the metal monster-第36节

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From　the　sides　of　the　hollow　square　sprang　long　arms　of　spheres；　each　tipped　by　a　tetrahedron。　They　moved　freely；　slipping　about　upon　their　curved　points　of　contact　and　like　a　dozen　little　thinking　hammers；　the　pyramid　points　at　their　ends　beat　down　upon　as　many　thimble　shaped　objects　which　they　thrust　alternately　into　the　unwinking　brazier　then　laid　upon　the　central　block　to　shape。

A　goblin　workman　the　Thing　seemed；　standing　there；　so　intent　upon　and　so　busy　with　its　forgings。

There　were　scores　of　these　animate　machines；　they　paid　no　slightest　heed　to　us　as　we　slipped　by　them；　clinging　as　closely　to　the　wall　of　the　immense　workshop　as　we　could。

We　passed　a　company　of　other　Shapes　which　stood　two　by　two　and　close　together；　their　tops　wide　spinning　wheels　through　which　the　tendrils　of　an　opened　globe　fed　translucent；　colorless　ingotsthe　substance　it　seemed　to　me　of　which　Norhala's　shadowy　walls　were　made；　the　crystal　of　which　the　bars　that　built　out　the　base　of　the　Cones　were　formed。

The　ingots　passed　between　the　whirling　faces；　emerged　from　them　as　slender；　long　cylinders；　were　seized　as　they　slipped　down　by　a　crouching　block；　whose　place　as　it　glided　away　was　instantly　taken　by　another。　In　many　bewildering　forms；　intent　upon　unknown　activities　directed　toward　unguessable　ends；　the　composite；　animate　mechanisms　labored。　And　all　the　place　was　filled　with　a　goblin　bustle；　trollish　racketings；　ringing　of　gnomish　anvils；　clanging　of　kobold　forgesa　clamorous　cavern　filled　with　metal　Nibelungens。

We　came　to　the　opening　of　another　passage；　a　doorway　piercing　the　walls　of　the　workshop。　Its　incline；　though　steep；　was　not　dangerous。

Into　it　we　stepped；　climbed　onward　it　seemed　interminably。　Far　ahead　of　us　at　last　appeared　the　outline　of　its　further　entrance；　silhouetted　against　and　filled　with　a　brighter　luminosity。　We　drew　near；　stopped　cautiously　at　its　threshold；　peering　out。

Well　it　was　that　we　had　hesitated。　Before　us　was　open　spacean　abyss　in　the　body　of　the　Metal　Monster。

The　corridor　opened　into　it　like　a　window。　Thrusting　out　our　heads；　we　saw　an　unbroken　wall　both　above　and　below。　Half　a　mile　away　was　its　opposite　side。　Over　this　pit　was　a　misty　sky　and　not　more　than　a　thousand　feet　above　and　black　against　the　heavens　was　the　lip　of　it　the　cornices　of　this　chasm　within　the　City。

Far；　far　beneath　us　we　watched　the　Hordes　throw　themselves　across　the　abyss　in　webs　of　curving　arches　and　girder…straight　bridges；　gigantic　we　knew　these　spans　must　be　yet　dwarfed　to　slender　footways　by　distance。　Over　them　moved　hurrying　companies；　from　them　came　flashings；　glitteringsprismatic；　sun　golden；　plutonic　scarlets；　molten　blues；　javelins　of　colored　light　piercing　upward　from　unfolded　cubes　and　globes　and　pyramids　crossing　them　or　from　busy　bearers　of　the　shining　fruits　of　the　mysterious　workshops。

And　as　they　passed　the　bridges　swung　up；　coiled　and　thrust　themselves　from　sight　through　openings　that　closed　behind　them。　Ever；　as　they　passed；　close　on　their　going　whipped　out　other　spans　so　that　always　across　that　abyss　a　sentient；　shifting　web　was　hung。

We　drew　back；　stared　into　each　other's　white　face。　Panic　swept　through　me；　in　quick；　alternate　pulse　of　ice　and　fire。　For　crushingly；　no　longer　to　be　denied；　came　certainty　that　we　were　lost　within　the　mazes　of　this　incredible　City　lost　in　the　body　of　the　Metal　Monster　which　that　City　was。　There　was　a　sick　despair　in　my　heart　as　we　turned　and　slowly　made　our　way　back　along　the　sloping　corridor。

A　hundred　yards；　perhaps；　we　had　gone　in　silence　before　we　stopped；　gazing　stupidly　at　an　opening　in　the　wall　beside　us。　The　portal　had　not　been　there　when　we　had　passedof　that　I　was　certain。

〃It's　opened　since　we　went　by；〃　whispered　Drake。

We　peered　through　it。　The　passage　was　narrow；　its　pave　led　downward。　For　a　moment　we　hesitated；　the　same　foreboding　in　both　our　minds。　And　yetamong　the　perils　that　crowded　in　upon　us　what　choice　had　we？　There　could　be　no　more　danger　there　than　here。

Both　ways　wereALIVE；　both　obedient　to　impulses　over　which　we　had　no　more　control　and　no　more　way　of　predetermining　than　mice　in　some　complex；　man…made　trap。　Furthermore；　this　shaft　also　ran　downward；　and　although　its　pitch　was　less　and　it　did　not　therefore　drop　as　quickly　toward　that　level　we　sought　and　wherein　lay　the　openings　of　escape　into　the　outer　valley；　it　fell　at　right　angles　to　the　corridor　through　which　we　had　come。

We　knew　that　to　retrace　our　steps　now　would　but　take　us　back　to　the　forges　and　thence　to　the　hall　of　the　Cones　and　the　certain　peril　waiting　for　us　there。

We　stepped　into　this　opened　way。　For　a　little　distance　it　ran　straightly；　then　turned　and　sloped　gently　upward；　and　a　little　distance　more　we　climbed。　Then　suddenly；　not　a　hundred　yards　from　us；　gushed　out　a　flood　of　soft　radiance；　opalescent；　filled　with　pearly　glimmerings　and　rosy　shadows　of　light。

It　was　as　though　a　door　had　opened　into　some　world　of　luminescence。　From　it　the　lambent　torrent　poured；　billowed　down　upon　us。　In　its　wake　came　musicif　music　the　mighty　harmonies；　the　sonorous　chords；　the　crystalline　themes　and　the　linked　chaplet　of　notes　that　were　like　spiralings　of　tiny　golden　star　bells　could　be　named。

Toward　source　of　light　and　sound　we　moved；　nor　could　we　have　halted　nor　withdrawn　had　we　willed；　the　radiance　drew　us　to　it　as　the　sun　the　water　drop；　and　irresistibly　the　sweet；　unearthly　music　called。　Closer　we　cameit　was　a　narrow　alcove　from　which　sound　and　light　poured　into　it　we　creptand　went　no　further。

We　peered　into　a　vast　and　columnless　vault；　a　limitless　temple　of　light。　High　up　in　it；　strewn　manifold；　danced　and　shone　soft　orbs　like　tender　suns。　No　pale　gilt　luminaries　of　frozen　rays　were　these。　Effulgent；　jubilant；　they　flamedorbs　red　as　wine　of　rubies　that　Djinns　of　Al　Shiraz　press　from　his　enchanted　vineyards　of　jewels；　twin　orbs　rosy　white　as　breasts　of　pampered　Babylonian　maids；　orbs　of　pulsing　opalescences　and　orbs　of　the　murmuring　green　of　bursting　buds　of　spring；　crocused　orbs　and　orbs　of　royal　coral；　suns　that　throbbed　with　singing　rays　of　wedded　rose　and　pearl　and　of　sapphires　and　topazes　amorous；　orbs　born　of　cool　virginal　dawns　and　of　imperial　sunsets　and　orbs　that　were　the　tuliped　fruit　of　mating　rainbows　of　fire。

They　danced；　these　countless　aureoles；　they　swung　and　threaded　in　radiant　choral　patterns；　in　linked　harmonies　of　light。　And　as　they　danced　their　gay　rays　caressed　and　bathed　myriads　of　the　Metal　Folk　open　beneath　them。　Under　the　rays　the　jewel　fires　of　disk　and　star　and　cross　leaped　and　pulsed　and　danced　to　the　same　bright　rhythm。

We　sought　the　source　of　the　musica　tremendous　thing　of　shimmering　crystal　pipes　like　some　colossal　organ。　Out　of　the　radiance　around　it　great　flames　gathered；　shook　into　sight　with　streamings　and　pennonings；　in　bannerets　and　bandrols；　leaped　upon　the　crystal　pipes；　and　merged　within　them。

And　as　the　pipes　drank　them　the　flames　changed　into　sound！

Throbbing　bass　viols　of　roaring　vernal　winds；　diapasons　of　waterfall　and　torrentsthese　had　been　flames　of　emerald；　flaming　trumpetings　of　desire　that　had　been　great　streamers　of　scarletrose　flames　that　had　dissolved　into　echoes　of　fulfillment；　diamond　burgeonings　that　melted　into　silver　symphonies　like　mist　entangled　Pleiades　transmuted　into　melodies；　chameleon　harmonies　to　which　the　strange　suns　danced。

And　now　I　sawrealizing　with　a　clutch　of　indescribable　awe；　with　a　sense　of　inexplicable　profanation　the　secret　of　this　ensorcelled　chamber。

Within　every　pulsing　rose　of　irised　fire　that　was　the　heart　of　a　disk；　from　every　rubrous；　clipped　rose　of　a　cross；　and　from　every　rayed　purple　petaling　of　a　star　there　nestled　a　tiny　disk；　a　tiny　cross；　a　tiny　star；　luminous　and　symboled　even　as　those　that　cradled　them。

The　Metal　Babes　building　like　crystals　from　hearts　of　radiance　beneath　the　play　of　jocund　orbs！

Incredible　blossomings　of　crystal　and　of　metal　whose　lullabies　and　cradle　songs　were　singing　symphonies　of　flame。

It　was　the　birth　chamber　of　the　City！

The　womb　of　the　Metal　Monster！

Abruptly　the　walls　of　the　niche　sparkled　out；　the　glittering　eye　points　regarding　us　with　a　most　disquieting　suggestion　of　sentinels　who；　slumbering；　had　been　caught　unaware；　and　now　awakening　challenged　us。　Swiftly　the　niche　closedso　swiftly　that　barely　had　we　time　to　spring　over　its　threshold　into　the　corridor。

The　corridor　was　awakealive！

The　power　darted　out；　gripped　us。　Up　it　swept　us　and　on。　Far　away　a　square　of　light　appeared；　grew　quickly　larger。　Framed　in　it　was　the　amethystine　burning　of　the　great　ring　that　girdled　the　encircling　cliffs。

I　turned　my　headbehind　us　the　corridor　was　closing！

Now　the　opening　was　so　close　that　through　it　I　could　see　the　vast　panorama　of　the　valley。　The　wall　behind　us　touched　us；　pushed　us　on。　We　thrust　ourselves　against　it；　despairingly。　As　well　might　flies　have　tried　to　press　back　a　moving　mountain。

Resistingly；　inexorably　we　were　pressed　forward。　Now　we　cowered　within　a　yard…deep　niche；　now　we　trembled　upon　a　foot…wide　ledge。

Shuddering；　gasping；　we　glared　down　the　sheer　drop　of　the　City's　wall。　The　smooth　and　glimmering　scarp　fell　thousands　of　feet　straight　to　the　valley　floor。　And　there　were　no　merciful　mists　to　h