I raised my head and opened my eyes. We were moving tranquilly2, with a curious suggestion of homing leisureliness3, through a soft, blue shimmering4 darkness. It was as though we were drifting within some high borderland of light; a region in which that rapid vibration5 we call the violet was mingled6 with a still more rapid vibration whose quick pulsing was felt by the brain but ever fled ere that brain could register it in terms of color. And there seemed to be a film over my sight; dazzlement from the unearthly blaze, I thought, shaking my head impatiently.
My eyes focused upon an object a little more than a foot away; my neck grew rigid8, my scalp prickled while I stared, unbelieving. And that at which I stared was — a skeleton hand. Every bone a grayish black, sharply silhouetted9, clean as some master surgeon’s specimen10, it was extended as though clutching at — clutching at — what was that toward which it was reaching?
Again the icy prickling over scalp and skin — for its talons11 stretched out to grasp a steed that Death himself might have ridden, a rack whose bare skull12 hung drooping13 upon bent14 vertebrae.
I raised my hands to my face to shut out the ghostly sight — and swiftly the clutching bony hand moved toward me — was before my eyes — touched me.
The cry that sheer horror wrested15 from me was strangled by realization16. And so acute was my relief, so reassuring17 was it to have in the midst of these mysteries some sane18, understandable thing occur that I laughed aloud.
For the skeleton hand was my own. The mournful ghastly mount of death was — our pony19. And when I looked again I knew what I would see — and see them I did — two tall skeletons, skulls20 resting on their bony arms, leaning against the frame of the beast.
While ahead of us, floating poised21 upon the surface of the glistening22 cube, were two women skeletons — Ruth and Norhala!
Weird23 enough was the sight. Dureresque, grimly awful as materialization of a scene of the Dance Macabre24 — and yet — vastly comforting.
For here was something which was well within the range of human knowledge. It was the light about us that did it; a vibration that even as I conjectured25, was within the only partly explored region of the ultraviolet and the comparatively unexplored region above it.
Yet there were differences, for there was none of that misty26 halo around the bones, the flesh which the X-rays cannot render wholly invisible. The skeletons stood out clean cut, with no trace of fleshly vestments.
I crept over, spoke27 to the two.
“Don’t look up yet,” I said. “Don’t open your eyes. We’re going through a queer light. It has an X-ray quality. You’re going to see me as a skeleton —”
“What?” shouted Drake. Disobeying my warning he straightened, glared at me. And disquieting28 as the spectacle had been before, fully29 understanding it as I did, I could not restrain my shudder31 at the utter weirdness32 of that skull which was his head thrusting itself toward me.
The skeleton that was Ventnor turned to me; was arrested by the sight of the flitting pair ahead. I saw the fleshless jaws33 clamp, then opened to speak.
Abruptly34, upon the skeletons in front the flesh dropped back. Girl and woman stood there once again robed in beauty.
So swift was that transition from the grisly unreal to the normal that even to my unsuperstitious mind it smacked35 of necromancy36. The next instant the three of us stood looking at each other, clothed once more in the flesh, and the pony no longer the steed of death, but our shaggy, patient little companion.
The light had changed; the high violet had gone from it, and it was shot with yellow gleamings like fugitive37 sunbeams. We were passing through a wide corridor that seemed to be unending. The yellow light grew stronger.
“That light wasn’t exactly the Roentgen variety,” Drake interrupted my absorption in our surroundings. “And I hope to God it’s as different as it seemed. If it’s not we may be up against a lot of trouble.”
“More trouble than we’re in?” I asked, a trifle satirically.
“X-ray burns,” he answered, “and no way to treat them in this place — if we live to want treatment,” he ended grimly.
“I don’t think we were subjected to their action long enough —” I began, and was silent.
The corridor had opened without warning into a place for whose immensity I have no images that are adequate. It was a chamber38 that was vaster than ten score of the Great Halls of Karnac in one; great as that fabled40 hall in dread41 Amenti where Osiris sits throned between the Searcher of Hearts and the Eater of Souls, judging the jostling hosts of the newly dead.
Temple it was in its immensity, and its solemn vastness — but unlike any temple ever raised by human toil42. In no ruin of earth’s youth giants’ work now crumbling43 under the weight of time had I ever sensed a shadow of the strangeness with which this was instinct. No — nor in the shattered fanes that once had held the gods of old Egypt, nor in the pillared shrines44 of Ancient Greece, nor Imperial Rome, nor mosque46, basilica nor cathedral.
All these had been dedicated47 to gods which, whether created by humanity as science believes, or creators of humanity as their worshippers believed, still held in them that essence we term human.
The spirit, the force, that filled this place had in it nothing, NOTHING of the human.
No place? Yes, there was one — Stonehenge. Within that monolithic48 circle I had felt a something akin7 to this, as inhuman49; a brooding spirit stony50, stark51, unyielding — as though not men but a people of stone had raised the great Menhirs.
This was a sanctuary52 built by a people of metal!
It was filled with a soft yellow glow like pale sunshine. Up from its floor arose hundreds of tremendous, square pillars down whose polished sides the crocus light seemed to flow.
Far, far as the gaze could reach, the columns marched, oppressively ordered, appallingly53 mathematical. From their massiveness distilled54 a sense of power, mysterious, mechanical yet — living; something priestly, hierophantic — as though they were guardians55 of a shrine45.
Now I saw whence came the light suffusing56 this place. High up among the pillars floated scores of orbs57 that shone like pale gilt58 frozen suns. Great and small, through all the upper levels these strange luminaries59 gleamed, fixed60 and motionless, hanging unsupported in space. Out from their shining spherical61 surfaces darted62 rays of the same pale gold, rigid, unshifting, with the same suggestion of frozen stillness.
“They look like big Christmas-tree stars,” muttered Drake.
“They’re lights,” I answered. “Of course they are. They’re not matter — not metal, I mean —”
“There’s something about them like St. Elmo’s fire, witch lights — condensations63 of atmospheric64 electricity,” Ventnor’s voice was calm; now that it was plain we were nearing the heart of this mystery in which we were enmeshed he had clearly taken fresh grip, was again his observant, scientific self.
We watched, once more silent; and indeed we had spoken little since we had begun that ride whose end we sensed close. In the unfolding of enigmatic happening after happening the mind had deserted65 speech and crouched66 listening at every door of sight and hearing to gather some clue to causes, some thread of understanding.
Slowly now we were gliding67 through the forest of pillars; so effortless, so smooth our flight that we seemed to be standing30 still, the tremendous columns flitting past us, turning and wheeling around us, dizzyingly. My head swam with the mirage68 motion, I closed my eyes.
“Look,” Drake was shaking me. “Look. What do you make of that?”
Half a mile ahead the pillars stopped at the edge of a shimmering, quivering curtain of green luminescence. High, high up past the pale gilt suns its smooth folds ran, into the golden amber39 mist that canopied69 the columns.
In its sparkling was more than a hint of the dancing corpuscles of the aurora70; it was, indeed, as though woven of the auroral71 rays. And all about it played shifting, tremulous shadows formed by the merging72 of the golden light with the curtain’s emerald gleaming.
Up to its base swept the cube that bore Ruth and Norhala — and stopped. From it leaped the woman, and drew Ruth down beside her, then turned and gestured toward us.
That upon which we rode drew close. I felt it quiver beneath me; felt on the instant, the magnetic grip drop from me, angle downward and leave me free. Shakily I arose from aching knees, and saw Ventnor flash down and run, rifle in hand, toward his sister.
Drake bent for his gun. I moved unsteadily toward the side of the clustered cubes. There came a curious pushing motion driving me to the edge. Sliding over upon me came Drake and the pony —
The cube tilted73, gently, playfully — and with the slightest of jars the three of us stood beside it on the floor, we two men gaping74 at it in renewed wonder, and the little beast stretching its legs, lifting its feet and whinnying with relief.
Then abruptly the four blocks that had been our steed broke from each other; that which had been the woman’s glided75 to them.
The four clicked into place behind it and darted from sight.
“Ruth!” Ventnor’s voice was vibrant76 with his fear. “Ruth! What is wrong with you? What has she done to you?”
We ran to his side. He stood clutching her hands, searching her eyes. They were wide, unseeing, dream filled. Upon her face the calm and stillness, which were mirrored reflections of Norhala’s unearthly tranquillity77, had deepened.
“Brother.” The sweet voice seemed far away, drifting out of untroubled space, an echo of Norhala’s golden chimings —“Brother, there is nothing wrong with me. Indeed — all is — well with me — brother.”
He dropped the listless palms, faced the woman, tall figure tense, drawn78 with mingled rage and anguish79.
“What have you done to her?” he whispered in Norhala’s own tongue.
Her serene80 gaze took him in, undisturbed by his anger save for the faintest shadow of wonder, of perplexity.
“Done?” she repeated, slowly. “I have stilled all that was troubled within her — have lifted her above sorrow. I have given her the peace — as I will give it to you if —”
“You’ll give me nothing,” he interrupted fiercely; then, his passion breaking through all restraint —“Yes, you damned witch — you’ll give me back my sister!”
In his rage he had spoken English; she could not, of course, have understood the words, but their anger and hatred81 she did understand. Her serenity82 quivered, broke. The strange stars within her eyes began to glitter forth83 as they had when she had summoned the Smiting84 Thing. Unheeding, Ventnor thrust out a hand, caught her roughly by one bare, lovely shoulder.
“Give her back to me, I say!” he cried. “Give her back to me!”
The woman’s eyes grew — awful. Out of the distended85 pupils the strange stars blazed; upon her face was something of the goddess outraged86. I felt the shadow of Death’s wings.
“No! No — Norhala! No, Martin!” the veils of inhuman calm shrouding87 Ruth were torn; swiftly the girl we knew looked out from them. She threw herself between the two, arms outstretched.
“Ventnor!” Drake caught his arms, held them tight; “that’s not the way to save her!”
Ventnor stood between us, quivering, half sobbing88. Never until then had I realized how great, how absorbing was that love of his for Ruth. And the woman saw it, too, even though dimly; envisioned it humanly. For, under the shock of human passion, that which I thought then as utterly89 unknown to her as her cold serenity was to us, the sleeping soul — I use the popular word for those emotional complexes that are peculiar90 to mankind — stirred, awakened91.
Wrath92 fled from her knitted brows; her eyes dropping to the girl, lost their dreadfulness; softened93. She turned them upon Ventnor, they brooded upon him; within their depths a half-troubled interest, a questioning.
A smile dawned upon the exquisite94 face, humanizing it, transfiguring it, touching95 with tenderness the sweet and sleeping mouth — as a hovering96 dream the lips of the slumbering97 maid.
And on the face of Ruth, as upon a mirror, I watched that same slow, understanding tenderness reflected!
“Come,” said Norhala, and led the way through the sparkling curtains. As she passed, an arm around Ruth’s neck, I saw the marks of Ventnor’s fingers upon her white shoulder, staining its purity, marring it like a blasphemy98.
For an instant I hung behind, watching their figures grow misty within the shining shadows; then followed hastily. Entering the mists I was conscious of a pleasant tingling99, an acceleration100 of the pulse, an increase of that sense of well-being101 which, I grew suddenly aware, had since the beginning of our strange journey minimized the nervous attrition of constant contact with the abnormal.
Striving to classify, to reduce to order, my sensations I drew close to the others, overtaking them in a dozen paces. A dozen paces more and we stepped out of the curtainings.
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1
permeating
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| 弥漫( permeate的现在分词 )； 遍布； 渗入； 渗透 | |
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tranquilly
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| adv. 宁静地 | |
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leisureliness
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| n.悠然，从容 | |
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shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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vibration
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| n.颤动，振动；摆动 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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akin
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| adj.同族的，类似的 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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silhouetted
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| 显出轮廓的，显示影像的 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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talons
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| n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部 | |
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12
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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15
wrested
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| （用力）拧( wrest的过去式和过去分词 )； 费力取得； （从…）攫取； （ 从… ） 强行取去… | |
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16
realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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sane
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| adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的 | |
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pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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skulls
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| 颅骨( skull的名词复数 )； 脑袋； 脑子； 脑瓜 | |
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21
poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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23
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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macabre
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| adj.骇人的，可怖的 | |
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conjectured
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| 推测，猜测，猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26
misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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28
disquieting
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| adj.令人不安的，令人不平静的v.使不安，使忧虑，使烦恼( disquiet的现在分词 ) | |
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29
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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31
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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32
weirdness
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| n.古怪，离奇，不可思议 | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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smacked
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| 拍，打，掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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necromancy
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| n.巫术；通灵术 | |
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fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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fabled
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| adj.寓言中的，虚构的 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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42
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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43
crumbling
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| adj.摇摇欲坠的 | |
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44
shrines
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| 圣地，圣坛，神圣场所( shrine的名词复数 ) | |
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45
shrine
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| n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣 | |
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46
mosque
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| n.清真寺 | |
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47
dedicated
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| adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的 | |
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48
monolithic
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| adj.似独块巨石的；整体的 | |
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49
inhuman
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| adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的 | |
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50
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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51
stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
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52
sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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53
appallingly
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| 毛骨悚然地 | |
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distilled
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| adj.由蒸馏得来的v.蒸馏( distil的过去式和过去分词 )；从…提取精华 | |
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55
guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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56
suffusing
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| v.（指颜色、水气等）弥漫于，布满( suffuse的现在分词 ) | |
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57
orbs
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| abbr.off-reservation boarding school 在校寄宿学校n.球，天体，圆形物( orb的名词复数 ) | |
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58
gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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59
luminaries
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| n.杰出人物，名人（luminary的复数形式） | |
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60
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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61
spherical
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| adj.球形的；球面的 | |
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62
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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63
condensations
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| n.冷凝( condensation的名词复数 )；冷凝液；凝结的水珠；节略 | |
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64
atmospheric
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| adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的 | |
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65
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67
gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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68
mirage
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| n.海市蜃楼，幻景 | |
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canopied
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| adj. 遮有天篷的 | |
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70
aurora
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| n.极光 | |
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auroral
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| adj.曙光的；玫瑰色的 | |
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72
merging
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| 合并（分类） | |
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tilted
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| v. 倾斜的 | |
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74
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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75
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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76
vibrant
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| adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的 | |
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77
tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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80
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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81
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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82
serenity
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| n.宁静，沉着，晴朗 | |
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83
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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84
smiting
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的现在分词 ) | |
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distended
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| v.（使）膨胀，肿胀( distend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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86
outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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87
shrouding
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| n.覆盖v.隐瞒( shroud的现在分词 )；保密 | |
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sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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90
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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96
hovering
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| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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97
slumbering
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| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的现在分词形式） | |
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98
blasphemy
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| n.亵渎，渎神 | |
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99
tingling
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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100
acceleration
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| n.加速，加速度 | |
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101
well-being
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| n.安康，安乐，幸福 | |
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