the metal monster-第5节

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hrough　the　breaks　light　streamed　from　the　level　above　us。

We　picked　our　way　among　the　debris　to　a　wide　crumbling　stairway；　crept　up　it；　Ruth　flitting　ahead。　We　came　out　opposite　one　of　the　eye…like　apertures。　Black　against　it；　perched　high　upon　a　pile　of　blocks；　I　recognized　the　long；　lean　outline　of　Ventnor；　rifle　in　hand；　gazing　intently　up　the　ancient　road　whose　windings　were　plain　through　the　opening。　He　had　not　heard　us。

〃Martin；〃　called　Ruth　softly。

He　turned。　A　shaft　of　light　from　a　crevice　in　the　gap's　edge　struck　his　face；　flashing　it　out　from　the　semidarkness　of　the　corner　in　which　he　crouched。　I　looked　into　the　quiet　gray　eyes；　upon　the　keen　face。

〃Goodwin！〃　he　shouted；　tumbling　down　from　his　perch；　shaking　me　by　the　shoulders。　〃If　I　had　been　in　the　way　of　prayingyou're　the　man　I'd　have　prayed　for。　How　did　you　get　here？〃

〃Just　wandering；　Mart；〃　I　answered。　〃But　Lord！　I'm　sure　GLAD　to　see　you。〃

〃Which　way　did　you　come？〃　he　asked；　keenly。　I　threw　my　hand　toward　the　south。

〃Not　through　that　hollow？〃　he　asked　incredulously。

〃And　some　hell　of　a　place　to　get　through；〃　Drake　broke　in。　〃It　cost　us　our　ponies　and　all　my　ammunition。〃

〃Richard　Drake；〃　I　said。　〃Son　of　old　Alvinyou　knew　him；　Mart。〃

〃Knew　him　well；〃　cried　Ventnor；　seizing　Dick's　hand。　〃Wanted　me　to　go　to　Kamchatka　to　get　some　confounded　sort　of　stuff　for　one　of　his　devilish　experiments。　Is　he　well？〃

〃He's　dead；〃　replied　Dick　soberly。

〃Oh！〃　said　Ventnor。　〃OhI'm　sorry。　He　was　a　great　man。〃

Briefly　I　acquainted　him　with　my　wanderings；　my　encounter　with　Drake。

〃That　place　out　there〃　he　considered　us　thoughtfully。　〃Damned　if　I　know　what　it　is。　Thought　maybe　it's　gas　of　a　sort。　If　it　hadn't　been　for　it　we'd　have　been　out　of　this　hole　two　days　ago。　I'm　pretty　sure　it　must　be　gas。　And　it　must　be　much　less　than　it　was　this　morning；　for　then　we　made　an　attempt　to　get　through　againand　couldn't。〃

I　was　hardly　listening。　Ventnor　had　certainly　advanced　a　theory　of　our　unusual　symptoms　that　had　not　occurred　to　me。　That　hollow　might　indeed　be　a　pocket　into　which　a　gas　flowed；　just　as　in　the　mines　the　deadly　coal　damp　collects　in　pits；　flows　like　a　stream　along　the　passages。　It　might　be　thatsome　odorless；　colorless　gas　of　unknown　qualities；　and　yet

〃Did　you　try　respirators？〃　asked　Dick。

〃Surely；〃　said　Ventnor。　〃First　off　the　go。　But　they　weren't　of　any　use。　The　gas；　if　it　is　gas；　seems　to　operate　as　well　through　the　skin　as　through　the　nose　and　mouth。　We　just　couldn't　make　itand　that's　all　there　is　to　it。　But　if　you　made　itcould　we　try　it　now；　do　you　think？〃　he　asked　eagerly。

I　felt　myself　go　white。

〃Notnot　for　a　little　while；〃　I　stammered。

He　nodded；　understandingly。

〃I　see；〃　he　said。　〃Well；　we'll　wait　a　bit；　then。〃

〃But　why　are　you　staying　here？　Why　didn't　you　make　for　the　road　up　the　mountain？　What　are　you　watching　for；　anyway？〃　asked　Drake。

〃Go　to　it；　Ruth；〃　Ventnor　grinned。　〃Tell　'em。　After　all　it　was　YOUR　party　you　know。〃

〃Mart！〃　she　cried；　blushing。

〃Wellit　wasn't　ME　they　admired；〃　he　laughed。

〃Martin！〃　she　cried　again；　and　stamped　her　foot。

〃Shoot；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　busy。　I've　got　to　watch。〃

〃Well〃Ruth's　voice　was　uncertain〃we'd　been　hunting　up　in　Kashmir。　Martin　wanted　to　come　over　somewhere　here。　So　we　crossed　the　passes。　That　was　about　a　month　ago。　The　fourth　day　out　we　ran　across　what　looked　like　a　road　running　south。

〃We　thought　we'd　take　it。　It　looked　sort　of　old　and　lost　but　it　was　going　the　way　we　wanted　to　go。　It　took　us　first　into　a　country　of　little　hills；　then　to　the　very　base　of　the　great　range　itself；　finally　into　the　mountainsand　then　it　ran　blank。〃

〃Bing！〃　interjected　Ventnor；　looking　around　for　a　moment。　〃Bingjust　like　that。　Slap　dash　against　a　prodigious　fall　of　rock。　We　couldn't　get　over　it。〃

〃So　we　cast　about　to　find　another　road；〃　went　on　Ruth。　〃All　we　could　strike　werejust　strikes。〃

〃No　fish　on　the　end　of　'em；〃　said　Ventnor。　〃God！　But　I'm　glad　to　see　you；　Walter　Goodwin。　Believe　me；　I　am。　Howevergo　on；　Ruth。〃

〃At　the　end　of　the　second　week；〃　she　said；　〃we　knew　we　were　lost。　We　were　deep　in　the　heart　of　the　range。　All　around　us　was　a　forest　of　enormous；　snow…topped　peaks。　The　gorges；　the　canyons；　the　valleys　that　we　tried　led　us　east　and　west；　north　and　south。

〃It　was　a　maze；　and　in　it　we　seemed　to　be　going　ever　deeper。　There　was　not　the　SLIGHTEST　sign　of　human　life。　It　was　as　though　no　human　beings　except　ourselves　had　ever　been　there。　Game　was　plentiful。　We　had　no　trouble　in　getting　food。　And　sooner　or　later；　of　course；　we　were　bound　to　find　our　way　out。　We　didn't　worry。

〃It　was　five　nights　ago　that　we　camped　at　the　head　of　a　lovely　little　valley。　There　was　a　mound　that　stood　up　like　a　tiny　watch…tower；　looking　down　it。　The　trees　grew　round　like　tall　sentinels。

〃We　built　our　fire　in　that　mound；　and　after　we　had　eaten；　Martin　slept。　I　sat　watching　the　beauty　of　the　skies　and　of　the　shadowy　vale。　I　heard　no　one　approachbut　something　made　me　leap　to　my　feet；　look　behind　me。

〃A　man　was　standing　just　within　the　glow　of　firelight；　watching　me。〃

〃A　Tibetan？〃　I　asked。　She　shook　her　head；　trouble　in　her　eyes。

〃Not　at　all。〃　Ventnor　turned　his　head。　〃Ruth　screamed　and　awakened　me。　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　fellow　before　he　vanished。

〃A　short　purple　mantle　hung　from　his　shoulders。　His　chest　was　covered　with　fine　chain　mail。　His　legs　were　swathed　and　bound　by　the　thongs　of　his　high　buskins。　He　carried　a　small；　round；　hide…covered　shield　and　a　short　two…edged　sword。　His　head　was　helmeted。　He　belonged；　in　factoh；　at　least　twenty　centuries　back。〃

He　laughed　in　plain　enjoyment　of　our　amazement。

〃Go　on；　Ruth；〃　he　said；　and　took　up　his　watch。

〃But　Martin　did　not　see　his　face；〃　she　went　on。　〃And　oh；　but　I　wish　I　could　forget　it。　It　was　as　white　as　mine；　Walter；　and　cruel；　so　cruel；　the　eyes　glowed　and　they　looked　upon　me　like　alike　a　slave　dealer。　They　shamed　meI　wanted　to　hide　myself。

　　〃I　cried　out　and　Martin　awakened。　As　he　moved；　the　man　stepped　out　of　the　light　and　was　gone。　I　think　he　had　not　seen　Martin；　had　believed　that　I　was　alone。

〃We　put　out　the　fire；　moved　farther　into　the　shadow　of　the　trees。　But　I　could　not　sleepI　sat　hour　after　hour；　my　pistol　in　my　hand；〃　she　patted　the　automatic　in　her　belt；　〃my　rifle　close　beside　me。

〃The　hours　went　bydreadfully。　At　last　I　dozed。　When　I　awakened　again　it　was　dawnandand〃　she　covered　her　eyes；　then：　〃TWO　men　were　looking　down　on　me。　One　was　he　who　had　stood　in　the　firelight。〃

〃They　were　talking；〃　interrupted　Ventnor　again；　〃in　archaic　Persian。〃

〃Persian；〃　I　repeated　blankly；　〃archaic　Persian？〃

〃Very　much　so；〃　he　nodded。　〃I've　a　fair　knowledge　of　the　modern　tongue；　and　a　rather　unusual　command　of　Arabic。　The　modern　Persian；　as　you　know；　comes　straight　through　from　the　speech　of　Xerxes；　of　Cyrus；　of　Darius　whom　Alexander　of　Macedon　conquered。　It　has　been　changed　mainly　by　taking　on　a　load　of　Arabic　words。　Well　there　wasn't　a　trace　of　the　Arabic　in　the　tongue　they　were　speaking。

〃It　sounded　odd；　of　coursebut　I　could　understand　quite　easily。　They　were　talking　about　Ruth。　To　be　explicit；　they　were　discussing　her　with　exceeding　frankness〃

〃Martin！〃　she　cried　wrathfully。

〃Well；　all　right；〃　he　went　on；　half　repentantly。　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　had　seen　the　pair　steal　up。　My　rifle　was　under　my　hand。　So　I　lay　there　quietly；　listening。

〃You　can　realize；　Walter；　that　when　I　caught　sight　of　those　two；　looking　as　though　they　had　materialized　from　Darius's　ghostly　hordes；　my　scientific　curiosity　was　arousedprodigiously。　So　in　my　interest　I　passed　over　the　matter　of　their　speech；　not　alone　because　I　thought　Ruth　asleep　but　also　because　I　took　into　consideration　that　the　mode　of　polite　expression　changes　with　the　centuries　and　these　gentlemen　clearly　belonged　at　least　twenty　centuries　backthe　real　truth　is　I　was　consumed　with　curiosity。

〃They　had　got　to　a　point　where　they　were　detailing　with　what　pleasure　a　certain　mysterious　person　whom　they　seemed　to　regard　with　much　fear　and　respect　would　contemplate　her。　I　was　wondering　how　long　my　desire　to　observefor　to　the　anthropologist　they　were　most　fascinating　could　hold　my　hand　back　from　my　rifle　when　Ruth　awakened。

〃She　jumped　up　like　a　little　fury。　Fired　a　pistol　point　blank　at　them。　Their　amazement　waswellludicrous。　I　know　it　seems　incredible；　but　they　seemed　to　know　nothing　of　firearmsthey　certainly　acted　as　though　they　didn't。

〃They　simply　flew　into　the　timber。　I　took　a　pistol　shot　at　one　but　missed。　Ruth　hadn't　though；　she　had　winged　her　man；　he　left　a　red　trail　behind　him。

〃We　didn't　follow　the　trail。　We　made　for　the　opposite　directionand　as　fast　as　possible。

〃Nothing　happened　that　day　or　night。　Next　morning；　creeping　up　a　slope；　we　caught　sight　of　a　suspicious　glitter　a　mile　or　two　away　in　the　direction　we　were　going。　We　sought　shelter　in　a　small　ravine。　In　a　little　while；　over　the　hill　and　half　a　mile　away　from　us；　came　about　two　hundred　of　these　fellows；　marching　along。

〃And　they　were　indeed　Darius's　men。　Men　of　that　Persia　which　had　been　dead　for　millenniums。　There　was　no　mistaking　them；　with　their　high；　covering　shields；　their　great　bows；　their　javelins　and　armor。

〃They　passed；　we　doubled。　We　built　no　fires　that　nigh