　very　bad　arithmetic　of　another　Deity　the　reverse　of　mathematicala　more　or　less　haphazard　Deity；　the　god；　in　fact；　of　us　and　the　things　we　call　living。

〃It　had　no　mission；　it　wasn't　at　all　out　to　do　any　reforming；　it　wasn't　in　the　least　concerned　in　rectifying　any　of　the　inaccuracies　of　the　Other。　Only　now　and　then　it　took　note　of　the　deplorable　differences　between　the　worlds　it　saw　and　its　own　impeccably　ordered　and　tidy　temple　with　its　equally　tidy　servitors。

〃Just　an　itinerant　demiurge　of　supergeometry　riding　along　through　space　on　its　perfectly　summed…up　world；　master　of　all　celestial　mechanics；　its　people　independent　of　all　that　complex　chemistry　and　labor　for　equilibrium　by　which　we　live；　needing　neither　air　nor　water；　heeding　neither　heat　nor　cold；　fed　with　the　magnetism　of　interstellar　space　and　stopping　now　and　then　to　banquet　off　the　energy　of　some　great　sun。〃

A　thrill　of　amazement　passed　through　me；　fantasy　all　this　might　be　buthow；　if　so；　had　he　gotten　that　last　thought？　He　had　not　seen；　as　we　had；　the　orgy　in　the　Hall　of　the　Cones；　the　prodigious　feeding　of　the　Metal　Monster　upon　our　sun。

〃That　passed；〃　he　went　on；　unnoticing。　〃I　saw　vast　caverns　filled　with　the　Things；　working；　growing；　multiplying。　In　caverns　of　our　Earththe　fruit　of　some　unguessed　womb？　I　do　not　know。

〃But　in　those　caverns；　under　countless　orbs　of　many　colored　lights〃again　the　thrill　of　amaze　shook　me　〃they　grew。　It　came　to　me　that　they　were　reaching　out　toward　sunlight　and　the　open。　They　burst　into　itinto　yellow；　glowing　sunlight。　Ours？　I　do　not　know。　And　that　picture　passed。〃

His　voice　deepened。

〃There　came　a　third　vision。　I　saw　our　EarthI　knew；　Goodwin；　indisputably；　unmistakably　that　it　was　our　earth。　But　its　rolling　hills　were　leveled；　its　mountains　were　ground　and　shaped　into　cold　and　polished　symbols　geometric；　fashioned。

〃The　seas　were　fettered；　gleaming　like　immense　jewels　in　patterned　settings　of　crystal　shores。　The　very　Polar　ice　was　chiseled。　On　the　ordered　plains　were　traced　the　hieroglyphs　of　the　faceted　world。　And　on　all　Earth；　Goodwin；　there　was　no　green　life；　no　city；　no　trace　of　man。　On　this　Earth　that　had　been　ours　were　onlyThese。

〃Visioning！〃　he　said。　〃Don't　think　that　I　accept　them　in　their　entirety。　Part　truth；　part　illusionthe　groping　mind　dazzled　with　light　of　unfamiliar　truths　and　making　pictures　from　half　light　and　half　shadow　to　help　it　understand。

〃But　stillSOME　truth　in　them。　How　much　I　do　not　know。　But　this　I　do　knowthat　last　vision　was　of　a　cataclysm　whose　beginnings　we　face　nowthis　very　instant。〃

The　picture　flashed　behind　my　own　eyesof　the　walled　city；　its　thronging　people；　its　groves　and　gardens；　its　science　and　its　art；　of　the　Destroying　Shapes　trampling　it　flatand　then　the　dreadful；　desolate　mount。

And　suddenly　I　saw　that　mount　as　Earththe　city　as　Earth's　citiesits　gardens　and　groves　as　Earth's　fields　and　forestsand　the　vanished　people　of　Cherkis　seemed　to　expand　into　all　humanity。

〃But　Martin；〃　I　stammered；　fighting　against　choking；　intolerable　terror；　〃there　was　something　else。　Something　of　the　Keeper　of　the　Cones　and　of　our　striking　through　the　sun　to　destroy　the　Thingssomething　of　them　being　governed　by　the　same　laws　that　govern　us　and　that　if　they　broke　them　they　must　fall。　A　hopea　PROMISE；　that　they　would　NOT　conquer。〃

〃I　remember；〃　he　replied；　〃but　not　clearly。　There　WAS　somethinga　shadow　upon　them；　a　menace。　It　was　a　shadow　that　seemed　to　be　born　of　our　own　worldsome　threatening　spirit　of　earth　hovering　over　them。

〃I　cannot　remember；　it　eludes　me。　Yet　it　is　because　I　remember　but　a　little　of　it　that　I　say　those　drums　may　not　betapsfor　us。〃


As　though　his　words　had　been　a　cue；　the　sounds　again　burst　forthno　longer　muffled　nor　faint。　They　roared；　they　seemed　to　pelt　through　air　and　drop　upon　us；　they　beat　about　our　ears　with　thunderous　tattoo　like　covered　caverns　drummed　upon　by　Titans　with　trunks　of　great　trees。

The　drumming　did　not　die；　it　grew　louder；　more　vehement；　defiant　and　deafening。　Within　the　Thing　under　us　a　mighty　pulse　began　to　throb；　accelerating　rapidly　to　the　rhythm　of　that　clamorous　roll。

I　saw　Norhala　draw　herself　up；　sharply；　stand　listening　and　alert。　Under　me；　the　throbbing　turned　to　an　uneasy　churning；　a　ferment。

〃Drums？〃　muttered　Drake。　〃THEY'RE　no　drums。　It's　drum　fire。　It's　like　a　dozen　Marnes；　a　dozen　Verduns。　But　where　could　batteries　like　those　come　from？〃

〃Drums；〃　whispered　Ventnor。　〃They　ARE　drums。　The　drums　of　Destiny！〃

Louder　the　roaring　grew。　Now　it　was　a　tremendous　rhythmic　cannonading。　The　Thing　halted。　The　tower　that　upheld　Ruth　and　Norhala　swayed；　bent　over　the　gap　between　us；　touched　the　top　on　which　we　rode。

Gently　the　two　were　plucked　up；　swiftly　they　were　set　beside　us。

Came　a　shrill；　keen　wailinglouder　than　ever　I　had　heard　before。　There　was　an　earthquake　trembling；　a　maelstrom　swirling　in　which　we　spun；　a　swift　sinking。

The　Thing　split　in　two。　Up　before　us　rose　a　stupendous；　stepped　pyramid；　little　smaller　it　was　than　that　which　Cheops　built　to　throw　its　shadows　across　holy　Nile。　Into　it　streamed；　over　it　clicked；　score　upon　score　of　cubes；　building　it　higher　and　higher。　It　lurched　forwardaway　from　us。

From　Norhala　came　a　single　cryresonant；　blaring　like　a　wrathful；　golden　trumpet。

The　speeding　shape　halted；　hesitated；　it　seemed　about　to　return。　Crashed　down　upon　us　an　abrupt　crescendo　of　the　distant　drumming；　peremptory；　commanding。　The　shape　darted　forward；　raced　away　crushing　to　straw　the　trees　beneath　it　in　a　full　quarter…mile…wide　swath。

Great　gray　eyes　wide；　filled　with　incredulous　wonder；　stunned　disbelief；　Norhala　for　an　instant　faltered。　Then　out　of　her　white　throat；　through　her　red　lips　pelted　a　tempest　of　staccato　buglings。

Under　them　what　was　left　of　the　Thing　leaped；　tore　on。　Norhala's　flaming　hair　crackled　and　streamed；　about　her　body　of　milk　and　pearlabout　Ruth's　creamy　skina　radiant　nimbus　began　to　glow。

In　the　distance　I　saw　a　sapphire　spark；　knew　it　for　Norhala's　home。　Not　far　from　it　now　was　the　rushing　pyramidand　it　came　to　me　that　within　that　shape　was　strangely　neither　globe　nor　pyramid。　Nor　except　for　the　trembling　cubes　that　made　the　platform　on　which　we　stood；　did　the　shrunken　Thing　carrying　us　hold　any　unit　of　the　Metal　Monster　except　its　spheres　and　tetrahedrons　at　least　within　its　visible　bulk。

The　sapphire　spark　had　grown　to　a　glimmering　azure　marble。　Steadily　we　gained　upon　the　pyramid。　Never　for　an　instant　ceased　that　scourging　hail　of　notes　from　Norhala　never　for　an　instant　lessened　the　drumming　clamor　that　seemed　to　try　to　smother　them。

The　sapphire　marble　became　a　sapphire　ball；　a　great　globe。　I　saw　the　Thing　we　sought　to　join　lift　itself　into　a　prodigious　pillar；　the　pillar's　base　thrust　forth　stilts；　upon　them　the　Thing　stepped　over　the　blue　dome　of　Norhala's　house。

The　blue　bubble　was　close；　now　it　curved　below　us。　Gently　we　were　lifted　down；　were　set　before　its　portal。　I　looked　up　at　the　bulk　that　had　carried　us。

I　had　been　rightbuilt　it　was　only　of　globe　and　pyramid；　an　inconceivably　grotesque　shape；　it　hung　over　us。

Throughout　the　towering　Shape　was　awful　movement；　its　units　writhed　within　it。　Then　it　was　lost　to　sight　in　the　mists　through　which　the　Thing　we　had　pursued　had　gone。

In　Norhala's　face　as　she　watched　it　go　was　a　dismay；　a　poignant　uncertainty；　that　held　in　it　something　indescribably　pitiful。

〃I　am　afraid！〃　I　heard　her　whisper。

She　tightened　her　grasp　upon　dreaming　Ruth；　motion