the metal monster-第25节

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！



He　leered　cunningly；　I　gave　no　sign　of　interest。

〃She　who　was　the　mother　of　the　goddess　found　favor　in　the　sight　of　the　ruler　here；〃　he　went　on。　〃But　after　a　time　she　grew　old　and　ugly　and　withered。　So　he　slew　herlike　a　little　mound　of　dust　she　danced　and　blew　away　after　he　had　slain　her；　and　also　he　slew　others　who　had　grown　displeasing　to　him。　He　blasted　meas　he　was　blasted〃　He　pointed　to　Ventnor。

〃Then　it　was　that；　recovering；　I　found　my　crooked　shoulder。　The　goddess　was　born　here。　She　is　kin　to　Him　Who　Rules！　How　else　could　she　shed　the　lightnings？　Was　not　the　father　of　Iskander　the　god　Zeus　Ammon；　who　came　to　Iskander's　mother　in　the　form　of　a　great　snake？　Well？　At　any　rate　the　goddess　was　bornshedder　of　the　lightnings　even　from　her　birth。　And　she　is　as　you　see　her。

〃Cleave　to　your　kind！　Cleave　to　your　kind！〃　Suddenly　he　shrilled。　〃Better　is　it　to　be　whipped　by　your　brother　than　to　be　eaten　by　the　tiger。　Cleave　to　your　kind。　Look　I　will　show　you　the　way　to　them。〃

He　sprang　to　his　feet；　clasped　my　wrist　in　one　of　his　long　hands；　led　me　through　the　curtained　oval　into　the　cylindrical　hall；　parted　the　curtainings　of　Norhala's　bedroom　and　pushed　me　within。　Over　the　floor　he　slid；　still　holding　fast　to　me；　and　pressed　against　the　farther　wall。


An　ovoid　slice　of　the　gemlike　material　slid　aside；　revealing　a　doorway。　I　glimpsed　a　path；　a　trail；　leading　into　a　forest　pallid　green　beneath　the　wan　light。　This　way　thrust　itself　like　a　black　tongue　into　the　boskage　and　vanished　in　the　depths。

〃Follow　it。〃　He　pointed。　〃Take　those　who　came　with　you　and　follow　it。〃

The　wrinkles　upon　his　face　writhed　with　his　eagerness。

〃You　will　go？〃　panted　Yuruk。　〃You　will　take　them　and　go　by　that　path？〃

〃Not　yet；〃　I　answered　absently。　〃Not　yet。〃

And　was　brought　abruptly　to　full　alertness；　vigilance；　by　the　flame　of　rage　that　filled　the　eyes　thrust　so　close。

〃Lead　back；〃　I　directed　curtly。　He　slid　the　door　into　place；　turned　sullenly。　I　followed；　wondering　what　were　the　sources　of　the　bitter　hatred　he　so　plainly　bore　for　us；　the　reasons　for　his　eagerness　to　be　rid　of　us　despite　the　commands　of　this　woman　who　to　him　at　least　was　goddess。

And　by　that　curious　human　habit　of　seeking　for　the　complex　when　the　simple　answer　lies　close；　failed　to　recognize　that　it　was　jealousy　of　us　that　was　the　root　of　his　behavior；　that　he　wished　to　be；　as　it　would　seem　he　had　been　for　years；　the　only　human　thing　near　Norhala；　failed　to　realize　this；　and　with　Ruth　and　Drake　was　terribly　to　pay　for　this　failure。

I　looked　down　upon　the　pair；　sleeping　soundly；　upon　Ventnor　lost　still　in　trance。

〃Sit；〃　I　ordered　the　eunuch。　〃And　turn　your　back　to　me。〃

I　dropped　down　beside　Drake；　my　mind　wrestling　with　the　mystery；　but　every　sense　alert　for　movement　from　the　black。　Glibly　enough　I　had　passed　over　Dick's　questioning　as　to　the　consciousness　of　the　Metal　People；　now　I　faced　it　knowing　it　to　be　the　very　crux　of　these　incredible　phenomena；　admitting；　too；　that　despite　all　my　special　pleading；　about　that　point　swirled　in　my　own　mind　the　thickest　mists　of　uncertainty。　That　their　sense　of　order　was　immensely　beyond　a　man's　was　plain。

As　plain　was　it　that　their　knowledge　of　magnetic　force　and　its　manipulation　were　far　beyond　the　sphere　of　humanity。　That　they　had　realization　of　beauty　this　palace　of　Norhala's　provedand　no　human　imagination　could　have　conceived　it　nor　human　hands　have　made　its　thought　of　beauty　real。　What　were　their　senses　through　which　their　consciousness　fed？

Nine　in　number　had　been　the　sapphire　ovals　set　within　the　golden　zone　of　the　Disk。　Clearly　it　came　to　me　that　these　were　sense　organs！

Butnine　senses！

And　the　great　starshow　many　had　they？　And　the　cubesdid　they　open　as　did　globe　and　pyramid？

Consciousness　itselfafter　all　what　is　it？　A　secretion　of　the　brain？　The　cumulative　expression；　wholly　chemical；　of　the　multitudes　of　cells　that　form　us？　The　inexplicable　governor　of　the　city　of　the　body　of　which　these　myriads　of　cells　are　the　citizensand　created　by　them　out　of　themselves　to　rule？

Is　it　what　many　call　the　soul？　Or　is　it　a　finer　form　of　matter；　a　self…realizing　force；　which　uses　the　body　as　its　vehicle　just　as　other　forces　use　for　their　vestments　other　machines？　After　all；　I　thought；　what　is　this　conscious　self　of　ours；　the　ego；　but　a　spark　of　realization　running　continuously　along　the　path　of　time　within　the　mechanism　we　call　the　brain；　making　contact　along　that　path　as　the　electric　spark　at　the　end　of　a　wire？

Is　there　a　sea　of　this　conscious　force　which　laps　the　shores　of　the　farthest…flung　stars；　that　finds　expression　in　everythingman　and　rock；　metal　and　flower；　jewel　and　cloud？　Limited　in　its　expression　only　by　the　limitations　of　that　which　animates；　and　in　essence　the　same　in　all。　If　so；　then　this　problem　of　the　life　of　the　Metal　People　ceased　to　be　a　problem；　was　answered！

So　thinking　I　became　aware　of　increasing　light；　strode　past　Yuruk　to　the　door　and　peeped　out。　Dawn　was　paling　the　sky。　I　stooped　over　Drake；　shook　him。　On　the　instant　he　was　awake；　alert。

〃I　only　need　a　little　sleep；　Dick；〃　I　said。　〃When　the　sun　is　well　up；　call　me。〃

〃Why；　it's　dawn；〃　he　whispered。　〃Goodwin；　you　ought　not　to　have　let　me　sleep　so　long。　I　feel　like　a　damned　pig。〃

〃Never　mind；〃　I　said。　〃But　watch　the　eunuch　closely。〃

I　rolled　myself　up　in　his　warm　blanket；　sank　almost　instantly　into　dreamless　slumber。





CHAPTER　XVIII

INTO　THE　PIT

High　was　the　sun　when　I　awakened；　or　so；　I　supposed；　opening　my　eyes　upon　a　flood　of　daylight。　As　I　lay；　lazily；　recollection　rushed　upon　me。

It　was　no　sky　into　which　I　was　gazing；　it　was　the　dome　of　Norhala's　elfin　home。　And　Drake　had　not　aroused　me。　Why？　And　how　long　had　I　slept？

I　jumped　to　my　feet；　stared　about。　Ruth　nor　Drake　nor　the　black　eunuch　was　there！

〃Ruth！〃　I　shouted。　〃Drake！〃

There　was　no　answer。　I　ran　to　the　doorway。　Peering　up　into　the　white　vault　of　the　heavens　I　set　the　time　of　day　as　close　to　seven；　I　had　slept　then　three　hours；　more　or　less。　Yet　short　as　that　time　of　slumber　had　been；　I　felt　marvelously　refreshed；　reenergized；　the　effect；　I　was　certain；　of　the　extraordinarily　tonic　qualities　of　the　atmosphere　of　this　place。　But　where　were　the　others？　Where　Yuruk？

I　heard　Ruth's　laughter。　Some　hundred　yards　to　the　left；　half　hidden　by　a　screen　of　flowering　shrubs；　I　saw　a　small　meadow。　Within　it　a　half…dozen　little　white　goats　nuzzled　around　her　and　Dick。　She　was　milking　one　of　them。

Reassured；　I　drew　back　into　the　chamber；　knelt　over　Ventnor。　His　condition　was　unchanged。　My　gaze　fell　upon　the　pool　that　had　been　Norhala's　bath。　Longingly　I　looked　at　it；　then　satisfying　myself　that　the　milking　process　was　not　finished；　slipped　off　my　clothes　and　splashed　about。

I　had　just　time　to　get　back　in　my　clothes　when　through　the　doorway　came　the　pair；　each　carrying　a　porcelain　pannikin　full　of　milk。

There　was　no　shadow　of　fear　or　horror　on　her　face。　It　was　the　old　Ruth　who　stood　before　me；　nor　was　there　effort　in　the　smile　she　gave　me。　She　had　been　washed　clean　in　the　waters　of　sleep。

〃Don't　worry；　Walter；〃　she　said。　〃I　know　what　you're　thinking。　But　I'mME　again。〃

〃Where　is　Yuruk？〃　I　turned　to　Drake　bruskly　to　smother　the　sob　of　sheer　happiness　I　felt　rising　in　my　throat；　and　at　his　wink　and　warning　grimace　abruptly　forebore　to　press　the　question。

〃You　men　pick　out　the　things　and　I'll　get　breakfast　ready；〃　said　Ruth。

Drake　picked　up　the　teakettle　and　motioned　me　before　him。

〃About　Yuruk；〃　he　whispered　when　he　had　gotten　outside。　〃I　gave　him　a　little　object　lesson。　Persuaded　him　to　go　down　the　line　a　bit；　showed　him　my　pistol；　and　then　picked　off　one　of　Norhala's　goats　with　it。　Hated　to　do　it；　but　I　knew　it　would　be　good　for　his　soul。

〃He　gave　one　screech　and　fell　on　his　face　and　groveled。　Thought　it　was　a　lightning　bolt；　I　figure；　decided　I　had　been　stealing　Norhala's　stuff。　'Yuruk；'　I　told　him；　'that's　what　you'll　get；　and　worse；　if　you　lay　a　finger　on　that　girl　inside　there。'〃

〃And　then　what　happened？〃　I　asked。

〃He　beat　it　back　there。〃　He　grinned；　pointing　toward　the　forest　through　which　ran　the　path　the　eunuch　had　shown　me。　〃Probably　hiding　back　of　a　tree。〃

As　we　filled　the　container　at　the　outer　spring；　I　told　him　of　the　revelations　and　the　offer　Yuruk　had　made　to　me。

〃Whew…w！〃　he　whistled。　〃In　the　nutcracker；　eh？　Trouble　behind　us　and　trouble　in　front　of　us。〃

〃When　do　we　start？〃　he　asked；　as　we　turned　back。

〃Right　after　we've　eaten；〃　I　answered。　〃There's　no　use　putting　it　off。　How　do　you　feel　about　it？〃

〃Frankly；　like　the　chief　guest　at　a　lynching　party；〃　he　said。　〃Curious　but　none　too　cheerful。〃

Nor　was　I。　I　was　filled　with　a　fever　of　scientific　curiosity。　But　I　was　not　cheerfulno！


We　ministered　to　Ventnor　as　well　as　we　could；　forcing　open　his　set　jaws；　thrusting　a　thin　rubber　tube　down　past　his　windpipe　into　his　gullet　and　dropping　through　it　a　few　ounces　of　the　goat　milk。　Our　own　breakfasting　was　silent　enough。

We　could　not　take　Ruth　with　us　upon　our　journey；　that　was　certain；　she　must　stay　here　with　her　brother。　She　would　be　safer　in　Norhala's　home　than　where　we　were　going；　of　course；　and　yet　to　leave　her　was　most　distressing。　After　all；　I　wondered；　was　there　any　need　of　both