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And though each seemed equally real, of two of them, only one, I think, can be true; and of the third that may some time be true but surely is not yet." Through the air came a louder drum roll in it something ominous, something sinister. It swelled to a crescendo; abruptly ceased. And now I saw Norhala raise her head; listen. "I saw a world, a vast world, Goodwin, marching stately through space.
Upon them I could see hosts gathering; hosts of swarming little figures whose bodies glistened, from above whom came gleamings the light striking upon their helms, their spear and javelin tips. "Ruszark!" breathed Norhala, eyes wide, red lips cruelly smiling. "Lo I am before your gates. Lo I am here and was there ever joy like this!" The constellations in her eyes blazed.
The words were hesitating, halting as though the lips that uttered them found speech strange as strange as the clear eyes found our images. And the words were Persian purest, most ancient Persian. "I am Norhala," the golden voice chimed forth, whispered down into silence. "I am Norhala." She shook her head impatiently.
I felt the shadow of Death's wings. "No! No Norhala! No, Martin!" the veils of inhuman calm shrouding 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 sobbing.
"A parley," he shouted. "A parley, Norhala. If we give you the maid and man, will you go?" "Go get them," she answered. "And take with you this my command to Cherkis that HE return with the two!" For an instant Kulun hesitated. Up thrust the dreadful arms, poised themselves to strike. "It shall be so," he shouted. "I carry your command."
"Norhala don't let them kill him. 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 I will!" 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.
She uttered no sound, but as at a signal the central cube slid forward, halted before her. She rested a hand upon its edge. "Ride with me," she said to Ruth. "Norhala." Ventnor took a step forward. "Norhala, we must go with her. And this" he pointed to the pony "must go with us." "I meant you to come," the faraway voice chimed, "but I had not thought of that."
That flood of watchfulness pulsing about us had been actual concentration of regard of untold billions of tiny eyes of the living block which formed the City's cliff. A City that Saw! A City that was Alive! No secret mechanism then back darted my mind to that first terror had closed the wall, shutting from our sight Norhala at play with the Little Things.
The curtain was a ferment shifting, mercurial; it throbbed with desire, palpitated with eagerness. "Not enough!" murmured Norhala. Her lips parted; from them came another trumpeting tyrannic, arrogant and clangorous. Under it the curtaining writhed out from it spurted thin cascades of cubes. They swarmed up into tall pillars that shook and swayed and gyrated.
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, I began my examination of Ventnor.
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