the metal monster-第29节
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We entered。 Walls； floor and roof were composed of the same substance as the great pillars； the wall of the outer chamber； filled like them with dimmed replicas of the twinkling eye points。
〃Odd that all the places in here are square；〃 muttered Drake。 〃They don't seem to have used any spherical or pyramidal ideas in their buildingif it is a building。〃
It was true。 All was mathematically straight up and down and across。 It was strangestill we had seen little as yet。
There was a warmth about this passageway we trod； a difference in the air of it。 The warmth grew； a dry and baking heat； but stimulative rather than oppressive。 I touched the walls； the warmth did not come from them。 And there was no wind。 Yet as we went on the heat increased。
The passageway turned at a right angle； continuing in a corridor half its former dimensions。 Far away shone a high bar of pale yellow radiance； rising like a pillar of light from floor to roof。 Toward it； perforce； we trudged。 Its brilliancy grew greater。
A few paces away from it we stopped。 The yellow luminescence streamed through a slit not more than a foot wide in the wall。 We were in a cul…de…sac for the opening was not wide enough for either Drake or me to push through。 Through it with the light gushed the curious heat enveloping us。
Drake walked to the opening； peered through。 I joined him。
At first all that I could see was a space filled with the saffron lambency。 Then I saw that this was splashed with tiny flashes of the jewel fires； little lances and javelin thrusts of burning emeralds and rubies； darting gem hard flames rose scarlet and pale sapphire； quick flares of violet。
Into my sight through the irised； crocus mist swam the radiant body of Norhala！
She stood naked； clad only in the veils of her hair that glowed now like spun silk of molten copper； her strange eyes wide and smiling； the galaxies of tiny stars sparkling through their gray depths。
And all about her swirled a countless host of the Little Things！
From them came the gem fires piercing the aureate mists。 They played and frolicked about her in scores of swiftly forming； swiftly changing； goblin shapes。 They circled her feet in shining； elfin rings； then opening into flaming disks and stars； shot up and spun about the white miracle of her body in great girdles of multi…colored living fires。 Mingled with disk and star were tiny crosses gleaming with sullen； deep crimsons and smoky orange。
A flash of blue incandescence and a slender pillared shape leaped from the floor； became a coronet； a whirling； flashing halo toward which streamed up the flaming tendrilings of her tresses。 Other halos circled her arms and breasts； they spun like bracelets about the outstretched arms。
Then like a swiftly rushing wave a host of the Little Things thrust themselves up； covered her； hid her in a coruscating cloud。
I saw an exquisite arm thrust itself from their clinging； wave gaily； saw her glorious head emerge from the incredible； the seething draperies of living jewels。 I heard her laughter； sweet and golden and far away。
Goddess of the Inexplicable！ Madonna of the Metal Babes！
The Nursery of the Metal People！
Norhala was gone； blotted out from our sight！ Gone too were the bar of light and the chamber into which we had been peering。 We stared at a smooth； blank wall。 With that same ensorcelled swiftness the wall had closed even as we had stared through it； closed so quickly that we had not seen its motion。
I gripped Drake； shrank with him into the farthest cornerfor on the other side of us the wall was opening。 First it was only a crack； then rapidly it widened。 There stretched another passageway； luminous and long； far down it we glimpsed movement。 Closer that movement came； grew plainer。 Out of the mistily luminous distances； three abreast and filling the corridor from side to side； raced upon us a company of the great spheres！
Back we cowered from their approachback and back； arms outstretched； pressing against the barrier； flattening ourselves against the shock of the destroying impact menacing。
〃It's all up；〃 muttered Drake。 〃No place to run。 They're bound to smash us。 Stick close； Doc。 Get back to Ruth。 Maybe I can stop them！〃
Before I could check him； he had leaped straight in the path of the rushing globes； now a scant twoscore yards away。
The globes stoppedhalted a few feet from him。 They seemed to contemplate us； astonished。 They turned upon themselves； as though consulting。 Slowly they advanced。 We were pushed forward and lifted gently。 Then as we hung suspended； held by that force which always I can liken only to myriads of tiny invisible hands； the shining arcs of their backs undulated beneath us。
Their files swung around the corner and marched down the passage by which we had come from the immense hall。 And when the last rank had passed from under us we were dropped softly to our feet； stood swaying in their wake。
A curious frenzy of helpless indignation shook me； a rage of humiliation obscuring all gratitude I should have felt for our escape。 Drake's eyes blazed wrath。
〃The insolent devils！〃 He raised clenched fists。 〃The insolent； domineering devils！〃
We stared after them。
Was the passage growing narrowerclosing？ Even as I gazed I saw it shrink； saw its walls slide silently toward each other。 I pushed Drake into the newly opened way and sprang after him。
Behind us was an unbroken wall covering all that space in which but a moment before we had stood！
Is it to be wondered that a panic seized us； that we began to run crazily down the alley that still lay open before us； casting over our shoulders quick； fearful glances to see whether that inexorable； dreadful closing was continuing； threatening to crush us between these walls like flies in a vise of steel？
But they did not close。 Unbroken； silent； the way stretched before us and behind us。 At last； gasping； avoiding each other's gaze； we paused。
And at that very moment of pause a deeper tremor shook me； a trembling of the very foundations of life； the shuddering of one who faces the inconceivable knowing at last that the inconceivableIS。
For； abruptly； walls and floor and roof broke forth into countless twinklings！
As though a film had been withdrawn from them； as though they had awakened from slumber； myriads of little points of light shone forth upon us from the pale…blue surfaceslights that considered us； measured usmocked us。
The little points of living light that were the eyes of the Metal People！
This was no corridor cut through inert matter by mechanic art； its opening had been caused by no hidden mechanisms！ It was a living Thingwalled and floored and roofed by the living bodiesof the Metal People themselves。
Its opening； as had been the closing of that other passage； was the conscious； coordinate and voluntary action of the Things that formed these mighty walls。
An action that obeyed； was directed by； the incredibly gigantic； communistic will which； like the spirit of the hive； the soul of the formicary； animated every unit of them。
A greater realization swept us。 If THIS were true； then those pillars in the vast hall； its towering wallsall this City was one living Thing！
Built of the animate bodies of countless millions！ Tons upon countless tons of them shaping a gigantic pile of which every atom was sentient； mobileintelligent！
A Metal Monster！
Now I knew why it was that its frowning facade had seemed to watch us Argus…eyed as the Things had tossed us toward it。 It HAD watched us！
That flood of watchfulness pulsing about us had been actual concentration of regard of untold billions of tiny eyes of the living block which formed the City's cliff。
A City that Saw！ A City that was Alive！
No secret mechanism thenback darted my mind to that first terrorhad closed the wall； shutting from our sight Norhala at play with the Little Things。 None had opened the way for； had closed the way behind； the coursing spheres。 It had been done by the conscious action of the conscious Things of whose living bodies was built this whole tremendous thinking pile！
I think that for a moment we both went a little mad as that staggering truth came to us。 I know we started to run once more； side by side； gripping like frightened children each other's hands。 Then Drake stopped。
〃By all the HELL of this place；〃 he said； solemnly； 〃I'll run no more。 After allwe're men。 If they kill us； they kill us。 But by the God who made me I'll run from them no more。 I'll die standing。〃
His courage steadied me。 Defiantly we marched on。 Up from below us； down from the roof； out from the walls of our way the hosts of eyes gleamed and twinkled upon us。
〃Who could have believed it？〃 he muttered； half to himself。 〃A living city of them！ A living nest of them； a prodigious living nest of metal！〃
〃A nest？〃 I caught the word。 What did it suggest？ That was itthe nest of the army ants； the city of the army ants； that Beebe had studied in the South American jungles and once described to me。 After all； was this more wonderful； more unbelievable than thatthe city of ants which was formed by their living bodies precisely as this was of the bodies of the Cubes？
How had Beebe* phrased i
