the metal monster-第6部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Walter；〃　she　breathed；　〃I'm　frightened。　I'm　so　frightened　I'm　afraid　to　tell　even　Mart。　He　doesn't　like　them；　either；　these　little　things　you're　going　to　see。　He　likes　them　so　little　that　he's　afraid　to　let　me　know　how　little　he　does　like　them。〃

〃But　what　are　they？　What's　to　fear　about　them？〃　asked　Drake。

〃See　what　you　think！〃　She　led　us　slowly；　almost　reluctantly　toward　the　rear　of　the　fortress。　〃They　lay　in　a　little　heap　at　the　mouth　of　the　cleft　where　we　heard　the　noises。　Martin　picked　them　up　and　dropped　them　in　a　sack　before　we　ran　through　the　hollow。

〃They're　grotesque　and　they're　almost　CUTE；　and　they　make　me　feel　as　though　they　were　the　tiniest　tippy…tip　of　the　claw　of　some　incredibly　large　cat　just　stealing　around　the　corner；　a　terrible　cat；　a　cat　as　big　as　a　mountain；〃　she　ended　breathlessly。

We　climbed　through　the　crumbling　masonry　into　a　central；　open　court。　Here　a　clear　spring　bubbled　up　in　a　ruined　and　choked　stone　basin；　close　to　the　ancient　well　was　their　pony；　contentedly　browsing　in　the　thick　grass　that　grew　around　it。　From　one　of　its　hampers　Ruth　took　a　large　cloth　bag。

〃To　carry　them；〃　she　said；　and　trembled。

We　passed　through　what　had　once　been　a　great　door　into　another　chamber　larger　than　that　we　had　just　left；　and　it　was　in　better　preservation；　the　ceiling　unbroken；　the　light　dim　after　the　blazing　sun　of　the　court。　Near　its　center　she　halted　us。

Before　me　ran　a　two…feet…wide　ragged　crack；　splitting　the　floor　and　dropping　down　into　black　depths。　Beyond　was　an　expanse　of　smooth　flagging；　almost　clear　of　debris。

Drake　gave　a　low　whistle。　I　followed　his　pointing　finger。　In　the　wall　at　the　end　whirled　two　enormous　dragon　shapes；　cut　in　low　relief。　Their　gigantic　wings；　their　monstrous　coils；　covered　the　nearly　unbroken　surface；　and　these　CHIMERAE　were　the　shapes　upon　the　upthrust　blocks　of　the　haunted　roadway。

In　Ruth's　gaze　I　read　a　nameless　fear；　a　half　shuddering　fascination。

But　she　was　not　looking　at　the　cavern　dragons。

Her　gaze　was　fixed　upon　what　at　my　first　glance　seemed　to　be　a　raised　and　patterned　circle　in　the　dust…covered　floor。　Not　more　than　a　foot　in　width；　it　shone　wanly　with　a　pale；　metallic　bluish　luster；　as　though；　I　thought；　it　had　been　recently　polished。　Compared　with　the　wall's　tremendous　winged　figures　this　floor　design　was　trivial；　ludicrously　insignificant。　What　could　there　be　about　it　to　stamp　that　dread　upon　Ruth's　face？

I　leaped　the　crevice；　Dick　joined　me。　Now　I　could　see　that　the　ring　was　not　continuous。　Its　broken　circle　was　made　of　sharply　edged　cubes　about　an　inch　in　height；　separated　from　each　other　with　mathematical　exactness　by　another　inch　of　space。　I　counted　themthere　were　nineteen。

Almost　touching　them　with　their　bases　were　an　equal　number　of　pyramids；　of　tetrahedrons；　as　sharply　angled　and　of　similar　length。　They　lay　on　their　sides　with　tips　pointing　starlike　to　six　spheres　clustered　like　a　conventionalized　five　petaled　primrose　in　the　exact　center。　Five　of　these　spheresthe　petalswere；　I　roughly　calculated；　about　an　inch　and　a　half　in　diameter；　the　ball　they　enclosed　larger　by　almost　an　inch。

So　orderly　was　their　arrangement；　so　much　like　a　geometrical　design　nicely　done　by　some　clever　child　that　I　hesitated　to　disturb　it。　I　bent；　and　stiffened；　the　first　touch　of　dread　upon　me。

For　within　the　ring；　close　to　the　clustering　globes；　was　a　miniature　replica　of　the　giant　track　in　the　poppied　valley！

It　stood　out　from　the　dust　with　the　same　hint　of　crushing　force；　the　same　die　cut　sharpness；　the　same　METALLIC　suggestion　and　pointing　toward　the　globes　were　the　claw　marks　of　the　four　spreading　star　points。

I　reached　down　and　picked　up　one　of　the　pyramids。　It　seemed　to　cling　to　the　rock；　it　was　with　effort　that　I　wrenched　it　away。　It　gave　to　the　touch　a　slight　sensation　of　warmthhow　can　I　describe　it？a　warmth　that　was　living。

I　weighed　it　in　my　hand。　It　was　oddly　heavy；　twice　the　weight；　I　should　say；　of　platinum。　I　drew　out　a　glass　and　examined　it。　Decidedly　the　pyramid　was　metallic；　but　of　finest；　almost　silken　textureand　I　could　not　place　it　among　any　of　the　known　metals。　It　certainly　was　none　I　had　ever　seen；　yet　it　was　as　certainly　metal。　It　was　striatedslender　filaments　radiating　from　tiny；　dully　lustrous　points　within　the　polished　surface。

And　suddenly　I　had　the　weird　feeling　that　each　of　these　points　was　an　eye；　peering　up　at　me；　scrutinizing　me。　There　came　a　startled　cry　from　Dick。

〃Look　at　the　ring！〃

The　ring　was　in　motion！

Faster　the　cubes　moved；　faster　the　circle　revolved；　the　pyramids　raised　themselves；　stood　bolt　upright　on　their　square　bases；　the　six　rolling　spheres　touched　them；　joined　the　spinning；　and　with　sleight…of…hand　suddenness　the　ring　drew　together；　its　units　coalesced；　cubes　and　pyramids　and　globes　threading　with　a　curious　suggestion　of　ferment。

With　the　same　startling　abruptness　there　stood　erect；　where　but　a　moment　before　they　had　seethed；　a　little　figure；　grotesque；　a　weirdly　humorous；　a　vaguely　terrifying　foot…high　shape；　squared　and　angled　and　pointed　and　ANIMATEas　though　a　child　should　build　from　nursery　blocks　a　fantastic　shape　which　abruptly　is　filled　with　throbbing　life。

A　troll　from　the　kindergarten！　A　kobold　of　the　toys！

Only　for　a　second　it　stood；　then　began　swiftly　to　change；　melting　with　quicksilver　quickness　from　one　outline　into　another　as　square　and　triangle　and　spheres　changed　places。　Their　shiftings　were　like　the　transformations　one　sees　within　a　kaleidoscope。　And　in　each　vanishing　form　was　the　suggestion　of　unfamiliar　harmonies；　of　a　subtle；　a　transcendental　geometric　art　as　though　each　swift　shaping　were　a　symbol；　a　WORD

Euclid's　problems　given　volition！

Geometry　endowed　with　consciousness！

It　ceased。　Then　the　cubes　drew　one　upon　the　other　until　they　formed　a　pedestal　nine　inches　high；　up　this　pillar　rolled　the　larger　globe；　balanced　itself　upon　the　top；　the　five　spheres　followed　it；　clustered　like　a　ring　just　below　it。　The　other　cubes　raced　up；　clicked　two　by　two　on　the　outer　arc　of　each　of　the　five　balls；　at　the　ends　of　these　twin　blocks　a　pyramid　took　its　place；　tipping　each　with　a　point。

The　Lilliputian　fantasy　was　now　a　pedestal　of　cubes　surmounted　by　a　ring　of　globes　from　which　sprang　a　star　of　five　arms。

The　spheres　began　to　revolve。　Faster　and　faster　they　spun　around　the　base　of　the　crowning　globe；　the　arms　became　a　disc　upon　which　tiny　brilliant　sparks　appeared；　clustered；　vanished　only　to　reappear　in　greater　number。

The　troll　swept　toward　me。　It　GLIDED。　The　finger　of　panic　touched　me。　I　sprang　aside；　and　swift　as　light　it　followed；　seemed　to　poise　itself　to　leap。

〃Drop　it！〃　It　was　Ruth's　cry。

But；　before　I　could　let　fall　the　pyramid　I　had　forgotten　was　in　my　hand；　the　little　figure　touched　me　and　a　paralyzing　shock　ran　through　me。　My　fingers　clenched；　locked。　I　stood；　muscle　and　nerve　bound；　unable　to　move。

The　little　figure　paused。　Its　whirling　disc　shifted　from　the　horizontal　plane　on　which　it　spun。　It　was　as　though　it　cocked　its　head　to　look　up　at　meand　again　I　had　the　sense　of　innumerable　eyes　peering　at　me。　It　did　not　seem　menacingits　attitude　was　inquisitive；　waiting；　almost　as　though　it　had　asked　for　something　and　wondered　why　I　did　not　let　it　have　it。　The　shock　still　held　me　rigid；　although　a　tingle　in　every　nerve　told　me　of　returning　force。

The　disc　tilted　back　to　place；　bent　toward　me　again。　I　heard　a　shout；　heard　a　bullet　strike　the　pigmy　that　now　clearly　menaced；　heard　the　bullet　ricochet　without　the　slightest　effect　upon　it。　Dick　leaped　beside　me；　raised　a　foot　and　kicked　at　the　thing。　There　was　a　flash　of　light　and　upon　the　instant　he　crashed　down　as　though　struck　by　a　giant　hand；　lay　sprawling　and　inert　upon　the　floor。

There　was　a　scream　from　Ruth；　there　was　softly　sibilant　rustling　all　about　her。　I　saw　her　leap　the　crevice；　drop　on　her　knees　beside　Drake。

There　was　movement　on　the　flagging　where　she　stood。　A　score　or　more　of　faintly　shining；　bluish　shapes　were　marching　therepyramids　and　cubes　and　spheres　like　those　forming　the　shape　that　stood　before　me。　There　was　a　curious　sharp　tang　of　ozone　in　the　air；　a　perceptible　tightening　as　of　electrical　tension。

They　swept　to　the　edge　of　the　fissure；　swam　together；　and　there；　hanging　half　over　the　gap　was　a　bridge；　half　spanning　it；　a　weird　and　fairy　arch　made　up　of　alternate　cube　and　angle。　The　shape　at　my　feet　disintegrated；　resolved　itself　into　units　that　raced　over　to　the　beckoning　span。

At　the　hither　side　of　the　crack　they　clicked　into　place；　even　as　had　the　others。　Before　me　now　was　a　bridge　complete　except　for　the　one　arc　near　the　middle　where　an　angled　gap　marred　it。

I　felt　the　little　object　I　held　pulse　within　my　hand；　striving　to　escape。　I　dropped　it。　The　tiny　shape　swept　to　the　bridge；　ascended　itdropped　into　the　gap。

The　arch　was　completehanging　in　one　flying　span　over　the　depths！

Upon　it；　over　it；　as　though　they　had　but　awaited　this　completion；　rolled　the　six　globes。　And　as　they　dropped　to　the　farther　side　the　end　of　the　bridge　nearest　me　raised　itself　in　air；　curved　itself　like　a　scorpion's　tail；　drew　itself　into　a　closer　circled　arc；　and　dropped　upon　the　floor　beyond。

Again　the　sibilant　rustlingand　cubes　and　pyramids　and　spheres　were　gone。

Nerves　tingling　slowly　back　to　life；　mazed　in　absolute　bewilderment；　my　gaze　sought　Drake。　He　was　sitting　up；　feebly；　his　head　supported　by　Ruth's　hands。

〃Goodwin！〃　he　whispered。　〃Whatwhat　were　they？〃

〃Metal；〃　I　saidit　was　the　only　word　to　which　my　whirling　mind　could　cling〃metal〃

〃Metal！〃　he　echoed。　〃These　things　metal？　MetalALIVE　AND　THINKING！〃

Suddenly　he　was　silent；　his　face　a　page　on　which；　visibly；　dread　gathered　slowly　and　ever　deeper。

And　as　I　looked　at　Ruth；　white…faced；　and　at　him；　I　knew　that　my　own　was　as　pallid；　as　terror…stricken　as　theirs。

〃They　were　such　LITTLE　THINGS；〃　muttered　Drake。　〃Such　little　thingsbits　of　metallittle　globes　and　pyramids　and　cubesjust　little　THINGS。〃

〃Babes！　Only　babes！〃　It　was　Ruth〃BABES！〃

〃Bits　of　metal〃Dick's　gaze　sought　mine；　held　it〃and　they　looked　for　each　other；　they　worked　with　each　other　THINKINGLY；　CONSCIOUSLYthey　were　deliberate；　purposeful　little　thingsand　with　the　force　of　a　score　of　dynamos　living；　THINKING〃

〃Don't！〃　R