the metal monster-第45部分

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om　which　streamed　the　silent　torrents　of　that　released；　unknown　force　which；　concentrate　and　bound；　had　been　the　cones。

As　though　it　was　the　Monster's　shining　life…blood　it　poured；　raising　ever　higher　in　its　swift　flooding　the　level　radiant　lake。

Lower　and　lower　sank　the　immense　bulk；　squattered　and　spread；　ever　loweringabout　its　helpless；　patient　crouching　something　ineffably　piteous；　something　indescribably；　COSMICALLY　tragic。

Abruptly　the　watching　orbs　shook　under　a　hail　of　sparkling　atoms　streaming　down　from　the　glittering　sky；　raining　upon　the　lambent　lake。　So　thick　they　fell　that　now　the　brooding　luminaries　were　dim　aureoles　within　them。

From　the　Pit　came　a　blinding；　insupportable　brilliancy。　From　every　rigid　tower　gleamed　out　jeweled　fires；　their　clinging　units　opened　into　blazing　star　and　disk　and　cross。　The　City　was　a　hill　of　living　gems　over　which　flowed　torrents　of　pale　molten　gold。

The　Pit　blazed。


There　followed　an　appalling　tensity；　a　prodigious　gathering　of　force；　a　panic　stirring　concentration　of　energy。　Thicker　fell　the　clouds　of　sparkling　atomshigher　rose　the　yellow　flood。

Ventnor　cried　out。　I　could　not　hear　him；　but　I　read　his　purposeand　so　did　Drake。　Up　on　his　broad　shoulders　he　swung　Ruth　as　though　she　had　been　a　child。　Back　through　the　throbbing　veils　we　ran；　passed　out　of　them。

〃Back！〃　shouted　Ventnor。　〃Back　as　far　as　you　can！〃

On　we　raced；　we　reached　the　gateway　of　the　cliffs；　we　dashed　on　and　onup　the　shining　roadway　toward　the　blue　globe　now　a　scant　mile　before　us；　ran　sobbing；　panting　ran；　we　knew；　for　our　lives。

Out　of　the　Pit　came　a　soundI　cannot　describe　it！

An　unutterably　desolate；　dreadful　wail　of　despair；　it　shuddered　past　us　like　the　groaning　of　a　broken…hearted　staranguished　and　awesome。

It　died。　There　rushed　upon　us　a　sea　of　that　incredible　loneliness；　that　longing　for　extinction　that　had　assailed　us　in　the　haunted　hollow　where　first　we　had　seen　Norhala。　But　its　billows　were　resistless；　invincible。　Beneath　them　we　fell；　were　torn　by　desire　for　swift　death。

Dimly；　through　fainting　eyes；　I　saw　a　dazzling　brilliancy　fill　the　sky；　heard　with　dying　ears　a　chaotic；　blasting　roar。　A　wave　of　air　thicker　than　water　caught　us　up；　hurled　us　hundreds　of　yards　forward。　It　dropped　us；　in　its　wake　rushed　another　wave；　withering；　scorching。

It　raced　over　us。　Scorching　though　it　was；　within　its　heat　was　energizing；　revivifying　force；　something　that　slew　the　deadly　despair　and　fed　the　fading　fires　of　life。

I　staggered　to　my　feet；　looked　back。　The　veils　were　gone。　The　precipice　walled　gateway　they　had　curtained　was　filled　with　a　Plutonic　glare　as　though　it　opened　into　the　incandescent　heart　of　a　volcano。

Ventnor　clutched　my　shoulder；　spun　me　around。　He　pointed　to　the　sapphire　house；　started　to　run　to　it。　Far　ahead　I　saw　Drake；　the　body　of　the　girl　clasped　to　his　breast。　The　heat　became　blasting；　insupportable；　my　lungs　burned。

Over　the　sky　above　the　canyon　streaked　a　serpentine　chain　of　lightnings。　A　sudden　cyclonic　gust　swept　the　cleft；　whirling　us　like　leaves　toward　the　Pit。

I　threw　myself　upon　my　face；　clutching　at　the　smooth　rock。　A　volley　of　thunder　burstbut　not　the　thunder　of　the　Metal　Monster　or　its　Hordes；　no；　the　bellowing　of　the　levins　of　our　own　earth。

And　the　wind　was　cold；　it　bathed　the　burning　skin；　laved　the　fevered　lungs。

Again　the　sky　was　split　by　the　lightnings。　And　roaring　down　from　it　in　solid　sheets　came　the　rain。

From　the　Pit　arose　a　hissing　as　though　within　it　raged　Babylonian　Tiamat；　Mother　of　Chaos；　serpent　dweller　in　the　void；　Midgard…snake　of　the　ancient　Norse　holding　in　her　coils　the　world。

Buffeted　by　wind；　beaten　down　by　rain；　clinging　to　each　other　like　drowning　men；　Ventnor　and　I　pushed　on　to　the　elfin　globe。　The　light　was　dying　fast。　By　it　we　saw　Drake　pass　within　the　portal　with　his　burden。　The　light　became　embers；　it　went　out；　blackness　clasped　us。　Guided　by　the　lightnings；　we　beat　our　way　to　the　door；　passed　through　it。

In　the　electric　glare　we　saw　Drake　bending　over　Ruth。　In　it　I　saw　a　slide　draw　over　the　open　portal　through　which　shrieked　the　wind；　streamed　the　rain。

As　though　its　crystal　panel　was　moved　by　unseen；　gentle　hands；　the　portal　closed；　the　tempest　shut　out。

We　dropped　beside　Ruth　upon　a　pile　of　silken　stuffs　awed；　marveling；　trembling　with　pity　andthanksgiving。

For　we　kneweach　of　us　knew　with　an　absolute　definiteness　as　we　crouched　there　among　the　racing；　dancing　black　and　silver　shadows　with　which　the　lightnings　filled　the　blue　globethat　the　Metal　Monster　was　dead。

Slain　by　itself！





CHAPTER　XXX

BURNED　OUT

Ruth　sighed　and　stirred。　By　the　glare　of　the　lightnings；　now　almost　continuous；　we　saw　that　her　rigidity；　and　in　fact　all　the　puzzling　cataleptic　symptoms；　had　disappeared。　Her　limbs　relaxed；　her　skin　faintly　flushed；　she　lay　in　deepest　but　natural　slumber　undisturbed　by　the　incessant　cannonading　of　the　thunder　under　which　the　walls　of　the　blue　globe　shuddered。　Ventnor　passed　through　the　curtains　of　the　central　hall；　he　returned　with　one　of　Norhala's　cloaks；　covered　the　girl　with　it。

An　overwhelming　sleepiness　took　possession　of　me；　a　weariness　ineffable。　Nerve　and　brain　and　muscle　suddenly　relaxed；　went　slack　and　numb。　Without　a　struggle　I　surrendered　to　an　overpowering　stupor　and　cradled　deep　in　its　heart　ceased　consciously　to　be。


When　my　eyes　unclosed　the　chamber　of　the　moonstone　walls　was　filled　with　a　silvery；　crepuscular　light。　I　heard　the　murmuring　and　laughing　of　running　water；　the　play；　I　lazily　realized；　of　the　fountained　pool。

I　lay　for　whole　minutes　unthinking；　luxuriating　in　the　sense　of　tension　gone　and　of　security；　lay　steeped　in　the　aftermath　of　complete　rest。　Memory　flooded　me。

Quietly　I　sat　up；　Ruth　still　slept；　breathing　peacefully　beneath　the　cloak；　one　white　arm　stretched　over　the　shoulder　of　Drakeas　though　in　her　sleep　she　had　drawn　close　to　him。

At　her　feet　lay　Ventnor；　as　deep　in　slumber　as　they。　I　arose　and　tip…toed　over　to　the　closed　door。

Searching；　I　found　its　key；　a　cupped　indentation　upon　which　I　pressed。

The　crystalline　panel　slipped　back；　it　was　moved；　I　suppose；　by　some　mechanism　of　counterbalances　responding　to　the　weight　of　the　hand。　It　must　have　been　some　vibration　of　the　thunder　which　had　loosed　that　mechanism　and　had　closed　the　panel　upon　the　heels　of　our　entrance　so　I　thoughtthen　seeing　again　in　memory　that　uncanny；　deliberate　shutting　was　not　at　all　convinced　that　it　had　been　the　thunder。

I　looked　out。　How　many　hours　the　sun　had　been　up　there　was　no　means　of　knowing。

The　sky　was　low　and　slaty　gray；　a　fine　rain　was　falling。　I　stepped　out。

The　garden　of　Norhala　was　a　wreckage　of　uprooted　and　splintered　trees　and　torn　masses　of　what　had　been　blossoming　verdure。

The　gateway　of　the　precipices　beyond　which　lay　the　Pit　was　hidden　in　the　webs　of　the　rain。　Long　I　gazed　down　the　canyonand　longingly；　striving　to　picture　what　the　Pit　now　held；　eager　to　read　the　riddles　of　the　night。

There　came　from　the　valley　no　sound；　no　movement；　no　light。

I　reentered　the　blue　globe　and　paused　on　the　threshold　staring　into　the　wide　and　wondering　eyes　of　Ruth　bolt　upright　in　her　silken　bed　with　Norhala's　cloak　clutched　to　her　chin　like　a　suddenly　awakened　and　startled　child。　As　she　glimpsed　me　she　stretched　out　her　hand。　Drake；　wide　awake　on　the　instant；　leaped　to　his　feet；　his　hand　jumping　to　his　pistol。

〃Dick！〃　called　Ruth；　her　voice　tremulous；　sweet。

He　swung　about；　looked　deep　into　the　clear　and　fearless　brown　eyes　in　whichwith　leaping　heart　I　realized　it　was　throned　only　that　spirit　which　was　Ruth's　and　Ruth's　alone；　Ruth's　clear　unshadowed　eyes　glad　and　shy　and　soft　with　love。

〃Dick！〃　she　whispered；　and　held　soft　arms　out　to　him。　The　cloak　fell　from　her。　He　swung　her　up。　Their　lips　met。

Upon　them；　embraced；　the　wakening　eyes　of　Ventnor　dwelt；　they　filled　with　relief　and　joy；　nor　was　there　lacking　in　them　a　certain　amusement。

She　drew　from　Drake's　arms；　pushed　him　from　her；　stood　for　a　moment　shakily；　with　covered　eyes。

〃Ruth；〃　called　Ventnor　softly。

〃Oh！〃　she　cried。　〃Oh；　MartinI　forgot〃　She　ran　to　him；　held　him　tight；　face　hidden　in　his　breast。　His　hand　rested　on　the　clustering　brown　curls；　tenderly。

〃Martin。〃　She　raised　her　face　to　him。　〃Martin；　it's　GONE！　I'mME　again！　All　ME！　What　happened？　Where's　Norhala？〃

I　started。　Did　she　not　know？　Of　course；　lying　bound　as　she　had　in　the　vanished　veils；　she　could　have　seen　nothing　of　the　stupendous　tragedy　enacted　beyond　them　but　had　not　Ventnor　said　that　possessed　by　the　inexplicable　obsession　evoked　by　the　weird　woman　Ruth　had　seen　with　her　eyes；　thought　with　her　mind？

And　had　there　not　been　evidence　that　in　her　body　had　been　echoed　the　torments　of　Norhala's？　Had　she　forgotten？　I　started　to　speakwas　checked　by　Ventnor's　swift；　warning　glance。

〃She'sover　in　the　Pit；〃　he　answered　her　quietly。　〃But　do　you　remember　nothing；　little　sister？〃

〃There's　something　in　my　mind　that's　been　rubbed　out；〃　she　replied。　〃I　remember　the　City　of　Cherkisand　your　torture；　Martinand　my　torture〃

Her　face　whitened；　Ventnor's　brow　contracted　anxiously。　I　knew　for　what　he　watchedbut　Ruth's　shamed　face　was　all　human；　on　it　was　no　shadow　nor　trace　of　that　alien　soul　which　so　few　hours　since　had　threatened　us。

〃Yes；〃　she　nodded；　〃I　remember　that。　And　I　remember　how　Norhala　repaid　them。　I　remember　that　I　was　glad；　fiercely　glad；　and　then　I　was　tiredso　tired。　And　thenI　come　to　the　rubbed…out　place；〃　she　ended　perplexedly。

Deliberately；　almost　banally　had　I　not　realized　his　purpose；　he　changed　the　subject。　He　held　her　from　him　at　arm's　length。

〃Ruth！〃　he　exclaimed；　half　mockingly；　half　reprovingly。　〃Don't　you　think　your　morning　negligee　is　just　a　little　scanty　even　for　this　Godforsaken　corner　of　the　earth？〃

Lips　parted　in　sheer　astonishment；　she　looked　at　him。　Then　her　eyes　dropped　to　her　bare　feet；　her　dimpled　knees。　She　clasped　her　arms　across　her　breasts；　rosy　red　turned　all　her　fair　skin。

〃Oh！〃　she　gasped。　〃Oh！〃　And　hid　from　Drake　and　me　behind　the　tall　figure　of　her　brother。

I　walked　over　to　the　pile　of　silken　stuffs；　took　the　cloak　and　tossed　it　to　her。　Ventnor　pointed　to　the　saddlebags。

〃You've　another　outfit　there；　Ruth；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　take