as motionless Ruth。
〃Martin；〃 I cried once more； a dreadful doubt upon me。 〃Martinwhat do you mean？〃
〃Whence didTheycome？〃 His voice was clear and calm； the eyes beneath the red brand clear and quiet； too。 〃Whence did They comethese Things that carry us？ That strode like destroying angels over Cherkis's city？ Are they spawn of Earthas we are？ Or are they foster childrenchangelings from another star？
〃These creatures that when many still are onethat when one still are many。 Whence did They come？ What are They？〃
He looked down upon the cubes that held us； their hosts of tiny eyes shone up at him； enigmaticallyas though they heard and understood。
〃I do not forget；〃 he said。 〃At least not all do I forget of what I saw during that time when I seemed an atom outside spaceas I told you； or think I told you； speaking with unthinkable effort through lips that seemed eternities away from me； the atom； who strove to open them。
〃There were threevisions； revelationsI know not what to call them。 And though each seemed equally real； of two of them； only one； I think； can be true； and of the thirdthat may some time be true but surely is not yet。〃
Through the air came a louder drum rollin it something ominous； something sinister。 It swelled to a crescendo； abruptly ceased。 And now I saw Norhala raise her head； listen。
〃I saw a world； a vast world； Goodwin； marching stately through space。 It was no globeit was a world of many facets； of smooth and polished planes； a huge blue jewel world； dimly luminous； a crystal world cut out from Aether。 A geometric thought of the Great Cause； of God； if you will； made material。 It was airless； waterless； sunless。
〃I seemed to draw closer to it。 And then I saw that over every facet patterns were traced； gigantic symmetrical designs； mathematical hieroglyphs。 In them I read unthinkable calculations； formulas of interwoven universes； arithmetical progressions of armies of stars； pandects of the motions of the suns。 In the patterns was an appalling harmonyas though all the laws from those which guide the atom to those which direct the cosmos were there resolved into completenesstotalled。
〃The faceted world was like a cosmic abacist； tallying as it marched the errors of the infinite。
〃The patterned symbols constantly changed form。 I drew nearerthe symbols were alive。 They were； in untold numbersThese！〃
He pointed to the Thing that bore us。
〃I was swept back； looked again upon it from afar。 And a fantastic notion came to mefantasy it was； of course； yet built I know around a nucleus of strange truth。 It was〃his tone was half whimsical； half apologetic 〃it was that this jeweled world was ridden by some mathematical god； driving it through space； noting occasionally with amused tolerance the very bad arithmetic of another Deity the reverse of mathematicala more or less haphazard Deity； the god； in fact； of us and the things we call living。
〃It had no mission； it wasn't at all out to do any reforming； it wasn't in the least concerned in rectifying any of the inaccuracies of the Other。 Only now and then it took note of the deplorable differences between the worlds it saw and its own impeccably ordered and tidy temple with its equally tidy servitors。
〃Just an itinerant demiurge of supergeometry riding along through space on its perfectly summed…up world； master of all celestial mechanics； its people independent of all that complex chemistry and labor for equilibrium by which we live； needing neither air nor water； heeding neither heat nor cold； fed with the magnetism of interstellar space and stopping now and then to banquet off the energy of some great sun。〃
A thrill of amazement passed through me； fantasy all this might be buthow； if so； had he gotten that last thought？ He had not seen； as we had； the orgy in the Hall of the Cones； the prodigious feeding of the Metal Monster upon our sun。
〃That passed；〃 he went on； unnoticing。 〃I saw vast caverns filled with the Things； working； growing； multiplying。 In caverns of our Earththe fruit of some unguessed womb？ I do not know。
〃But in those caverns； under countless orbs of many colored lights〃again the thrill of amaze shook me 〃they grew。 It came to me that they were reaching out toward sunlight and the open。 They burst into itinto yellow； glowing sunlight。 Ours？ I do not know。 And that picture passed。〃
His voice deepened。
〃There came a third vision。 I saw our EarthI knew； Goodwin； indisputably； unmistakably that it was our earth。 But its rolling hills were leveled； its mountains were ground and shaped into cold and polished symbols geometric； fashioned。
〃The seas were fettered； gleaming like immense jewels in patterned settings of crystal shores。 The very Polar ice was chiseled。 On the ordered plains were traced the hieroglyphs of the faceted world。 And on all Earth； Goodwin； there was no green life； no city； no trace of man。 On this Earth that had been ours were onlyThese。
〃Visioning！〃 he said。 〃Don't think that I accept them in their entirety。 Part truth； part illusionthe groping mind dazzled with light 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； motion