登陆注册
5167500000034

第34章

Don't let them hurt him any more.Please!" she sobbed.

Beside me I heard Drake cursing.

"If they touch her I'll kill the woman! I will, by God Iwill!" He strode to Norhala's side.

"If you want to live, call off these devils of yours." His voice was strangled.

She looked at him, wonder deepening on the tranquil brow, in the clear, untroubled gaze.Of course she could not understand his words--but it was not that which made my own sick apprehension grow.

It was that she did not understand what called them forth.Did not even understand what reason lay behind Ruth's sorrow, Ruth's prayer.

And more and more wondering grew in her eyes as she looked from the threatening Drake to the supplicating Ruth, and from them to the still body of Ventnor.

"Tell her what I say, Goodwin.I mean it."I shook my head.That was not the way, I knew.Ilooked toward the Disk, still flanked with its sextette of spheres, still guarded by the flaming blue stars.They were motionless, calm, watching.I sensed no hostility, no anger;it was as though they were waiting for us to--to--waiting for us to do what?

It came to me--they were indifferent.That was it--as indifferent as we could be to the struggle of an ephemera;and as mildly curious.

"Norhala," I turned to the woman, "she would not have him suffer; she would not have him die.She loves him.""Love?" she repeated, and all of her wonderment seemed crystallized in the word."Love?" she asked.

"She loves him," I said; and then, why I did not know, but I added, pointing to Drake: "and he loves her."There was a tiny, astonished sob from Ruth.Again Norhala brooded over her.Then with a little despairing shake of her head, she paced over and faced the great Disk.

Tensely we waited.Communication there was between them, interchange of--thought; how carried out I would not hazard even to myself.

But of a surety these two--the goddess woman, the wholly unhuman shape of metal, of jeweled fires and conscious force--understood each other.

For she turned, stood aside--and the body of Ventnor quivered, arose from the floor, stood upright and with closed eyes, head dropping upon one shoulder, glided toward the Disk like a dead man carried by those messengers never seen by man who, the Arabs believe, bear the death drugged souls before Allah for their awakening.

Ruth moaned and hid her eyes; Drake reached down, gathered her up in his arms, held her close.

Ventnor's body stood before the Disk, then swam up along its face.The tendrils waved out, felt of it, thrust themselves down through the wide collar of the shirt.The floating form passed higher, over the edge of the Disk; lay high beside the right star point of the rayed shape to which Ruth had been passing when Ventnor's shot brought the tragedy upon us.I saw other tentacles whip forth, examine, caress.

Then down the body swung, was borne through air, laid gently at our feet.

"He is not--dead," 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--"the--the 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 safe--now, nor need you trouble.For he has given you to me.""Who has given us to you--Norhala?" 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 metal--still 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, Ibegan my examination of Ventnor.

The cubes quivered--swept 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.

同类推荐
  • 滇游记

    滇游记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 镜湖自撰年谱

    镜湖自撰年谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 咒五首经

    咒五首经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 近思录集注

    近思录集注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • REGINALD

    REGINALD

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 戒不了的爱

    戒不了的爱

    “两岸文学PK大赛”一段感情的结束是不是意味着另一段感情的开始?当你努力的想抓起一片雪花的时候,往往抓不到,当你摊开手,他就会自己落到你的手心中,只是落到你手心中的那片雪花,真的是你想要的吗?戒不了她的情,戒不了她的爱,可是,如果戒不了,那么到底该如何开始另一段感情?
  • 草莽英雄

    草莽英雄

    却说华北某地,北面是一片重重叠叠的丛山峻岭,南面是不见边沿的一马平川。东南方向,有两座山峰,象巨人的两条大腿—样伸向平原,左边的婉蜒低矮,叫做“盘龙岭”,右边的陡峭耸立,叫做“卧虎岭”,这两山之间,挟着方圆百十里的一块平川。在这块平川的裆口处,有一座不知是什么朝代留下的旧古城,人们管它叫“旧城”.这旧城虽然老,城墙却很坚固,是一色的大青石筑成,又高又厚,城外挖了三道战壕,城边有护城河环绕,城门前设置了鹿寨,铁丝网,城门洞下堆着沙袋,城墙上修着堡垒,挖着俺体和枪眼……这些工事,都是城里城外的各界群众日夜抢筑而成的!
  • 31岁小美女的幸福经

    31岁小美女的幸福经

    一个幸福的女人无论走了多远,走得多累,眼神中、仪态里、言语中,永远都抹不掉那种优雅、那份灵秀,仿若一场婉转、一泓深情。内心幸福的女人无论那时多辛劳,别人觉得有多苦,她都能安之若素,最终重返自在安逸。一种途径获得一种幸福,一种幸福洋溢一种气质。幸福的气质是温暖的气质,是迷人的气质。幸福更多的是一种感觉,一种满足安然的感觉。有时候,平安健康地活着,自由自在地呼吸,身边有珍惜自己也值得自己珍惜的人,就已经是莫大的幸福了。
  • 零下一度的荷尔蒙

    零下一度的荷尔蒙

    本书收录了青年作家多多的经典短篇小说。通过不同年龄层的女性视角去阐述她们对爱情的理解。作者文字细腻温和,为读者搭建了一个又一个真实且虚幻的场景。通过不同人的视角去讲述发生在都市生活中你、我、他的爱情故事。
  • Penelope's Irish Experiences

    Penelope's Irish Experiences

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 浪漫星夜

    浪漫星夜

    一个鲜少人知的倔强富家千在校攻读MBA期间结识五位校园风云人物而发生的一系列故事。开学第一天她却不知道自己遇见的那个他和她的缘分竟然那么奇妙在很早之前就已结下……
  • 弃心狂君

    弃心狂君

    【本文一女N*男+少许玄幻+极度血腥+温馨浪漫+轻松搞笑】雷家“真拉风”三姐妹雷(家)穿系列!!雷真《弃爱冷君》:雷拉《弃情邪君》:雷风《弃心狂君》:本文(别被开头吓到你!)---------------------------简介:错了,真的错了,这一切都错了,十五年的亲情原来如此渺小,在江山与权利间化为乌有,烟消云散……在进入棺材的那一刻,我多希望自己就此死去,那抹来自地狱的幽灵,却把我从死亡边缘救起,只留下一句:好好活着,别回来了……第二天,我便成了季国的重金通缉者:哥哥的贱妃!--------------------------------小视频地址:(内容只是提示,全部以本文为主)本文慢热,第一人称演义,开头超级虐身,后面轻松温馨。或许勤勤写的不是所有人都会喜欢,或许不是所有人都能接受勤勤的风格,但是,为了保持环境的干净,不喜请绕道!自重!谢谢~-------------------------推荐勤勤文文:吸血贵公子Ⅲ,吸血鬼与天使的故事:《捡回来的吸血王》属于穿越之作,第一人称:《爷,我真的是男人》另类血族专情轻松文:《我的相公不是人》都市专属爱情小白文:《宝贝惹到火》:属于穿越之作:《弃心狂君》:架空作品:《狂妄王爷销魂妃》:穿越一女N男作品:《替身王妃》:血族的诱惑:《我的专属血奴》:血族深情之恋:《吸血贵公子》:都市滥情男女:《危情》:
  • 豪门英雄

    豪门英雄

    年近六十岁的钱满川是青州府城南有名的土财主。近年来随着年龄的不断增大,那久久埋藏于心底、在他有生之年亲眼看着三儿子钱如水考中秀才、荣宗耀祖的期望与日俱增。可谓老而弥坚,变得越来越迫切了。一个区区穷酸秀才,何以让这个家财万贯、鲜衣怒马的财主痴迷到如此程度?这得从钱家早年的一场官司说起。钱满川的老爹在五十岁那年为争夺一方上好的土地与邻村一家张姓财主打起了官司。钱家仰仗雄厚的家底,不惜血本地拿出了大把的金条、成箱的银圆,上下打点,左右疏通,终使官司有了八成胜算。
  • 我看你有血光之灾

    我看你有血光之灾

    “这位兄弟,我看你印堂发黑,似有血光之灾,不如破点财来消消灾。”流城人尽皆知,这千家大小姐在遭遇父母车祸去世,公司破产等一系列事情后,精神受了刺激,逮着个人就问要不要算命,还时不时胡言乱语。可没过多久,流城人便惊悚地发现:这命也算准了,这胡言乱语竟也成真了!一时间,千家从破产后的无人问津,到直接被人踏破门槛。有算命的,有消灾的,还有媒婆上门说亲的……结果这位大小姐一张机票就飞到了帝都,还开了家小店,小日子过得美滋滋的。流城众人:当初我们不曾好好珍惜,现在肠子都悔青了。某男:诶?等等,我这怎么一觉睡醒,就多了这么多情敌?
  • 反网游杂货店

    反网游杂货店

    以下,就是关于本书的简介。姜渐离被强大的老爹以“度假”的理由送到了异世界。他在那里得到了一间厉害的店铺——同时也是他最得力的助手。他发现这个世界正面临危机——似乎这个世界正被一位强者改造,要被改造成一个类似网游的世界。他决定试着去解决掉这个影响世界安危的事件。而后随着接触,随着他做的事情越来越多,他身边的“熟悉”的朋友也越来越多,他也对这个世界生出了越加深厚的感情……(ps:在作品相关里发布了个九千字的类似本书前记的一个小小的故事起源,感兴趣的朋友可以看一看,不看也不会影响任何的阅读体验。)最后,关于书名,如果实在觉得不怎么样的,那你就当小作者是随便取取的吧!