the metal monster- 第17部分

Then　down　the　body　swung；　was　borne　through　air；　laid　gently　at　our　feet。

〃He　is　notdead；〃　it　was　Norhala　beside　me；　she　lifted　Ruth's　face　from　Drake's　breast。　〃He　will　not　die。　It　may　be　he　will　walk　again。　They　can　not　help；〃　there　was　a　shadow　of　apology　in　her　tones。　〃They　did　not　know。　They　thought　it　was　the〃she　hesitated　as　though　at　loss　for　words〃thethe　Fire　Play。〃

〃The　Fire　Play？〃　I　gasped。

〃Yes；〃　she　nodded。　〃You　shall　see　it。　And　now　I　will　take　him　to　my　house。　You　are　safenow；　nor　need　you　trouble。　For　he　has　given　you　to　me。〃

〃Who　has　given　us　to　youNorhala？〃　I　asked；　as　calmly　as　I　could。

〃He〃she　nodded　to　the　Disk；　then　spoke　the　phrase　that　was　both　ancient　Assyria's　and　ancient　Persia's　title　for　their　all…conquering　rulers；　and　that　meant〃the　King　of　Kings。　The　Great　King；　Master　of　Life　and　Death。〃

She　took　Ruth　from　Drake's　arms；　pointing　to　Ventnor。

〃Bear　him；〃　she　commanded；　and　led　the　way　back　through　the　walls　of　light。

As　we　lifted　the　body；　I　slipped　my　hand　through　the　shirt；　felt　at　the　heart。　Faint　was　the　pulsation　and　slow；　but　regular。

Close　to　the　encircling　vapors　I　cast　one　look　behind　me。　The　shapes　stood　immobile；　flashing　disks；　gigantic　radiant　stars　and　the　six　great　spheres　beneath　their　geometric　super…Euclidean　god　or　shrine　or　machine　of　interwoven　threads　of　luminous　force　and　metalstill　motionless；　still　watching。

We　emerged　into　the　place　of　pillars。　There　stood　the　hooded　pony　and　its　patience；　its　uncomplaining　acceptance　of　its　place　as　servant　to　man　brought　a　lump　into　my　throat；　salved；　I　suppose；　my　human　vanity；　abased　as　it　had　been　by　the　colossal　indifference　of　those　things　to　which　we　were　but　playthings。

Again　Norhala　sent　forth　her　call。　Out　of　the　maze　glided　her　quintette　of　familiars；　again　the　four　clicked　into　one。　Upon　its　top　we　lifted；　Drake　ascending　first；　the　pony；　then　the　body　of　Ventnor。

I　saw　Norhala　lead　Ruth　to　the　remaining　cube；　saw　the　girl　break　away　from　her；　leap　beside　me；　and　kneeling　at　her　brother's　head；　cradle　it　against　her　soft　breast。　Then　as　I　found　in　the　medicine　case　the　hypodermic　needle　and　the　strychnine　for　which　I　had　been　searching；　I　began　my　examination　of　Ventnor。

The　cubes　quiveredswept　away　through　the　forest　of　columns。

We　crouched；　the　three　of　us；　blind　to　anything　that　lay　about　us；　heedless　of　whatever　road　of　wonders　we　were　on；　striving　to　strengthen　in　Ventnor　the　spark　of　life　so　near　extinction。





CHAPTER　XII

〃I　WILL　GIVE　YOU　PEACE〃

In　our　concentration　upon　Ventnor　none　of　us　had　given　thought　to　the　passing　of　time；　nor　where　we　were　going。　We　stripped　him　to　the　waist；　and　while　Ruth　massaged　head　and　neck；　Drake's　strong　fingers　kneaded　chest　and　abdomen。　I　had　used　to　the　utmost　my　somewhat　limited　medical　knowledge。

We　had　found　no　mark　nor　burn　upon　him；　not　even　upon　his　hands　over　which　had　run　the　licking　flame。　The　slightly　purplish；　cyanotic　tinge　of　his　skin　had　given　way　to　a　clear　pallor；　the　skin　was　itself　disquietingly　cold；　the　blood…pressure　only　slightly　subnormal。　The　pulse　was　more　rapid；　stronger；　the　breathing　faint　but　regular；　and　with　no　laboring。　The　pupils　of　his　eyes　were　contracted　almost　to　the　point　of　invisibility。

I　could　get　no　nervous　reactions　whatever。　I　am　familiar　with　the　effects　of　electric　shock　and　know　what　to　do　in　such　cases；　but　Ventnor's　symptoms；　while　similar　in　part；　presented　other　features　unknown　to　me　and　most　puzzling。　There　was　a　passive　automatism；　a　perplexing　muscular　rigidity　which　caused　arms　and　legs；　hands　and　head　to　remain；　doll…like；　in　any　position　placed。

Several　times　during　my　labors　I　had　been　aware　of　Norhala　gazing　down　upon　us；　but　she　made　no　effort　to　help；　nor　did　she　speak。

Now；　my　strained　attention　relaxing；　I　began　to　receive　and　note　impressions　from　without。　There　was　a　different　feeling　in　the　air；　a　diminution　of　the　magnetic　tension；　I　smelled　the　blessed　breath　of　trees　and　water。

The　light　about　us　was　clear　and　pearly；　about　the　intensity　of　the　moon　at　full。　Looking　back　along　the　way　we　had　been　traveling；　I　saw　a　half　mile　away　vertical；　knife…sharp　edges　of　two　facing　cliffs；　the　gap　between　them　a　mile　or　more　wide。

Through　them　we　must　have　passed；　for　beyond　them　were　the　radiant　mists　of　the　pit　of　the　city；　and　through　this　precipitous　gateway　filtered　the　enveloping　luminosity。　On　each　side　of　us　uprose　gradually　converging　and　perpendicular　scarps　along　whose　base　huddled　a　sparse　foliage。

There　came　a　low　whistle　of　astonishment　from　Drake；　I　turned。　We　were　slowly　gliding　toward　something　that　looked　like　nothing　so　much　as　a　huge　and　shimmering　bubble　of　mingled　sapphire　and　turquoise；　swimming　up　from　and　two…thirds　above　and　the　balance　still　hidden　within　earth。　It　seemed　to　draw　to　itself　the　light；　sending　it　back　with　gleamings　of　the　gray…blue　of　the　star　sapphire；　with　pellucid　azures　and　lazulis　like　clouded　jades；　with　glistening　peacock　iridescences　and　tender；　milky　greens　of　tropic　shallows。

Little　turrets　globular　and　topaz；　yellow　and　pierced　with　tiny　hexagonal　openings　clustered　about　it　like　baby　bubbles　just　nestling　down　to　rest。

Great　trees　shadowed　it；　unfamiliar　trees　among　whose　glossy　leaves　blossomed　in　wreaths　flowers　pink　and　white　as　apple…blossoms。　From　their　graceful　branches　strange　fruits；　golden　and　scarlet　and　pear…shaped；　hung　pendulous。

It　was　an　elfin　palace；　a　goblin　dwelling；　such　a　bower　as　some　mirthful；　beauty…loving　Jinn　King　of　Jewels　might　have　built　from　enchanted　hoards　for　some　well…beloved　daughter　of　earth。

All　of　fifty　feet　in　height　was　the　blue　globe；　and　up　to　a　wide　and　ovaled　entrance　ran　a　broad　and　shining　roadway。　Along　this　the　cubes　swept　and　stopped。

〃My　house；〃　murmured　Norhala。

The　attraction　that　had　held　us　to　the　surface　of　the　blocks　relaxed；　angled　through　changed　and　assisting　lines　of　force；　the　hosts　of　minute　eyes　sparkling　quizzically；　interestedly；　at　us；　we　gently　slid　Ventnor's　body；　lifted　down　the　pony。

〃Enter；〃　sighed　Norhala；　and　waved　a　welcoming　hand。

〃Tell　her　to　wait　a　minute；〃　ordered　Drake。

He　slipped　the　bandage　from　off　the　pony's　head；　threw　off　the　saddlebags；　and　led　it　to　the　side　of　the　roadway　where　thick；　lush　grass　was　growing；　spangled　with　flowerets。　There　he　hobbled　it　and　rejoined　us。　Together　we　picked　up　Ventnor　and　passed　slowly　through　the　portal。

We　stood　in　a　shadowed　chamber。　The　light　that　filled　it　was　translucent；　and　oddly　enough　with　little　of　the　bluish　quality　I　had　expected。　Crystalline　it　was；　the　shadows　crystalline；　too；　rigidlike　the　facets　of　great　crystals。　And　as　my　eyes　accustomed　themselves　I　saw　that　what　I　had　thought　shadows　actually　were　none。

They　were　slices　of　semitransparent　stone　like　pale　moonstones；　springing　from　the　curving　walls　and　the　high　dome；　and　bisecting　and　intersecting　the　chamber。　They　were　pierced　with　oval　doorways　over　which　fell　glimmering　metallic　curtainssilk　of　silver　and　gold。

I　glimpsed　a　pile　of　this　silken　stuff　near　by；　and　as　we　laid　our　burden　upon　it　Ruth　caught　my　arm　with　a　little　frightened　cry。

Through　a　curtained　oval　sidled　a　figure。

Black　and　tall；　its　long　and　gnarled　arms　swung　apelike；　its　shoulders　were　distorted；　one　so　much　longer　than　the　other　that　the　hand　upon　that　side　hung　far　below　the　knee。

It　walked　with　a　curious；　crablike　motion。　Upon　its　face　were　stamped　countless　wrinkles　and　its　blackness　seemed　less　that　of　pigmentation　than　the　weathering　of　unbelievable　years；　the　very　stain　of　ancientness。　And　about　neither　face　nor　figure　was　there　anything　to　show　whether　it　was　man　or　woman。

From　the　twisted　shoulders　a　short　and　sleeveless　red　tunic　fell。　Incredibly　old　the　creature　wasand　by　its　corded　muscles；　its　sinewy　tendons；　as　incredibly　powerful。　It　raised　within　me　a　half　sick　revulsion；　loathing。　But　the　eyes　were　not　ancient；　no。　Irisless；　lashless；　black　and　brilliant；　they　blazed　out　of　the　face's　carven　web　of　wrinkles；　intent　upon　Norhala　and　filled　with　a　flame　of　worship。


It　threw　itself　at　her　feet；　prostrate；　the　inordinately　long　arms　outstretched。

〃Mistress！〃　it　whined　in　a　high　and　curiously　unpleasant　falsetto。　〃Great　lady！　Goddess！〃

She　stretched　out　a　sandaled　foot；　touched　one　of　the　black　taloned　hands；　and　at　the　contact　I　saw　a　shiver　of　ecstasy　run　through　the　lank　body。　〃Yuruk〃　she　began；　and　paused；　regarding　us。

〃The　goddess　speaks！　Yuruk　hears！　The　goddess　speaks！〃　It　was　a　chant　of　adoration。

〃Yuruk。　Rise。　Look　upon　the　strangers。〃

The　creatureand　now　I　knew　what　it　waswrithed；　twisted；　and　hideously　apelike　crouched　upon　its　haunches；　hands　knuckling　the　floor。

By　the　amazement　in　the　unwinking　eyes　it　was　plain　that　not　till　now　had　the　eunuch　taken　cognizance　of　us。　The　amazement　fled；　was　replaced　with　a　black　fire　of　malignancy；　of　hatredjealousy。

〃Augh！〃　he　snarled；　leaped　to　his　feet；　thrust　an　arm　toward　Ruth。　She　gave　a　little　cry；　cowered　against　Drake。

〃None　of　that！〃　He　struck　down　the　clutching　arm。

〃Yuruk！〃　There　was　a　hint　of　anger　in　the　bell…toned　voice。　〃Yuruk；　these　belong　to　me。　No　harm　must　come　to　them。　Yurukbeware！〃

〃The　goddess　commands。　Yuruk　obeys。〃　If　fear　quavered　in　the　words；　beneath　was　more　than　a　trace　of　a　sullenness；　too；　sinister　enough。

〃That's　a　nice　little　playmate　for　her　new　playthings；〃　muttered　Drake。　〃If　that　bird　gets　the　least　bit　gayI　shoot　him　pronto。〃　He　gave　Ruth　a　reassuring　hug。　〃Cheer　up；　Ruth。　Don't　mind　that　thing。　He's　something　we　can　handle。〃

Norhala　waved　a　white　hand；　Yuruk　sidled　over　to　one　of　the　curtained　ovals　and　through　it；　reappearing　almost　instantly　with　a　huge　platter　upon　which　were　fruits；　and　a　curdly　white　liquid　in　bowls　of　thick　porcelain。

〃Eat；〃　she　said；　as　the　gnarled　black　arms　placed　the　platter　at　our　feet。

〃Hungry？〃　asked　Drake。　Ruth　shook　her　head　violently。

〃I'm　going　out　for　the　saddlebags；〃　said　Drake。　〃We'll　use　our　own　stuffwhile　it　lasts。　I'm　taking　no　chances　on　what　the　Yuruk　lad　bringswith　all　due　respect　to　Norhala's　good　intentions。〃

He　started　for　the　doorway；　the　eunuch　blocked　his　way。

〃We　have　with　us　food　of　our　own；　Norh