the metal monster-第46节

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ight　of　unfamiliar　truths　and　making　pictures　from　half　light　and　half　shadow　to　help　it　understand。

〃But　stillSOME　truth　in　them。　How　much　I　do　not　know。　But　this　I　do　knowthat　last　vision　was　of　a　cataclysm　whose　beginnings　we　face　nowthis　very　instant。〃

The　picture　flashed　behind　my　own　eyesof　the　walled　city；　its　thronging　people；　its　groves　and　gardens；　its　science　and　its　art；　of　the　Destroying　Shapes　trampling　it　flatand　then　the　dreadful；　desolate　mount。

And　suddenly　I　saw　that　mount　as　Earththe　city　as　Earth's　citiesits　gardens　and　groves　as　Earth's　fields　and　forestsand　the　vanished　people　of　Cherkis　seemed　to　expand　into　all　humanity。

〃But　Martin；〃　I　stammered；　fighting　against　choking；　intolerable　terror；　〃there　was　something　else。　Something　of　the　Keeper　of　the　Cones　and　of　our　striking　through　the　sun　to　destroy　the　Thingssomething　of　them　being　governed　by　the　same　laws　that　govern　us　and　that　if　they　broke　them　they　must　fall。　A　hopea　PROMISE；　that　they　would　NOT　conquer。〃

〃I　remember；〃　he　replied；　〃but　not　clearly。　There　WAS　somethinga　shadow　upon　them；　a　menace。　It　was　a　shadow　that　seemed　to　be　born　of　our　own　worldsome　threatening　spirit　of　earth　hovering　over　them。

〃I　cannot　remember；　it　eludes　me。　Yet　it　is　because　I　remember　but　a　little　of　it　that　I　say　those　drums　may　not　betapsfor　us。〃


As　though　his　words　had　been　a　cue；　the　sounds　again　burst　forthno　longer　muffled　nor　faint。　They　roared；　they　seemed　to　pelt　through　air　and　drop　upon　us；　they　beat　about　our　ears　with　thunderous　tattoo　like　covered　caverns　drummed　upon　by　Titans　with　trunks　of　great　trees。

The　drumming　did　not　die；　it　grew　louder；　more　vehement；　defiant　and　deafening。　Within　the　Thing　under　us　a　mighty　pulse　began　to　throb；　accelerating　rapidly　to　the　rhythm　of　that　clamorous　roll。

I　saw　Norhala　draw　herself　up；　sharply；　stand　listening　and　alert。　Under　me；　the　throbbing　turned　to　an　uneasy　churning；　a　ferment。

〃Drums？〃　muttered　Drake。　〃THEY'RE　no　drums。　It's　drum　fire。　It's　like　a　dozen　Marnes；　a　dozen　Verduns。　But　where　could　batteries　like　those　come　from？〃

〃Drums；〃　whispered　Ventnor。　〃They　ARE　drums。　The　drums　of　Destiny！〃

Louder　the　roaring　grew。　Now　it　was　a　tremendous　rhythmic　cannonading。　The　Thing　halted。　The　tower　that　upheld　Ruth　and　Norhala　swayed；　bent　over　the　gap　between　us；　touched　the　top　on　which　we　rode。

Gently　the　two　were　plucked　up；　swiftly　they　were　set　beside　us。

Came　a　shrill；　keen　wailinglouder　than　ever　I　had　heard　before。　There　was　an　earthquake　trembling；　a　maelstrom　swirling　in　which　we　spun；　a　swift　sinking。

The　Thing　split　in　two。　Up　before　us　rose　a　stupendous；　stepped　pyramid；　little　smaller　it　was　than　that　which　Cheops　built　to　throw　its　shadows　across　holy　Nile。　Into　it　streamed；　over　it　clicked；　score　upon　score　of　cubes；　building　it　higher　and　higher。　It　lurched　forwardaway　from　us。

From　Norhala　came　a　single　cryresonant；　blaring　like　a　wrathful；　golden　trumpet。

The　speeding　shape　halted；　hesitated；　it　seemed　about　to　return。　Crashed　down　upon　us　an　abrupt　crescendo　of　the　distant　drumming；　peremptory；　commanding。　The　shape　darted　forward；　raced　away　crushing　to　straw　the　trees　beneath　it　in　a　full　quarter…mile…wide　swath。

Great　gray　eyes　wide；　filled　with　incredulous　wonder；　stunned　disbelief；　Norhala　for　an　instant　faltered。　Then　out　of　her　white　throat；　through　her　red　lips　pelted　a　tempest　of　staccato　buglings。

Under　them　what　was　left　of　the　Thing　leaped；　tore　on。　Norhala's　flaming　hair　crackled　and　streamed；　about　her　body　of　milk　and　pearlabout　Ruth's　creamy　skina　radiant　nimbus　began　to　glow。

In　the　distance　I　saw　a　sapphire　spark；　knew　it　for　Norhala's　home。　Not　far　from　it　now　was　the　rushing　pyramidand　it　came　to　me　that　within　that　shape　was　strangely　neither　globe　nor　pyramid。　Nor　except　for　the　trembling　cubes　that　made　the　platform　on　which　we　stood；　did　the　shrunken　Thing　carrying　us　hold　any　unit　of　the　Metal　Monster　except　its　spheres　and　tetrahedrons　at　least　within　its　visible　bulk。

The　sapphire　spark　had　grown　to　a　glimmering　azure　marble。　Steadily　we　gained　upon　the　pyramid。　Never　for　an　instant　ceased　that　scourging　hail　of　notes　from　Norhala　never　for　an　instant　lessened　the　drumming　clamor　that　seemed　to　try　to　smother　them。

The　sapphire　marble　became　a　sapphire　ball；　a　great　globe。　I　saw　the　Thing　we　sought　to　join　lift　itself　into　a　prodigious　pillar；　the　pillar's　base　thrust　forth　stilts；　upon　them　the　Thing　stepped　over　the　blue　dome　of　Norhala's　house。

The　blue　bubble　was　close；　now　it　curved　below　us。　Gently　we　were　lifted　down；　were　set　before　its　portal。　I　looked　up　at　the　bulk　that　had　carried　us。

I　had　been　rightbuilt　it　was　only　of　globe　and　pyramid；　an　inconceivably　grotesque　shape；　it　hung　over　us。

Throughout　the　towering　Shape　was　awful　movement；　its　units　writhed　within　it。　Then　it　was　lost　to　sight　in　the　mists　through　which　the　Thing　we　had　pursued　had　gone。

In　Norhala's　face　as　she　watched　it　go　was　a　dismay；　a　poignant　uncertainty；　that　held　in　it　something　indescribably　pitiful。

〃I　am　afraid！〃　I　heard　her　whisper。

She　tightened　her　grasp　upon　dreaming　Ruth；　motioned　us　to　go　within。　We　passed；　silently；　behind　us　she　came；　followed　by　three　of　the　great　globes；　by　a　pair　of　her　tetrahedrons。

Beside　a　pile　of　the　silken　stuffs　she　halted。　The　girl's　eyes　dwelt　upon　hers　trustingly。

〃I　am　afraid！〃　whispered　Norhala　again。　〃Afraidfor　you！〃

Tenderly　she　looked　down　upon　her；　the　galaxies　of　stars　in　her　eyes　soft　and　tremulous。

〃I　am　afraid；　little　sister；〃　she　whispered　for　the　third　time。　〃Not　yet　can　you　go　as　I　doamong　the　fires。〃　She　hesitated。　〃Rest　here　until　I　return。　I　shall　leave　these　to　guard　you　and　obey　you。〃

She　motioned　to　the　five　shapes。　They　ranged　themselves　about　Ruth。　Norhala　kissed　her　upon　both　brown　eyes。

〃Sleep　till　I　return；〃　she　murmured。

She　swept　from　the　chamberwith　never　a　glance　for　us　three。　I　heard　a　little　wailing　chorus　without；　fast　dying　into　silence。

Spheres　and　pyramids　twinkled　at　us；　guarding　the　silken　pile　whereon　Ruth　lay　asleeplike　some　enchanted　princess。

Beat　down　upon　the　blue　globe　like　hollow　metal　worlds；　beaten　and　shrieking。

The　drums　of　Destiny！

The　drums　of　Doom！

Beating　taps　for　the　world　of　men？





CHAPTER　XXVIII

THE　FRENZY　OF　RUTH

For　many　minutes　we　stood　silent；　in　the　shadowy　chamber；　listening；　each　absorbed　in　his　own　thoughts。　The　thunderous　drumming　was　continuous；　sometimes　it　faded　into　a　background　for　clattering　storms　as　of　thousands　of　machine　guns；　thousands　of　riveters　at　work　at　once　upon　a　thousand　metal　frameworks；　sometimes　it　was　nearly　submerged　beneath　splitting　crashes　as　of　meeting　meteors　of　hollow　steel。

But　always　the　drumming　persisted；　rhythmic；　thunderous。　Through　it　all　Ruth　slept；　undisturbed；　cheek　pillowed　in　one　rounded　arm；　the　two　great　pyramids　erect　behind　her；　watchful；　a　globe　at　her　feet；　a　globe　at　her　head；　the　third　sphere　poised　between　her　and　us；　and；　like　the　pyramidswatchful。

What　was　happening　out　thereover　the　edge　of　the　canyon；　beyond　the　portal　of　the　cliffs；　behind　the　veils；　in　the　Pit　of　the　Metal　Monster？　What　was　the　message　of　the　roaring　drums？　What　the　rede　of　their　clamorous　runes？

Ventnor　stepped　by　the　sentinel　globe；　bent　over　the　tranced　girl。　Sphere　nor　pointed　pair　stirred；　only　they　watched　himlike　a　palpable　thing　one　felt　their　watchfulness。　He　listened　to　her　heart；　caught　up　a　wrist；　took　note　of　her　pulse　of　life。　He　drew　a　deep　breath；　stood　upright；　nodded　reassuringly。

Abruptly　Drake　turned；　walked　out　through　the　open　portal；　his　strain　and　a　very　deep　anxiety　written　plainly　in　deep　lines　that　ran　from　nostrils　to　firm　young　mouth。

〃Just　went　out　to　look　for　the　pony；〃　he　muttered　when　he　returned。　〃It's　safe。　I　was　afraid　it　had　been　stepped　on。　It's　getting　dusk。　There's　a　big　light　down　the　canyon　over　in　the　valley。〃

Ventnor　drew　back　past　the　globe；　rejoined　us。

The　blue　bower　trembled　under　a　gust　of　sound。　Ruth　stirred；　her　brows　knitted；　her　hands　clenched。　The　sphere　that　stood　before　her　spun　on　its　axis；　swept　up　to　the　globe　at　her　head；　glided　from　it　to　the　globe　at　her　feetas　though　whispering。　Ruth　moanedher　body　bent　upright；　swayed　rigidly。　Her　eyes　opened；　they　stared　through　us　as　though　upon　some　dreadful　vision；　and　strangely　was　it　as　though　she　were　seeing　with　another's　eyes；　were　reflecting　another's　sufferings。

The　globes　at　her　feet　and　at　her　head　swirled　out；　clustering　against　the　third　spherethree　weird　shapes　in　silent　consultation。　On　Ventnor's　face　I　saw　pity　and　a　vast　relief。　With　shocked　amaze　I　realized　that　Ruth's　agonyfor　in　agony　she　clearly　waswas　calling　forth　in　him　elation。　He　spokeand　I　knew　why。

〃Norhala！〃　he　whispered。　〃She　is　seeing　with　Norhala's　eyesfeeling　what　Norhala　feels。　It's　not　going　well　with　Thatout　there。　If　we　dared　leave　Ruthcould　only；　see〃

Ruth　leaped　to　her　feet；　cried　outa　golden　bugling　that　might　have　been　Norhala's　own　wrathful　trumpet　notes。　Instantly　the　two　pyramids　flamed　open；　became　two　gleaming　stars　that　bathed　her　in　violet　radiance。　Beneath　their　upper　tips　I　saw　the　blasting　ovals　glit