the metal monster-第41节

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〃Ruszark！〃　breathed　Norhala；　eyes　wide；　red　lips　cruelly　smiling。　〃LoI　am　before　your　gates。　LoI　am　here　and　was　there　ever　joy　like　this！〃

The　constellations　in　her　eyes　blazed。　Beautiful；　beautiful　was　Norhalaas　Isis　punishing　Typhon　for　the　murder　of　Osiris；　as　avenging　Diana；　shining　from　her　something　of　the　spirit　of　all　wrathful　Goddesses。

The　flaming　hair　whirled　and　snapped。　From　all　her　sweet　body　came　white…hot　furious　force；　a　withering　perfume　of　destruction。　She　pressed　against　me；　and　I　trembled　at　the　contact。


Lawless；　wild　imaginings　ran　through　me。　Life；　human　life；　dwindled。　The　City　seemed　but　a　thing　of　toys。

Onlet　us　crush　it！　Onon！

Again　the　monster　shook　beneath　us。　Faster　we　moved。　Louder　grew　the　clangor　of　the　drums；　the　gongs；　the　pipes。　Nearer　came　the　walls；　and　ever　more　crowded　with　the　swarming　human　ants　that　manned　them。

We　were　close　upon　the　heels　of　the　last　fleeing　stragglers。　The　Thing　slackened　in　its　stride；　waited　patiently　until　they　were　close　to　the　gates。　Before　they　could　reach　them　I　heard　the　brazen　clanging　of　their　valves。　Those　shut　out　beat　frenziedly　upon　them；　dragged　themselves　close　to　the　base　of　the　battlements；　cowered　there　or　crept　along　them　seeking　some　hole　in　which　to　hide。

With　a　slow　lowering　of　its　height　the　Thing　advanced。　Now　its　form　was　that　of　a　spindle　a　full　mile　in　length　on　whose　bulging　center　we　three　stood。

A　hundred　feet　from　the　outer　wall　we　halted。　We　looked　down　upon　it　not　more　than　fifty　feet　above　its　broad　top。　Hundreds　of　the　soldiers　were　crouching　behind　the　parapets；　companies　of　archers　with　great　bows　poised；　arrows　at　their　cheeks；　scores　of　leather　jerkined　men　with　stands　of　javelins　at　their　right　hands；　spearsmen　and　men　with　long；　thonged　slings。

Set　at　intervals　were　squat；　powerful　engines　of　wood　and　metal　beside　which　were　heaps　of　huge；　rounded　boulders。　Catapults　I　knew　them　to　be　and　around　each　swarmed　a　knot　of　soldiers；　fixing　the　great　stones　in　place；　drawing　back　the　thick　ropes　that；　loosened；　would　hurl　forth　the　projectiles。　From　each　side　came　other　men；　dragging　more　of　these　balisters；　assembling　a　battery　against　the　prodigious；　gleaming　monster　that　menaced　their　city。

Between　outer　wall　and　inner　battlements　galloped　squadrons　of　mounted　men。　Upon　this　inner　wall　the　soldiers　clustered　as　thickly　as　on　the　outer；　preparing　as　actively　for　its　defense。

The　city　seethed。　Up　from　it　arose　a　humming；　a　buzzing；　as　of　some　immense　angry　hive。

Involuntarily　I　visualized　the　spectacle　we　must　present　to　those　who　looked　upon　usthis　huge　incredible　Shape　of　metal　alive　with　quicksilver　shifting。　Thisas　it　must　have　seemed　to　themhellish　mechanism　of　war　captained　by　a　sorceress　and　two　familiars　in　form　of　men。　There　came　to　me　dreadful　visions　of　such　a　monster　looking　down　upon　the　peace…reared　battlements　of　New　York　the　panic　rush　of　thousands　away　from　it。

There　was　a　blaring　of　trumpets。　Up　on　the　parapet　leaped　a　man　clad　all　in　gleaming　red　armor。　From　head　to　feet　the　close　linked　scales　covered　him。　Within　a　hood　shaped　somewhat　like　the　tight…fitting　head　coverings　of　the　Crusaders　a　pallid；　cruel　face　looked　out　upon　us；　in　the　fierce　black　eyes　was　no　trace　of　fear。

Evil　as　Norhala　had　said　these　people　of　Ruszark　were；　wicked　and　cruelthey　were　no　cowards；　no！

The　red　armored　man　threw　up　a　hand。

〃Who　are　you？〃　he　shouted。　〃Who　are　you　three；　you　three　who　come　driving　down　upon　Ruszark　through　the　rocks？　We　have　no　quarrel　with　you？〃

〃I　seek　a　man　and　a　maid；〃　cried　Norhala。　〃A　maid　and　a　sick　man　your　thieves　took　from　me。　Bring　him　forth！〃

〃Seek　elsewhere　for　them　then；〃　he　answered。　〃They　are　not　here。　Turn　now　and　seek　elsewhere。　Go　quickly；　lest　I　loose　our　might　upon　you　and　you　go　never。〃

Mockingly　rang　her　laughterand　under　its　lash　the　black　eyes　grew　fiercer；　the　cruelty　on　the　white　face　darkened。

〃Little　man　whose　words　are　so　big！　Fly　who　thunders！　What　are　you　called；　little　man？〃

Her　raillery　bit　deepbut　its　menace　passed　unheeded　in　the　rage　it　called　forth。

〃I　am　Kulun；〃　shouted　the　man　in　scarlet　armor。　〃Kulun；　the　son　of　Cherkis　the　Mighty；　and　captain　of　his　hosts。　Kulunwho　will　cast　your　skin　under　my　mares　in　stall　for　them　to　trample　and　thrust　your　red　flayed　body　upon　a　pole　in　the　grain　fields　to　frighten　away　the　crows！　Does　that　answer　you？〃

Her　laughter　ceased；　her　eyes　dwelt　upon　himfilled　with　an　infernal　joy。

〃The　son　of　Cherkis！〃　I　heard　her　murmur。　〃He　has　a　son〃

There　was　a　sneer　on　the　cruel　face；　clearly　he　thought　her　awed。　Quick　was　his　disillusionment。

〃Listen；　Kulun；〃　she　cried。　〃I　am　Norhaladaughter　of　another　Norhala　and　of　Rustum；　whom　Cherkis　tortured　and　slew。　Now　go；　you　lying　spawn　of　unclean　toadsgo　and　tell　your　father　that　I；　Norhala；　am　at　his　gates。　And　bring　back　with　you　the　maid　and　the　man。　Go；　I　say！〃





CHAPTER　XXV

CHERKIS

There　was　stark　amazement　on　Kulun's　face；　and　fear　now　enough。　He　dropped　from　the　parapet　among　his　men。　There　came　one　loud　trumpet　blast。

Out　from　the　battlements　poured　a　storm　of　arrows；　a　cloud　of　javelins。　The　squat　catapults　leaped　forward。　From　them　came　a　hail　of　boulders。　Before　that　onrushing　tempest　of　death　I　flinched。

I　heard　Norhala's　golden　laughter　and　before　they　could　reach　us　arrow　and　javelin　and　boulder　were　checked　as　though　myriads　of　hands　reached　out　from　the　Thing　under　us　and　caught　them。　Down　they　dropped。

Forth　from　the　great　spindle　shot　a　gigantic　arm；　hammer　tipped　with　cubes。　It　struck　the　wall　close　to　where　the　scarlet　armored　Kulun　had　vanished。

Under　its　blow　the　stones　crumbled。　With　the　fragments　fell　the　soldiers；　were　buried　beneath　them。

A　hundred　feet　in　width　a　breach　gaped　in　the　battlements。　Out　shot　the　arm　again；　hooked　its　hammer　tip　over　the　parapet；　tore　away　a　stretch　of　the　breastwork　as　though　it　had　been　cardboard。　Beside　the　breach　an　expanse　of　the　broad　flat　top　lay　open　like　a　wide　platform。

The　arm　withdrew；　and　out　from　the　whole　length　of　the　spindle　thrust　other　arms；　hammer　tipped；　held　high　aloft；　menacing。

From　all　the　length　of　the　wall　arose　panic　outcry。　Abruptly　the　storm　of　arrows　ended；　the　catapults　were　still。　Again　the　trumpets　sounded；　the　crying　ceased。　Down　fell　a　silence；　terrified；　stifling。

Kulun　stepped　forth　again；　both　hands　held　high。　Gone　was　his　arrogance。

〃A　parley；〃　he　shouted。　〃A　parley；　Norhala。　If　we　give　you　the　maid　and　man；　will　you　go？〃

〃Go　get　them；〃　she　answered。　〃And　take　with　you　this　my　command　to　Cherkisthat　HE　return　with　the　two！〃

For　an　instant　Kulun　hesitated。　Up　thrust　the　dreadful　arms；　poised　themselves　to　strike。

〃It　shall　be　so；〃　he　shouted。　〃I　carry　your　command。〃

He　leaped　back；　his　red　mail　flashed　toward　a　turret　that　held；　I　supposed；　a　stairway。　He　was　lost　to　sight。　In　silence　we　waited。

On　the　further　side　of　the　city　I　glimpsed　movement。　Little　troops　of　mounted　men；　pony　drawn　wains；　knots　of　running　figures　were　fleeing　from　the　city　through　the　opposite　gates。

Norhala　saw　them　too。　With　that　incomprehensible；　instant　obedience　to　her　unspoken　thought　a　mass　of　the　Metal　Things　separated　from　us；　whirled　up　into　a　dozen　of　those　obelisked　forms　I　had　seen　march　from　the　cat　eyes　of　the　City　of　the　Pit。

In　but　a　breath；　it　seemed；　their　columns　were　far　off；　herding　back　the　fugitives。

They　did　not　touch　them；　did　not　offer　to　harmonly；　grotesquely；　like　dogs　heading　off　and　corraling　frightened　sheep；　they　circled　and　darted。　Rushing　back　came　those　they　herded。

From　the　watching　terraces　and　walls　arose　shrill　cries　of　terror；　a　wailing。　Far　away　the　obelisks　met；　pirouetted；　melted　into　one　thick　column。　Towering；　motionless　as　we；　it　stood；　guarding　the　further　gates。

There　was　a　stir　upon　the　wall；　a　flashing　of　spears；　of　drawn　blades。　Two　litters　closed　with　curtainings；　surrounded　by　triple　rows　of　swordsmen　fully　armored；　carrying　small　shields　and　led　by　Kulun　were　being　borne　to　the　torn　battlement。

Their　bearers　stopped　well　within　the　platform　and　gently　lowered　their　burdens。　The　leader　of　those　around　the　second　litter　drew　aside　its　covering；　spoke。

Out　stepped　Ruth　and　after　herVentnor！

〃Martin！〃　I　could　not　keep　back　the　cry；　heard　mingled　with　it　Drake's　own　cry　to　Ruth。　Ventnor　raised　his　hand　in　greeting；　I　thought　he　smiled。

The　cubes　on　which　we　stood　shot　forward；　stopped　within　fifty　feet　of　them。　Instantly　the　guard　of　swordsmen　raised　their　blades；　held　them　over　the　pair　as　though　waiting　the　signal　to　strike。

And　now　I　saw　that　Ruth　was　not　clad　as　she　had　been　when　we　had　left　her。　She　stood　in　scanty　kirtle　that　came　scarcely　to　her　knees；　her　shoulders　were　bare；　her　curly　brown　hair　unbound　and　tangled。　Her　face　was　set　with　wrath　hardly　less　than　that　which　beat　from　Norhala。　On　Ventnor's　forehead　was　a　blood　red　scar；　a　line　that　ran　from　temple　to　temple　like　a　brand。

The　curtains　of　the　first　litter　quivered；　behind　them　someone　spoke。　That　in　which　Ruth　and　Ventnor　had　ridden　was　drawn　swiftly　away。　The　knot　of　swordsmen　drew　back。

Into　their　places　sprang　and　knelt　a　dozen　archers。　They　ringed　in　the