the metal monster-第42章

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〃Norhala！〃　gasped　Drake。

Robed　in　her　silken　amber　swathings；　red…copper　hair　streaming；　woven　with　elfin　sparklings；　she　was　racing　toward　the　City　like　some　lovely　witch；　riding　upon　the　back　of　a　steed　of　huge　cubes。

Nearer　she　raced。　More　direct　became　our　fall。　Now　we　were　dropping　as　though　at　the　end　of　an　unreeling　plummet　cord；　the　floor　of　the　valley　was　no　more　than　two　hundred　feet　below。

〃Norhala！〃　we　shouted；　and　again　and　againagain　〃Norhala！〃

Before　our　cries　could　have　reached　her　the　cubes　swerved；　came　to　a　halt　beneath　us。　Through　the　hundred　feet　of　space　between　I　caught　the　brilliancy　of　the　weird　constellations　in　Norhala's　great　eyessaw　with　a　vague　but　no　less　dire　foreboding　that　on　her　face　dwelt　a　terrifying；　a　blasting　wrath。

As　softly　as　though　by　the　hand　of　a　giant　of　cloud　we　were　lifted　out　from　the　wall；　and　were　set　with　no　perceptible　shock　beside　her　on　the　back　of　the　cubes。

〃Norhala〃　I　stopped。　For　this　was　no　Norhala　whom　we　had　known。　Gone　was　all　calm；　vanished　every　trace　of　unearthly　tranquillity。　It　was　a　Norhala　awakened　at　lastall　human。

Yet　in　the　still　rage　that　filled　her　I　sensed　a　force；　an　intensity；　more　than　human。　Over　the　blazing　eyes　the　brows　were　knit　in　a　rigid；　golden　bar；　the　delicate　nostrils　were　pinched；　the　sweet　red　mouth　was　white　and　merciless。　It　was　as　though　in　its　long　sleep　her　human　self　had　gathered　more　than　human　strength；　and　that　now；　awakened　and　unleashed；　the　violence　of　its　rage　touched　the　vibrant　zenith　of　that　sphere　of　which　her　quiet　had　been　the　nadir。


She　was　like　an　urn　filled　and　flaming　with　the　fires　of　the　Gods　of　wrath。

What　was　it　that　had　awakened　herwhat　in　awakening　had　changed　the　inpouring　human　consciousness　into　this　flood　of　fury？　Foreboding　gripped　me。

〃Norhala！〃　My　voice　was　shaking。　〃Those　we　left〃

〃They　are　gone！〃　The　golden　voice　was　octaves　deeper；　vibrant；　throbbing　with　that　muffled；　menacing　note　that　must　have　pulsed　from　the　golden　tambours　that　summoned　to　battle　Timur's　fierce　hordes。　〃They　weretaken。〃

〃Taken！〃　I　gasped。　〃Taken　by　whatthese？〃　I　swept　my　hands　out　toward　the　Metal　Things　milling　around　us。

〃No！　THESE　are　mine。　These　are　they　who　obey　me。〃　The　golden　voice　now　shrilled　with　her　passion。　〃Taken　bymen！〃

Drake　had　read　my　face　although　he　could　not　understand　our　words。

〃Ruth〃

〃Taken；〃　I　said。　〃Both　Ruth　and　Ventnor。　Taken　by　the　armored　menthe　men　of　Cherkis！〃

〃Cherkis！〃　She　had　caught　the　word。　〃YesCherkis！　And　now　he　and　all　his　menand　all　his　womenand　every　living　thing　he　rules　shall　pay。　And　fear　notyou　two。　For　I；　Norhala；　will　bring　back　my　own。

〃Woe；　woe　to　you；　Cherkis；　and　to　all　of　yours！　For　I；　Norhala；　am　awake；　and　I；　Norhala；　remember。　Woe　to　you；　Cherkis；　woefor　now　all　ends　for　you！

〃Not　by　the　gods　of　my　mother　who　turned　their　strength　against　her　do　I　promise　this。　I；　Norhala；　have　no　need　for　themI；　Norhala；　who　have　strength　greater　than　they。　And　would　I　could　crush　those　gods　as　I　shall　crush　you；　Cherkisand　every　living　thing　of　yours！　Yeaand　every　UNLIVING　thing　as　well！〃

Not　halting　now　was　Norhala's　speech；　it　poured　from　the　ruthless　lipsflamingly。

〃We　go；〃　she　cried。　〃And　something　of　vengeance　I　have　saved　for　youas　is　your　right。〃

She　tossed　her　arms　high；　stamped　upon　the　back　of　the　Metal　Thing　that　held　us。

It　quivered　and　sped　away。　Swiftly　dwindled　the　City's　bulk；　fast　faded　its　glimmering　watchful　face。

Not　toward　the　veils　of　light　but　out　over　the　plain　we　flew。　Above　us；　crouching　against　the　blast　of　our　going；　streamed　like　a　silken　banner　Norhala's　hair；　gemmed　with　the　witch　lights。

We　were　far　out　now；　the　City　far　away。　The　cube　slowed。　Norhala　threw　high　her　head。　From　the　arched；　exquisite　throat　pealed　a　trumpet　callgolden；　summoning；　imperious。　Thrice　it　rang　forthand　all　the　surrounding　valley　seemed　to　halt　and　listen。

Followed　upon　its　ending；　a　chanting　as　goldenly　sonorous。　Wild；　peremptory；　triumphant。　It　was　like　a　mustering　shouting　to　adventurous　stars；　buglings　to　buccaneering　winds；　cadenced　beckonings　to　restless　ranks　of　viking　waves；　signaling　to　all　the　corsairs　and　picaroons　of　the　elemental。

A　cosmic　call　to　slay！

The　gigantic　block　upon　which　we　rode　quivered；　I　myself　felt　a　thousand　needle…pointed　roving　arrows　prick　me；　urging　me　on　to　some　jubilant；　reckless　orgy　of　destruction。

Obeying　that　summoning　there　swirled　to　us　cube　and　globe　and　pyramid　by　the　scoreby　the　hundreds。　They　swept　into　our　wake　and　followedlifting　up　behind　us；　an　ever…rising　sea。

Higher　and　higher　arose　the　metal　wavemounting；　ever　mounting　as　other　score　upon　score　leaped　upon　it；　rushed　up　it　and　swelled　its　crest。　And　soon　so　great　it　was　that　it　shadowed　us；　hung　over　us。

The　cubes　we　rode　angled　in　their　course；　raced　now　with　ever…increasing　speed　toward　the　spangled　curtains。

And　still　Norhala's　golden　chant　lured；　higher　and　even　higher　reached　the　following　wave。　Now　we　were　rising　upon　a　steep　slope；　now　the　amethystine；　gleaming　ring　was　almost　overheard。

Norhala's　song　ceased。　One　breathless；　soundless　moment　and　we　had　pierced　the　veils。　A　globule　of　sapphire　shone　afar；　the　elfin　bubble　of　her　home。　We　neared　it。


Heart　leaping；　I　saw　three　ponies；　high　and　empty　saddles　turquoise　studded；　lift　their　heads　from　their　roadway　browsing。　For　a　moment　they　stood；　stiff　with　terror；　then　whimpering　raced　away。

We　were　at　Norhala's　door；　were　lifted　down；　stood　close　to　its　threshold。　Slaves　to　a　single　thought；　Drake　and　I　sprang　to　enter。

〃Wait！〃　Norhala's　white　hands　caught　us。　〃There　is　peril　therewithout　me！　Me　you　mustfollow！〃

Upon　the　exquisite　face　was　no　unshadowing　of　wrath；　no　diminishing　of　rage；　no　weakening　of　dreadful　determination。　The　star…flecked　eyes　were　not　upon　us；　they　looked　over　and　beyondcoldly；　calculatingly。

〃Not　enough；〃　I　heard　her　whisper。　〃Not　enough　for　that　which　I　will　do。〃

We　turned；　following　her　gaze。　A　hundred　feet　on　high；　stretching　nearly　across　the　gorge；　an　incredible　curtain　was　flung。　Over　its　folds　was　movementarms　of　spinning　globes　that　thrust　forth　like　paws　and　down　upon　which　leaped　pyramid　upon　pyramid　stiffening　as　they　clung　like　bristling　spikes　of　hair；　great　bars　of　clicking　cubes　that　threw　themselves　from　the　shutteringshook　and　withdrew。　The　curtain　was　a　fermentshifting；　mercurial；　it　throbbed　with　desire；　palpitated　with　eagerness。

〃Not　enough！〃　murmured　Norhala。

Her　lips　parted；　from　them　came　another　trumpeting　tyrannic；　arrogant　and　clangorous。　Under　it　the　curtaining　writhedout　from　it　spurted　thin　cascades　of　cubes。　They　swarmed　up　into　tall　pillars　that　shook　and　swayed　and　gyrated。

With　blinding　flash　upon　flash　the　sapphire　incandescences　struck　forth　at　their　feet。　A　score　of　flaming　columned　shapes　leaped　up　and　curved　in　meteor　flight　over　the　tumultuous　curtain。　Streaming　with　violet　fires　they　shot　back　to　the　valley　of　the　City。

〃Hai！〃　shouted　Norhala　as　they　flew。　〃Hai！〃

Up　darted　her　arms；　the　starry　galaxies　of　her　eyes　danced　madly；　shot　forth　visible　rays。　The　mighty　curtain　of　the　Metal　Things　pulsed　and　throbbed；　its　units　interweavingblock　and　globe　and　pyramid　of　which　it　was　woven；　each　seeming　to　strain　at　leash。

〃Come！〃　cried　Norhalaand　led　the　way　through　the　portal。

Close　behind　her　we　pressed。　I　stumbled；　nearly　fell；　over　a　brown…faced；　leather…cuirassed　body　that　lay　half　over；　legs　barring　the　threshold。

Contemptuously　Norhala　stepped　over　it。　We　were　within　that　chamber　of　the　pool。　About　it　lay　a　fair　dozen　of　the　armored　men。　Ruth's　defense；　I　thought　with　a　grim　delight；　had　been　most　excellentthose　who　had　taken　her　and　Ventnor　had　not　done　so　without　paying　full　toll。

A　violet　flashing　drew　my　eyes　away。　Close　to　the　pool　wherein　we　had　first　seen　the　white　miracle　of　Norhala's　body；　two　immense；　purple　fired　stars　blazed。　Between　them；　like　a　suppliant　cast　from　black　iron；　was　Yuruk。

Poised　upon　their　nether　tips　the　stars　guarded　him。　Head　touching　his　knees；　eyes　hidden　within　his　folded　arms；　the　black　eunuch　crouched。

〃Yuruk！〃

There　was　an　unearthly　mercilessness　in　Norhala's　voice。

Th