And instantly, before my vision could grasp a tithe3 of that panorama4, I knew that this place was the very heart of the City; its vital ganglion; its soul.
Around the crater lip were poised5 thousands of concave disks, vernal green, enormous. They were like a border of gigantic, upthrust shields; and within each, emblazoned like a shield’s device, was a blinding flower of flame — the reflected, dilated6 face of the sun. Below this diadem7 hung, pendent, clusters of other disks, swarmed8 like the globular hiving of the constellation9 Hercules’ captured stars. And each of these prisoned the image of our sun.
A hundred feet below us was the crater floor.
Up from it thrust a mountainous forest of the pallidly11 radiant cones12; bristling14; prodigious15. Tier upon tier, thicket16 upon thicket, phalanx upon phalanx they climbed. Up and up, pyramidically, they flung their spiked17 hosts.
They drew together two thousand feet above us, clustering close about the foot of a single huge spire18 which thrust itself skyward above them. The crest19 of this spire was truncated20. From its shorn tip radiated scores of long and slender spokes21 holding in place a thousand feet wide wheel of wan22 green disks whose concave surfaces, unlike those smooth ones girding the crater, were curiously23 faceted24.
This amazing structure rested upon a myriad-footed base of crystal, even as had that other cornute fantasy beside which we had met the great Disk. But it was in size to that as — as Leviathan to a minnow. From it streamed the same baffling suggestion of invincible25 force transmuted26 into matter; energy coalesced27 into the tangible28; power made concentrate in the vestments of substance.
Half-way between crater lip and floor began the hordes29 of the Metal People.
In colossal31 animate32 cheveau-de-frise of hundred-foot girders they thrust themselves out from the curving walls — walls, I knew, as alive as they!
From these Brobdignagian beams they swung in ropes and clusters — spheres and cubes studded as thickly with the pyramids as ever Titan’s mace33 with spikes34. Group after bizarre group they dropped; pendulous35. Coppices of slender columns of thistled globes sprang up to meet the festooned joists.
Between the girders they draped themselves in long, stellated garlands; grouped themselves in innumerable, kaleidoscopic36 patterns.
They clicked into place around the golden turret37 in which we crouched38.
In fantastic arrases they swayed in front of us — now hiding by, now revealing through their quicksilver interweavings the mounts of the Cones.
And steadily39 those flowing in below added to their multitudes; gliding40 up cable and pillar; building out still further the living girders, stringing themselves upon living festoon and living garland, weaving in among them, changing their shapes, rewriting their symbols.
They swung and threaded swiftly, in shifting arabesque41, in Gothic traceries, in lace-like fantasies; utterly42 bizarre, unutterably beautiful — crystalline, geometric always.
Abruptly43 their movement ceased — so abruptly that the stoppage of all the ordered turmoil44 had the quality of appalling45 silence.
An unimaginable tapestry46 bedight with incredible broidery, the Metal People draped the vast cup.
Pillared it as though it were a temple.
Garnished47 it with their bodies as though it were a shrine48.
Across the floor toward the Cones glided49 a palely lustrous50 sphere. In shape only a globe like all its kind, yet it was invested with power; it radiated power as a star does light; was clothed in unseen garments of supernal51 force. In its wake drifted two great pyramids; after them ten spheres but little smaller than the Shape which led.
“The Metal Emperor!” breathed Drake.
On they swept until they reached the base of the Cones. They paused at the edge of the crystal tabling. They turned.
There was a flashing as of a meteor bursting. The globe had opened into that splendor52 of jewel fires before which had floated Norhala and Ruth.
I saw again the luminous53 ovals of sapphire54, studding its golden zone, the mystic rose of pulsing, petal55 flame, the still core of incandescent56 ruby57 that was the heart of that rose.
Strangely I felt my own heart veer58 toward this — Thing; bowing before its beauty and its strength; almost worshiping!
A shock of revulsion went through me. I shot a quick, half frightened glance at Drake. He was crouching59 dangerously close to the lip of the ledge60, hands clasped and knuckles61 white with the intensity62 of his grip, eyes rapt, staring — upon the verge63 of worship even as I had been.
“Drake!” I thrust my elbow into his side brutally64. “None of that! Remember you’re human! Guard yourself, man — guard yourself!”
“What?” he muttered; then, abruptly: “How did you know?”
“I felt it myself,” I answered: “For God’s sake, Dick — hold fast to yourself! Remember Ruth!”
He shook his head violently — as though to be rid of some clinging, cloying67 thing.
“I’ll not forget again,” he said.
He huddled68 down once more close to the edge of the shelf; peering over. No one of the Metal People had moved; the silence, the stillness, was unbroken.
Now the flanking pyramids shot forth69 into twin stars, blazing with violet luminescences. And one by one after them the ten lesser70 spheres expanded into flaming orbs72; beautiful they were, but far less glorious than that Disk of whom they were the counselors73? — ministers? — what?
Still there was no movement among all the arrased, girdered, pillared hosts.
There came a little wailing74; far away it was and far. Nearer it drew. Was that a tremor75 that passed through the crowded crater? A quick pulse of — eagerness?
“Hungry!” whispered Drake. “They’re HUNGRY!”
Closer was the wailing; again that faint tremor quivered over the place. And now I caught it — a quick and avid76 pulsing.
“Hungry,” whispered Drake again. “Like a lot of lions with the keeper coming along with meat.”
The wailing was below us. I felt, not a quiver this time, but an unmistakable shock pass through the Horde30. It throbbed77 — and passed.
Into the field of our vision, up to the flaming Disk rushed an immense cube.
Thrice the height of a tall man — as I think I have noted78 before — when it unfolded its radiance was that shape of mingled79 beauty and power I call the Metal Emperor.
Yet this Thing eclipsed it. Black, uncompromising, in some indefinable way BRUTAL65, its square bulk blotted80 out the Disk’s effulgence81; shrouded82 it. And a shadow seemed to fall upon the crater. The violet fires of the flanking stars pulsed out — watchfully84, threateningly.
For only an instant the darkening block loomed85 against the Disk; blackened it.
There came another meteor burst of light. Where the cube had been was now a tremendous, fiery86 cross — a cross inverted87.
Its upper arm arose to twice the length either of its horizontals or the square that was its foot. In its opening it must have turned, for its — FACE— was toward us and away from the Cones, its body hid the Disk, and almost all the surfaces of the two watchful83 Stars.
Eighty feet at least in height, this cruciform shape stood. It flamed and flickered88 with angry, smoky crimsons89 and scarlets91; with sullen92 orange glowings and glitterings of sulphurous yellows. Within its fires were none of those leaping, multicolored glories that were the Metal Emperor’s; no trace of the pulsing, mystic rose; no shadow of jubilant sapphire; no purple royal; no tender, merciful greens nor gracious opalescences. Nothing even of the blasting violet of the Stars.
All angry, smoky reds and ochres the cross blazed forth — and in its lurid93 glowings was something sinister94, something real, something cruel, something — nearer to earth, closer to man.
“The Keeper of the Cones and the Metal Emperor!” muttered Drake. “I begin to get it — yes — I begin to get — Ventnor!”
Once more the pulse, the avid throbbing95 shook the crater. And as swiftly in its wake rushed back the stillness, the silence.
The Keeper turned — I saw its palely lustrous blue metallic96 back. I drew out my little field-glasses, focussed them.
The Cross slipped sidewise past the Disk, its courtiers, its stellated guardians97. As it went by they swung about with it; ever facing it.
And now at last was clear a thing that had puzzled greatly — the mechanism98 of that opening process by which sphere became oval disk, pyramid a four-pointed star and — as I had glimpsed in the play of the Little Things about Norhala, could see now so plainly in the Keeper — the blocks took this inverted cruciform shape.
The Metal People were hollow!
Hollow metal — boxes!
In their enclosing sides dwelt all their vitality99 — their powers — themselves!
And those sides were — everything that THEY were!
Folded, the oval disk became the sphere; the four points of the star, the square from which those points radiated; shutting became the pyramid; the six faces of the cubes were when opened the inverted cross.
Nor were these flexible, mobile walls massive. They were indeed, considering the apparent mass of the Metal Folk, most astonishingly fragile. Those of the Keeper, despite its eighty feet of height, could not have been more than a yard in thickness. At the edges I thought I could see groovings; noted the same appearances at the outlines of the Stars. Seen sidewise, the body of the Metal Emperor showed as a convexity; its surface smooth, with a suggestion of transparency.
The Keeper was bending; its oblong upper plane dropping forward as though upon a hinge. Lower and lower this flange100 bent101 — in a grotesque102, terrifying obeisance103; a horrible mockery of reverence104.
Was this mountain of Cones then actually a shrine — an idol105 of the Metal People — their God?
The oblong that was the upper half of the cruciform Shape extended now at right angles to the horizontal arms. It hovered106, a rectangle forty feet long, as many feet over the floor at the base of the crystal pedestal. It bent again, this time from the hinge that held the outstretched arms to the base. And now it was a huge truncated cross, a T-shaped figure, hovering108 only twenty feet above the pave.
Down from the Keeper writhed109 and flicked110 a tangle107 of tentacles111; serpentine112, whiplike. Silvery white, they were dyed with the scarlet90 and orange flaming of the surface now hidden from my eyes; reflected those sullen and angry gleamings. Vermiceous, coiling, they seemed to drop from every inch of the overhanging planes.
Something there was beneath them — something like an immense and luminous tablet. The tentacles were moving over it — pressing here, thrusting there, turning, pushing, manipulating —
A shuddering113 passed through the crowding cones. I saw the tremor shake their bristling hosts, oscillate the great spire, set the faceted disks quivering.
The trembling grew; a vibration114 in every separate cone13 that became even more rapid. There was a faint, curiously oppressive humming — like the distant echo of a tempest in chaos115.
Faster, ever faster grew the vibration. Now the sharp outlines of the cones were dissolving.
And now they were — gone.
The mount of the cones had become a mighty116 pyramid of pale green radiance — one tremendous, pallid10 flame, of which the spire was the tongue. Out from the disked wheel at its shorn tip gushed117 a flood of light — light that gathered itself from the leaping radiance below it.
The tentacles of the Keeper moved more swiftly over the enigmatic tablet; writhing118 cloudily; confusedly rapid. The faceted disks wavered; turned upward; the wheel began to whirl — faster — faster —
Up from that flaming circle, out into the sky leaped a thick, pale green column of intensest light.
With prodigious speed, as compact as water, CONCENTRATE, it struck — straight out toward the face of the sun.
It thrust up with the speed of light — the speed of light? A thought came to me; incredible I believed it even as I reacted to it. My pulse is uniformly seventy to the minute. I sought my wrist, found the artery119, made allowance for its possible acceleration120, began to count.
“What’s the matter?” asked Drake.
“Take my glasses,” I muttered, trying to keep up, while speaking, my tally66. “Matches in my pocket. Smoke the lenses. I want to look at sun.”
With a look of stupefied amazement121 which, at another time I would have found laughable, he obeyed.
“Hold them to my eyes,” I ordered.
Three minutes had gone by.
There it was — that for which I sought. Clear through the darkened lenses I could see the sun spot, high up on the northern-most limb of the sun. An unimaginable cyclone122 of incandescent gases; an unthinkably huge dynamo pouring its floods of electro-magnetism upon all the circling planets; that solar crater which we now know was, when at its maximum, all of one hundred and fifty thousand miles across; the great sun spot of the summer of 1919 — the most enormous ever recorded by astronomical123 science.
Five minutes had gone by.
Common sense whispered to me. There was no use keeping my eyes fixed124 to the glasses. Even if that thought were true — even if that pillar of radiance were a MESSENGER, an earth-hurled bolt flying to the sun through atmosphere and outer space with the speed of light, even if it were this stupendous creation of these Things, still between eight and nine minutes must elapse before it could reach the orb71; and as many minutes must go by before the image of whatever its impact might produce upon the sun could pass back over the bridge of light spanning the ninety millions of miles between it and us.
And after all did not that hypothesis belong to the utterly impossible? Even were it so — what was it that the Metal Monster expected to follow? This radiant shaft125, colossal as it was to us, was infinitesimal compared to the target at which it was aimed.
What possible effect could that spear have upon the solar forces?
And yet — and yet — a gnat’s bite can drive an elephant mad. And Nature’s balance is delicate; and what great happenings may follow the slightest disturbance126 of her infinitely127 sensitive, her complex, equilibrium128? It might be — it might be —
Eight minutes had passed.
“Take the glasses,” I bade Drake. “Look up at the sun spot — the big one.”
“I see it.” He had obeyed me. “What of it?”
Nine minutes.
The shaft, if I were right, had by now touched the sun. What was to follow?
“I don’t get you at all,” said Drake, and lowered the glasses.
Ten minutes.
“What’s happening? Look at the Cones! Look at the Emperor!” gasped129 Drake.
I peered down, then almost forgot to count.
The pyramidal flame that had been the mount of Cones was shrunken. The pillar of radiance had not lessened130 — but the mechanism that was its source had retreated whole yards within the field of its crystal base.
And the Metal Emperor! Dulled and faint were his fires, dimmed his splendors131; and fainter still were the violet luminescences of the watching Stars, the shimmering132 livery of his court.
The Keeper of the Cones! Were not its outstretched planes hovering lower and lower over the gleaming tablet; its tentacles moving aimlessly, feebly — wearily?
I had a sense of force being withdrawn133 from all about me. It was as though all the City were being drained of life — as though vitality were being sucked from it to feed this pyramid of radiance; drained from it to forge the thrusting spear piercing sunward.
The Metal People seemed to hang limply, inert134; the living girders seemed to sag135; the living columns to bend; to droop136 and to sway.
Twelve minutes.
With a nerve-racking crash one of the laden137 beams fell; dragging down with it others; bending, shattering in its fall a thicket of the horned columns. Behind us the sparkling eyes of the wall were dimmed, vacant — dying. Something of that hellish loneliness, that demoniac desire for immolation138 that had assailed139 us in the haunted hollow of the ruins began to creep over me.
The crowded crater was fainting. The life was going out of the City — its magnetic life, draining into the shaft of green fire.
Duller grew the Metal Emperor’s glories.
Fourteen minutes.
“Goodwin,” cried Drake, “the life’s going out of these Things! Going out with that ray they’re shooting.”
Fifteen minutes.
I watched the tentacles of the Keeper grope over the tablet. Abruptly the flaming pyramid darkened — WENT OUT.
The radiant pillar hurtled upward like a thunder-bolt; vanished in space.
Before us stood the mount of cones, shrunken to a sixth of its former size.
Sixteen minutes.
All about the crater-lip the ringed shields tilted140; thrust themselves on high, as though behind each was an eager lifting arm. Below them the hived clusters of disks changed from globules into wide coronets.
Seventeen minutes.
I dropped my wrist; seized the glasses from Drake; raised them to the sun. For a moment I saw nothing — then a tiny spot of white incandescence141 shone forth at the lower edge of the great spot. It grew into a point of radiance, dazzling even through the shadowed lenses.
I rubbed my eyes; looked again. It was still there, larger — blazing with an ever increasing and intolerable intensity.
I handed the glasses to Drake, silently.
“I see it!” he muttered. “I see it! And THAT did it — that! Goodwin!” There was panic in his cry. “Goodwin! The spot! it’s widening! It’s widening!”
I snatched the glasses from him. I caught again the dazzling flashing. But whether Drake HAD seen the spot widen, change — to this day I do not know.
To me it seemed unchanged — and yet — perhaps it was not. It may be that under that finger of force, that spear of light, that wound in the side of our sun HAD opened further —
That the sun had winced142!
I do not to this day know. But whether it had or not — still shone the intolerably brilliant light. And miracle enough that was for me.
Twenty minutes — subconsciously143 I had gone on counting — twenty minutes —
About the cratered144 girdle of the upthrust shields a glimmering145 mistiness146 was gathering147; a translucent148 mist, beryl pale and beryl clear. In a heart-beat it had thickened into a vast and vaporous ring through whose swarms149 of corpuscles the sun’s reflected image upon each disk shone clear — as though seen through clouds of transparent150 atoms of aquamarine.
Again the filaments151 of the Keeper moved — feebly. As one of the hosts of circling shields shifted downward. Brilliant, ever more brilliant, waxed the fast-thickening mists.
Abruptly, and again as one, the disks began to revolve152. From every concave surface, from the surfaces of the huge circlets below them, flashed out a stream of green fire — green as the fire of green life itself. Corpuscular, spun153 of uncounted rushing, dazzling ions the great rays struck across, impinged upon the thousand-foot wheel that crowned the cones; set it whirling.
Over it I saw form a limpid154 cloud of the brilliant vapors155. Whence came these sparkling nebulosities, these mists of light? It was as though the clustered, spinning disks reached into the shadowless air, sucked from it some unseen, rhythmic156 energy and transformed it into this visible, coruscating157 flood.
For now it was a flood. Down from the immense wheel came pouring cataracts158 of green fires. They cascaded159 over the cones; deluged160 them; engulfed161 them.
Beneath that radiant inundation162 the cones grew. Perceptibly their volume increased — as though they gorged163 themselves upon the light. No — it was as though the corpuscles flew to them, coalesced and built themselves into the structure.
Out and further out upon the base of crystal they crept. And higher and higher soared their tips, thrusting, ever thrusting upward toward the whirling wheel that fed them.
Now from the Keeper’s planes writhed the Keeper’s tangle of tentacles, uncoiling eagerly, avidly164, through the twenty feet of space between their source and the enigmatic mechanism they manipulated. The crater’s disks tilted downward. Into the vast hollow shot their jets of green radiance, drenching165 the Metal Hordes, splashing from the polished walls wherever the Metal Hordes had left those living walls exposed.
All about us was a trembling, an accelerating pulse of life. Colossal, rhythmic, ever quicker, ever more powerfully that pulse throbbed — a prodigious vibration monstrously166 alive.
“Feeding!” whispered Drake. “Feeding! Feeding on the sun!”
Faster danced the radiant beams. The crater was a cauldron of green fires through which the conical rays angled and interwove, crossed and mingled. And where they mingled, where they crossed, flamed out suddenly immense rayless orbs; palpitant for an instant, then dissolving in spiralling, feathery spray of pallid emerald incandescences.
Stronger and stronger beat the pulse of returning life.
A jetting stream struck squarely upon the Metal Emperor. Out blazed his splendors — jubilant. His golden zodiac, no longer tarnished167 and dull, ran with sun flames; the wondrous168 rose was a racing169, lambent miracle.
Up snapped the Keeper; towered behind him, all flickering170 scarlets and leaping yellows — no longer wrathful or sullen.
The place dripped radiance; was filling like a chrisom with radiance.
Us, too, the sparkling mists bathed.
I was conscious of a curiously wild exhilaration; a quickening of the pulse; an abnormally rapid breathing. I stooped to touch Drake; sparks leaped from my outstretched fingers, great green sparks that crackled as they impacted upon him. He gave them no heed171; but stared with fascinated eyes upon the crater.
Now from every side broke a tempest of gem172 fires. From every girder and column, from every arras, pendent and looping, burst diamond glitterings, ruby luminescences, lanced flames of molten emerald and sapphires173, flashings of amethyst174 and opal, meteoric175 iridescences, dazzling spectrums.
The hollow was a cave of some Aladdin of the Titans ablaze176 with enchanted177 hoards178. It was a place of gems179 ensorcelled, gems in which imprisoned180 hosts of the Jinns of Light beat sparkling against their crystal walls to escape.
I thrust the fantasies from me. Fantastic enough was this reality — globe and pyramid and cube of the Metal People opening wide, bathing in, drinking from the radiant maelstrom181 that faster and ever faster swirled182 about them.
“Feeding!” It was Drake’s awed183 voice. “Feeding on the sun!”
The circling shields were raising themselves, lifting themselves higher above the crater-lip. Into the crowded cylinder184 came now only the rays from the high circlets, the streams from the huge wheel above the still growing cones.
Up and up the shields rose, but by what mechanism raised I could not see. Their motion ceased; in all their thousands they turned. Over the City’s top and out into the oval valley they poured their torrents185 of light; flooding it, deluging186 it even as they had this pit that was the City’s heart. Feeding, I knew, those other Metal Hordes without.
And as though in answer, sweeping187 down upon us through the circles of open sky, a clamor poured.
“If we’d but known!” Drake’s voice came to me, thin and unreal through the tumult188. “It’s what Ventnor meant! If we had got down there when they were so weak — if we could have handled the Keeper — we could have smashed that plate that works the Cones! We could have killed them!”
“There are other Cones,” I cried back to him.
“No,” he shook his head. “This is the master machine. It’s what Ventnor meant when he said to strike through the sun. And we’ve lost the chance —”
Louder grew the hurricane without; and now within began its mate. Through the mists flashed linked tempests of lightnings. Bolt upon javelin189 bolt, and ever more thickly; lightnings green as the mists themselves; lightning bolts of destroying violets, searing scarlets; tearing chains of withering190 yellows, globes of exploding multicolored electric incandescences.
The crater was threaded with the lightnings of the Metal People; was broidered with them; was a Pit woven with vast and changing patterns of electric flame.
What was it that Drake had said? That if but we could have known we could have destroyed these — Things — Destroyed — Them? Things that could thrust their will and power up through ninety million miles of space and suck from the sun the honey of power! Drain it and hive it within these great mountains of the cones!
Destroy Things that could feed their own life into a machine to draw back from the sun a greater life — Things that could forge of their strength a spear which, piercing the side of the sun, sent gushing191 back upon them a tenfold, nay192, a thousandfold strength!
Destroy this City that was one vast and living dynamo feeding upon the magnetic life of earth and sun!
The clamor had grown stupendous, destroying — like armored Gods roaring at sword play in a hundred Valhallas; like the war drums of battling universe; like the smitings of warring suns.
And all the City was throbbing, beating with a gigantic pulse of life — was fed and drunken with life. I felt that pulsing become my own; I echoed to it; throbbed in unison193. I saw Drake outlined in flame; that around me a radiant nimbus was growing.
I thought I saw Norhala floating, clothed in shouting, flailing194 fires. I strove to call out to her. By me slipped the body of Drake; lay flaming at my feet upon the narrow ledge.
There was a roaring within my head — louder, far louder, than that which beat against my ears. Something was drawing me forth; drawing me out of my body into unimaginable depths of blackness. Something was hurling195 me out into those cold depths of space that alone could darken the fires that encircled me — the fires of which I was becoming a part.
I felt myself leap outward — outward and outward — into — oblivion.
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1
crater
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| n.火山口，弹坑 | |
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rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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tithe
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| n.十分之一税；v.课什一税，缴什一税 | |
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4
panorama
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| n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置] | |
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poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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6
dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
diadem
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| n.王冠，冕 | |
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8
swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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9
constellation
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| n.星座n.灿烂的一群 | |
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pallid
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| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
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pallidly
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| adv.无光泽地，苍白无血色地 | |
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cones
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| n.（人眼）圆锥细胞；圆锥体( cone的名词复数 )；球果；圆锥形东西；（盛冰淇淋的）锥形蛋卷筒 | |
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13
cone
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| n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果 | |
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bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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spiked
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| adj.有穗的；成锥形的；有尖顶的 | |
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spire
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| n.(教堂)尖顶，尖塔，高点 | |
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crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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truncated
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| adj.切去顶端的，缩短了的，被删节的v.截面的( truncate的过去式和过去分词 )；截头的；缩短了的；截去顶端或末端 | |
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spokes
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| n.（车轮的）辐条( spoke的名词复数 )；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 | |
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wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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faceted
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| adj. 有小面的，分成块面的 | |
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invincible
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| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
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transmuted
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| v.使变形，使变质，把…变成…( transmute的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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coalesced
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| v.联合，合并( coalesce的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tangible
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| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
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hordes
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| n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 )；部落 | |
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horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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31
colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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32
animate
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| v.赋于生命，鼓励；adj.有生命的，有生气的 | |
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33
mace
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| n.狼牙棒，豆蔻干皮 | |
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34
spikes
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| n.穗( spike的名词复数 )；跑鞋；（防滑）鞋钉；尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 )；偷偷地给某人的饮料加入（更多）酒精（ 或药物）；把尖状物钉入；打乱某人的计划 | |
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35
pendulous
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| adj.下垂的；摆动的 | |
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36
kaleidoscopic
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| adj.千变万化的 | |
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37
turret
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| n.塔楼，角塔 | |
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38
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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40
gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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41
arabesque
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| n.阿拉伯式花饰；adj.阿拉伯式图案的 | |
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42
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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43
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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44
turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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45
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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46
tapestry
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| n.挂毯，丰富多采的画面 | |
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47
garnished
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| v.给（上餐桌的食物）加装饰( garnish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
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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49
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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50
lustrous
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| adj.有光泽的；光辉的 | |
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51
supernal
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| adj.天堂的，天上的；崇高的 | |
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52
splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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53
luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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54
sapphire
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| n.青玉，蓝宝石；adj.天蓝色的 | |
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55
petal
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| n.花瓣 | |
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56
incandescent
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| adj.遇热发光的， 白炽的，感情强烈的 | |
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57
ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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58
veer
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| vt.转向，顺时针转，改变；n.转向 | |
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59
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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60
ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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61
knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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62
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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63
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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64
brutally
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| adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地 | |
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65
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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66
tally
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| n.计数器，记分，一致，测量；vt.计算，记录，使一致；vi.计算，记分，一致 | |
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67
cloying
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| adj.甜得发腻的 | |
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68
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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69
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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70
lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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71
orb
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| n.太阳；星球；v.弄圆；成球形 | |
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72
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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73
counselors
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| n.顾问( counselor的名词复数 )；律师；（使馆等的）参赞；（协助学生解决问题的）指导老师 | |
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74
wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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75
tremor
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| n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震 | |
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76
avid
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| adj.热心的；贪婪的；渴望的；劲头十足的 | |
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77
throbbed
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| 抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 )； （心脏、脉搏等）跳动 | |
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78
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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79
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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80
blotted
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| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
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81
effulgence
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| n.光辉 | |
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82
shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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83
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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84
watchfully
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| 警惕地，留心地 | |
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85
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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86
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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87
inverted
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| adj.反向的，倒转的v.使倒置，使反转( invert的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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88
flickered
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| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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89
crimsons
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| 变为深红色（crimson的第三人称单数形式） | |
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90
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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91
scarlets
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| 鲜红色，猩红色( scarlet的名词复数 ) | |
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92
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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93
lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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94
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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95
throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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96
metallic
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|
| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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97
guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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98
mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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99
vitality
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| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
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100
flange
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| n.边缘，轮缘，凸缘，法兰 | |
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101
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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102
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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103
obeisance
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| n.鞠躬，敬礼 | |
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104
reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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105
idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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106
hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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107
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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108
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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109
writhed
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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110
flicked
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| （尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等） | |
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111
tentacles
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| n.触手( tentacle的名词复数 )；触角；触须；触毛 | |
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112
serpentine
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| adj.蜿蜒的，弯曲的 | |
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113
shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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114
vibration
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| n.颤动，振动；摆动 | |
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115
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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116
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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117
gushed
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| v.喷，涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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118
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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119
artery
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| n.干线，要道；动脉 | |
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120
acceleration
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| n.加速，加速度 | |
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121
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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122
cyclone
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| n.旋风，龙卷风 | |
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123
astronomical
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| adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的 | |
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124
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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125
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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126
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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127
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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128
equilibrium
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| n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静 | |
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129
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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130
lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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131
splendors
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| n.华丽( splendor的名词复数 )；壮丽；光辉；显赫 | |
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132
shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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133
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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134
inert
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| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
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135
sag
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| v.下垂，下跌，消沉；n.下垂，下跌，凹陷，[航海]随风漂流 | |
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136
droop
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| v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡 | |
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137
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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138
immolation
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| n.牺牲品 | |
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139
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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140
tilted
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| v. 倾斜的 | |
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141
incandescence
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| n.白热，炽热；白炽 | |
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142
winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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143
subconsciously
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| ad.下意识地，潜意识地 | |
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144
cratered
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| adj.有坑洞的，多坑的v.火山口( crater的过去分词 )；弹坑等 | |
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145
glimmering
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| n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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146
mistiness
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| n.雾，模糊，不清楚 | |
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147
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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148
translucent
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| adj.半透明的；透明的 | |
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149
swarms
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| 蜂群，一大群( swarm的名词复数 ) | |
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150
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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151
filaments
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| n.（电灯泡的）灯丝( filament的名词复数 )；丝极；细丝；丝状物 | |
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152
revolve
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| vi.(使)旋转；循环出现 | |
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153
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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limpid
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| adj.清澈的，透明的 | |
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vapors
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| n.水汽，水蒸气，无实质之物( vapor的名词复数 )；自夸者；幻想 [药]吸入剂 [古]忧郁（症）v.自夸，（使）蒸发( vapor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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156
rhythmic
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| adj.有节奏的，有韵律的 | |
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157
coruscating
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| v.闪光，闪烁( coruscate的现在分词 ) | |
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158
cataracts
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| n.大瀑布( cataract的名词复数 )；白内障 | |
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cascaded
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| 级联的 | |
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deluged
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| v.使淹没( deluge的过去式和过去分词 )；淹没；被洪水般涌来的事物所淹没；穷于应付 | |
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engulfed
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| v.吞没，包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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162
inundation
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| n.the act or fact of overflowing | |
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163
gorged
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| v.（用食物把自己）塞饱，填饱( gorge的过去式和过去分词 )；作呕 | |
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avidly
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| adv.渴望地，热心地 | |
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drenching
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| n.湿透v.使湿透( drench的现在分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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166
monstrously
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tarnished
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| （通常指金属）（使）失去光泽，（使）变灰暗( tarnish的过去式和过去分词 )； 玷污，败坏 | |
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wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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169
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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170
flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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172
gem
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| n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel | |
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173
sapphires
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| n.蓝宝石，钢玉宝石( sapphire的名词复数 )；蔚蓝色 | |
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amethyst
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| n.紫水晶 | |
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175
meteoric
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| adj.流星的，转瞬即逝的，突然的 | |
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ablaze
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| adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的 | |
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enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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178
hoards
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| n.（钱财、食物或其他珍贵物品的）储藏，积存( hoard的名词复数 )v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的第三人称单数 ) | |
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179
gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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180
imprisoned
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| 下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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181
maelstrom
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| n.大乱动；大漩涡 | |
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182
swirled
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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183
awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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cylinder
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| n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸 | |
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185
torrents
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| n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断 | |
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186
deluging
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| v.使淹没( deluge的现在分词 )；淹没；被洪水般涌来的事物所淹没；穷于应付 | |
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187
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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188
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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189
javelin
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| n.标枪，投枪 | |
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190
withering
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| 使人畏缩的，使人害羞的，使人难堪的 | |
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191
gushing
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| adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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192
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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193
unison
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| n.步调一致，行动一致 | |
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194
flailing
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| v.鞭打( flail的现在分词 )；用连枷脱粒；（臂或腿）无法控制地乱动；扫雷坦克 | |
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195
hurling
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| n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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