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away. This room seemed no more to be dreaded than any of the others, except for a sense of caution
which bade him keep his distance from the machinery.
We cannot fly, as I should like to do, explained Corenice, because of the broken wing. However, as
you can see through the observation panels, the feet are uninjured. Our trip will be longer, but we shall
teach our destination as surely, by swimming.
How about this crowding weed? Can the swan-ship force a way?
We could burn a channel through, but all our power may be needed before we are done. There is yet an
easier way.
She depressed five of a bank of keys upon a horizontal panel board and the Vimana woke once more
from its long rest. Air raced out hi swift bubbles along the translucent sides. The weed fronds lashed and
swung as shadows danced against the walls. Water rumbled into hidden tanks. The long arching neck
and head dipped like a diving bird, and leaving only a clear spot in the weed-carpeted sea to mark its
passing, the swan-ship plunged beneath the surface.
Down, down in long easy spirals, driven by the powerful thrusts of the webbed feet. Deeper yet, while
the sunlight dimmed and the interior of the ship grew twilight dark and the eternal cold of the great deeps
drove away the long stored warmth of the upper air.
Other keys being depressed, heat returned from glowing grids in the walls and brilliant shafts of light shot
downward from the eye lenses. Briefly illuminated, as they wheeled and circled lower, marine creatures
darted to safety, some huge and monstrous, fearsome, tentacular, with powerful snapping beaks which
might easily rend metal. -
Gwalchmai repressed a shudder, but the girl, unmoved, sat peering down through the floor, waiting
patiently as the searchlights cut broad swathes through the dark water.
Suddenly and with a sharp ejaculation, she snapped down another key which released the first five from
their previous positions, and, leveling out, the ship hung at that level with lights still showing. The bottom,
which had become as visible as a beach on a misty day, rushing up at them abruptly, now slid easily by
with the yet unexpended impetus of their descent. For some moments he could see only ooze and broad
furrows made by crawling things, though it was apparent by her interest that Corenice was aware of
something more.
Then, as though by a trick of changing vision, a mound of mud assumed a more regular form and a
rectangular outline could be distinguished surrounding a central dome. The hand of the metal maiden
quivered upon the key bank. She pointed down.
Atlantis! she murmured. Behold its people!
Upon the dome sprawled a long ribbon-like form, coil upon coil surrounding something more than half
hidden by the windings. Pulsations ran through the lax body as it fed. The horrible head lifted, sensing the
unfamiliar light, and they could see the bones it was mumbling, nearly stripped of flesh, still mingled hi the
wreckage of the Saxon ship.
Gwalchmai was about to inquire if the wreck could be searched for Merlin s chest of magic treasures,
but the creature poised only an instant hi indecision. Then, with jaws agape to show row upon row of
fangs, it came swimming with long undulations to investigate the edibility of this strange visitor.
Fast as it came, the Vimana was faster. Upward again, in a long steep slant, they rose to a point where
light beat down upon them hi thin rays through the tangled weed. Hour after hour, just below the longest
streamers, they sped along. Gwalchmai tired, but would not give hi to sleep. Finally, the girl, whose metal
body could not know weariness, perceived his need.
At the time, they were hi the room of the murals depicting the past glories of Atlantis. Without saying
what she intended to do, Corenice rose and began to dance. Softly as thistledown, lightly as a windblown
leaf, she leapt and spun and swung from one black square to another, waking melodies no human ear had
heard since the seas had marched over Poseidonis.
Softer and more sweetly yet, the mystical harmonies sounded, interrupted by not a single discord.
Gracefully the lithe figure swayed and postured, every move-ment a poem of beauty. His eyelids grew
heavier and, drooping, finally closed. He lay back upon the soft metal of the bench and the music
stopped.
Corenice smiled to herself and crossed the room. She stepped heedlessly from square to square, but
now there were no answering sounds. Even the chiming bells of her mechanism were muted.
A concealed spring in the frame of the harbor scene let down a soft folding couch from the wall, the
existence of which he had not suspected. She lifted him in her metal arms, easily as a mother lifts a baby,
and laid him gently and tenderly down.
Long ago all fabrics had disappeared from the Vim-ana. Age had seen to that, and the sea air, but the
couch was still comfortable as a bed of feathers, made from that wondrous orichalcum which could be
either down-soft or diamond-hard.
She left him there and went to the control room in the bird s head. Frowning with concentration, she
willed, having set the controls for mental operation. The speed increased. The broad, webbed feet beat
the water with redoubled power. The ship tore on, fifty feet below the surface, toward the North. The
strange girl stared out through the lenses, tireless, strong, more than human, unwinking and watchful. Only
she knew what her thoughts might be and what the thoughts of the Vimana for it did think, as no other
creation of man had ever done, since the beginning of the world. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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away. This room seemed no more to be dreaded than any of the others, except for a sense of caution
which bade him keep his distance from the machinery.
We cannot fly, as I should like to do, explained Corenice, because of the broken wing. However, as
you can see through the observation panels, the feet are uninjured. Our trip will be longer, but we shall
teach our destination as surely, by swimming.
How about this crowding weed? Can the swan-ship force a way?
We could burn a channel through, but all our power may be needed before we are done. There is yet an
easier way.
She depressed five of a bank of keys upon a horizontal panel board and the Vimana woke once more
from its long rest. Air raced out hi swift bubbles along the translucent sides. The weed fronds lashed and
swung as shadows danced against the walls. Water rumbled into hidden tanks. The long arching neck
and head dipped like a diving bird, and leaving only a clear spot in the weed-carpeted sea to mark its
passing, the swan-ship plunged beneath the surface.
Down, down in long easy spirals, driven by the powerful thrusts of the webbed feet. Deeper yet, while
the sunlight dimmed and the interior of the ship grew twilight dark and the eternal cold of the great deeps
drove away the long stored warmth of the upper air.
Other keys being depressed, heat returned from glowing grids in the walls and brilliant shafts of light shot
downward from the eye lenses. Briefly illuminated, as they wheeled and circled lower, marine creatures
darted to safety, some huge and monstrous, fearsome, tentacular, with powerful snapping beaks which
might easily rend metal. -
Gwalchmai repressed a shudder, but the girl, unmoved, sat peering down through the floor, waiting
patiently as the searchlights cut broad swathes through the dark water.
Suddenly and with a sharp ejaculation, she snapped down another key which released the first five from
their previous positions, and, leveling out, the ship hung at that level with lights still showing. The bottom,
which had become as visible as a beach on a misty day, rushing up at them abruptly, now slid easily by
with the yet unexpended impetus of their descent. For some moments he could see only ooze and broad
furrows made by crawling things, though it was apparent by her interest that Corenice was aware of
something more.
Then, as though by a trick of changing vision, a mound of mud assumed a more regular form and a
rectangular outline could be distinguished surrounding a central dome. The hand of the metal maiden
quivered upon the key bank. She pointed down.
Atlantis! she murmured. Behold its people!
Upon the dome sprawled a long ribbon-like form, coil upon coil surrounding something more than half
hidden by the windings. Pulsations ran through the lax body as it fed. The horrible head lifted, sensing the
unfamiliar light, and they could see the bones it was mumbling, nearly stripped of flesh, still mingled hi the
wreckage of the Saxon ship.
Gwalchmai was about to inquire if the wreck could be searched for Merlin s chest of magic treasures,
but the creature poised only an instant hi indecision. Then, with jaws agape to show row upon row of
fangs, it came swimming with long undulations to investigate the edibility of this strange visitor.
Fast as it came, the Vimana was faster. Upward again, in a long steep slant, they rose to a point where
light beat down upon them hi thin rays through the tangled weed. Hour after hour, just below the longest
streamers, they sped along. Gwalchmai tired, but would not give hi to sleep. Finally, the girl, whose metal
body could not know weariness, perceived his need.
At the time, they were hi the room of the murals depicting the past glories of Atlantis. Without saying
what she intended to do, Corenice rose and began to dance. Softly as thistledown, lightly as a windblown
leaf, she leapt and spun and swung from one black square to another, waking melodies no human ear had
heard since the seas had marched over Poseidonis.
Softer and more sweetly yet, the mystical harmonies sounded, interrupted by not a single discord.
Gracefully the lithe figure swayed and postured, every move-ment a poem of beauty. His eyelids grew
heavier and, drooping, finally closed. He lay back upon the soft metal of the bench and the music
stopped.
Corenice smiled to herself and crossed the room. She stepped heedlessly from square to square, but
now there were no answering sounds. Even the chiming bells of her mechanism were muted.
A concealed spring in the frame of the harbor scene let down a soft folding couch from the wall, the
existence of which he had not suspected. She lifted him in her metal arms, easily as a mother lifts a baby,
and laid him gently and tenderly down.
Long ago all fabrics had disappeared from the Vim-ana. Age had seen to that, and the sea air, but the
couch was still comfortable as a bed of feathers, made from that wondrous orichalcum which could be
either down-soft or diamond-hard.
She left him there and went to the control room in the bird s head. Frowning with concentration, she
willed, having set the controls for mental operation. The speed increased. The broad, webbed feet beat
the water with redoubled power. The ship tore on, fifty feet below the surface, toward the North. The
strange girl stared out through the lenses, tireless, strong, more than human, unwinking and watchful. Only
she knew what her thoughts might be and what the thoughts of the Vimana for it did think, as no other
creation of man had ever done, since the beginning of the world. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]