the metal monster- 第27部分

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　it〃the　home；　the　nest；　the　hearth；　the　nursery；　the　bridal　suite；　the　kitchen；　the　bed　and　board　of　the　army　ants。〃　Built　of　and　occupied　by　those　blind　and　dead　and　savage　little　insects　which　by　the　guidance　of　smell　alone　carried　on　the　most　intricate　operations；　the　most　complex　activities。　Nothing　here　was　stranger　than　that；　I　reflectedif　once　one　could　rid　the　mind　of　the　paralyzing　influence　of　the　shapes　of　the　Metal　Things。　Whence　came　the　stimuli　that　moved　THEM；　the　stimuli　to　which　THEY　reacted？

*　William　Beebe；　Atlantic　Monthly；　October；　1919。

Well　thenwhence　and　how　came　the　orders　to　which　the　ANTS　responded；　that　bade　them　open　THIS　corridor　in　their　nest；　close　THAT；　form　this　chamber；　fill　that　one？　Was　one　more　mysterious　than　the　other？

Breaking　into　my　current　of　thoughts　came　consciousness　that　I　was　moving　with　increased　speed；　that　my　body　was　fast　growing　lighter。

Simultaneously　with　this　recognition　I　felt　myself　lifted　from　the　floor　of　the　corridor　and　levitated　with　considerable　rapidity　forward；　looking　down　I　saw　that　floor　several　feet　below　me。　Drake's　arm　wound　itself　around　my　shoulder。

〃Closing　up　behind　us；〃　he　muttered。　〃They're　putting　usout。〃

It　was；　indeed；　as　though　the　passageway　had　wearied　of　our　deliberate　progress。　Had　decided　togive　us　a　lift。　Rearward　it　was　shutting。　I　noted　with　interest　how　accurately　this　motion　kept　pace　with　our　own　speed；　and　how　fluidly　the　walls　seemed　to　run　together。

Our　movement　became　accelerated。　It　was　as　though　we　floated　buoyantly；　weightless；　upon　some　swift　stream。　The　sensation　was　curiously　pleasant；　languorouswhat　was　that　word　Ruth　had　used？ELEMENTALand　free。　The　supporting　force　seemed　to　flow　equally　from　walls　and　floor；　to　reach　down　to　us　from　the　roof。　It　was　slumberously　even；　and　effortless。　I　saw　that　in　advance　of　us　the　living　corridor　was　opening　even　as　behind　us　it　was　closing。

All　around　us　the　little　eye　points　twinkled　and　laughed。

There　was　no　danger　herethere　could　be　none。　Deeper　and　deeper　dropped　my　mind　into　the　depths　of　that　alien　tranquillity。　Faster　and　faster　we　floatedonward。

Abruptly；　ahead　of　us　shone　a　blaze　of　daylight。　We　passed　into　it。　The　force　holding　us　withdrew　its　grip；　I　felt　solidity　beneath　my　feet；　stood　and　leaned　back　against　a　smooth　wall。

The　corridor　had　ended　andhad　shut　us　out　from　itself。

〃Bounced！〃　exclaimed　Drake。

And　incongruous；　flippant；　colloquial　as　was　that　word；　I　know　none　that　would　better　describe　my　own　feelings。

We　were　BOUNCED　out　upon　a　turret　jutting　from　the　barrier。　And　before　us　lay　spread　the　most　amazing；　the　most　extraordinary　fantastic　scene　upon　which；　I　think；　the　vision　of　man　has　rested　since　the　advent　of　time。





CHAPTER　XX

VAMPIRES　OF　THE　SUN

It　was　a　crater；　a　half　mile　on　high　and　all　of　two　thousand　feet　across　ran　the　circular　lip　of　its　vast　rim。　Above　it　was　a　circle　of　white　and　glaring　sky　in　whose　center　flamed　the　sun。

And　instantly；　before　my　vision　could　grasp　a　tithe　of　that　panorama；　I　knew　that　this　place　was　the　very　heart　of　the　City；　its　vital　ganglion；　its　soul。

Around　the　crater　lip　were　poised　thousands　of　concave　disks；　vernal　green；　enormous。　They　were　like　a　border　of　gigantic；　upthrust　shields；　and　within　each；　emblazoned　like　a　shield's　device；　was　a　blinding　flower　of　flame　the　reflected；　dilated　face　of　the　sun。　Below　this　diadem　hung；　pendent；　clusters　of　other　disks；　swarmed　like　the　globular　hiving　of　the　constellation　Hercules'　captured　stars。　And　each　of　these　prisoned　the　image　of　our　sun。

A　hundred　feet　below　us　was　the　crater　floor。

Up　from　it　thrust　a　mountainous　forest　of　the　pallidly　radiant　cones；　bristling；　prodigious。　Tier　upon　tier；　thicket　upon　thicket；　phalanx　upon　phalanx　they　climbed。　Up　and　up；　pyramidically；　they　flung　their　spiked　hosts。

They　drew　together　two　thousand　feet　above　us；　clustering　close　about　the　foot　of　a　single　huge　spire　which　thrust　itself　skyward　above　them。　The　crest　of　this　spire　was　truncated。　From　its　shorn　tip　radiated　scores　of　long　and　slender　spokes　holding　in　place　a　thousand　feet　wide　wheel　of　wan　green　disks　whose　concave　surfaces；　unlike　those　smooth　ones　girding　the　crater；　were　curiously　faceted。

This　amazing　structure　rested　upon　a　myriad…footed　base　of　crystal；　even　as　had　that　other　cornute　fantasy　beside　which　we　had　met　the　great　Disk。　But　it　was　in　size　to　that　asas　Leviathan　to　a　minnow。　From　it　streamed　the　same　baffling　suggestion　of　invincible　force　transmuted　into　matter；　energy　coalesced　into　the　tangible；　power　made　concentrate　in　the　vestments　of　substance。

Half…way　between　crater　lip　and　floor　began　the　hordes　of　the　Metal　People。

In　colossal　animate　cheveau…de…frise　of　hundred…foot　girders　they　thrust　themselves　out　from　the　curving　walls　walls；　I　knew；　as　alive　as　they！

From　these　Brobdignagian　beams　they　swung　in　ropes　and　clustersspheres　and　cubes　studded　as　thickly　with　the　pyramids　as　ever　Titan's　mace　with　spikes。　Group　after　bizarre　group　they　dropped；　pendulous。　Coppices　of　slender　columns　of　thistled　globes　sprang　up　to　meet　the　festooned　joists。

Between　the　girders　they　draped　themselves　in　long；　stellated　garlands；　grouped　themselves　in　innumerable；　kaleidoscopic　patterns。

They　clicked　into　place　around　the　golden　turret　in　which　we　crouched。

In　fantastic　arrases　they　swayed　in　front　of　usnow　hiding　by；　now　revealing　through　their　quicksilver　interweavings　the　mounts　of　the　Cones。

And　steadily　those　flowing　in　below　added　to　their　multitudes；　gliding　up　cable　and　pillar；　building　out　still　further　the　living　girders；　stringing　themselves　upon　living　festoon　and　living　garland；　weaving　in　among　them；　changing　their　shapes；　rewriting　their　symbols。

They　swung　and　threaded　swiftly；　in　shifting　arabesque；　in　Gothic　traceries；　in　lace…like　fantasies；　utterly　bizarre；　unutterably　beautifulcrystalline；　geometric　always。

Abruptly　their　movement　ceasedso　abruptly　that　the　stoppage　of　all　the　ordered　turmoil　had　the　quality　of　appalling　silence。

An　unimaginable　tapestry　bedight　with　incredible　broidery；　the　Metal　People　draped　the　vast　cup。

Pillared　it　as　though　it　were　a　temple。

Garnished　it　with　their　bodies　as　though　it　were　a　shrine。

Across　the　floor　toward　the　Cones　glided　a　palely　lustrous　sphere。　In　shape　only　a　globe　like　all　its　kind；　yet　it　was　invested　with　power；　it　radiated　power　as　a　star　does　light；　was　clothed　in　unseen　garments　of　supernal　force。　In　its　wake　drifted　two　great　pyramids；　after　them　ten　spheres　but　little　smaller　than　the　Shape　which　led。

〃The　Metal　Emperor！〃　breathed　Drake。

On　they　swept　until　they　reached　the　base　of　the　Cones。　They　paused　at　the　edge　of　the　crystal　tabling。　They　turned。

There　was　a　flashing　as　of　a　meteor　bursting。　The　globe　had　opened　into　that　splendor　of　jewel　fires　before　which　had　floated　Norhala　and　Ruth。

I　saw　again　the　luminous　ovals　of　sapphire；　studding　its　golden　zone；　the　mystic　rose　of　pulsing；　petal　flame；　the　still　core　of　incandescent　ruby　that　was　the　heart　of　that　rose。

Strangely　I　felt　my　own　heart　veer　toward　thisThing；　bowing　before　its　beauty　and　its　strength；　almost　worshiping！

A　shock　of　revulsion　went　through　me。　I　shot　a　quick；　half　frightened　glance　at　Drake。　He　was　crouching　dangerously　close　to　the　lip　of　the　ledge；　hands　clasped　and　knuckles　white　with　the　intensity　of　his　grip；　eyes　rapt；　staringupon　the　verge　of　worship　even　as　I　had　been。

〃Drake！〃　I　thrust　my　elbow　into　his　side　brutally。　〃None　of　that！　Remember　you're　human！　Guard　yourself；　man　guard　yourself！〃

〃What？〃　he　muttered；　then；　abruptly：　〃How　did　you　know？〃

〃I　felt　it　myself；〃　I　answered：　〃For　God's　sake；　Dick　hold　fast　to　yourself！　Remember　Ruth！〃

He　shook　his　head　violentlyas　though　to　be　rid　of　some　clinging；　cloying　thing。

〃I'll　not　forget　again；〃　he　said。

He　huddled　down　once　more　close　to　the　edge　of　the　shelf；　peering　over。　No　one　of　the　Metal　People　had　moved；　the　silence；　the　stillness；　was　unbroken。

Now　the　flanking　pyramids　shot　forth　into　twin　stars；　blazing　with　violet　luminescences。　And　one　by　one　after　them　the　ten　lesser　spheres　expanded　into　flaming　orbs；　beautiful　they　were；　but　far　less　glorious　than　that　Disk　of　whom　they　were　the　counselors？ministers？what？

Still　there　was　no　movement　among　all　the　arrased；　girdered；　pillared　hosts。

There　came　a　little　wailing；　far　away　it　was　and　far。　Nearer　it　drew。　Was　that　a　tremor　that　passed　through　the　crowded　crater？　A　quick　pulse　ofeagerness？

〃Hungry！〃　whispered　Drake。　〃They're　HUNGRY！〃


Closer　was　the　wailing；　again　that　faint　tremor　quivered　over　the　place。　And　now　I　caught　ita　quick　and　avid　pulsing。

〃Hungry；〃　whispered　Drake　again。　〃Like　a　lot　of　lions　with　the　keeper　coming　along　with　meat。〃

The　wailing　was　below　us。　I　felt；　not　a　quiver　this　time；　but　an　unmistakable　shock　pass　through　the　Horde。　It　throbbedand　passed。

Into　the　field　of　our　vision；　up　to　the　flaming　Disk　rushed　an　immense　cube。

Thrice　the　height　of　a　tall　manas　I　think　I　have　noted　beforewhen　it　unfolded　its　radiance　wa