V
The man before the machine which was like Ganesha, the god with the elephantвАЩs head, was no longer a human being. Merely a dripping piece of exhaustion, from the pores of which the last powers of volition were oozing out in large drops of sweat. Running eyes no longer saw the manometer. The hand did not hold the leverвБ†вАФit clawed it fast in the last hold which saved the mangled man-creature before it from falling into the crushing arms of the machine.
The Paternoster works of the New Tower of Babel turned their buckets with an easy smoothness. The eye of the little machine smiled softly and maliciously at the man who stood before it and who was now no more than a babel.
вАЬFather!вАЭ babbled the son of Joh Fredersen, вАЬtoday, for the first time, since Metropolis stood, you have forgotten to let your city and your great machines roar punctually for fresh foodвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Has Metropolis gone dumb, father? Look at us! Look at your machines! Your god-machines turn sick at the chewed-up cuds in their mouthsвБ†вАФat the mangled food that we areвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Why do you strangle its voice to death? Will ten hours never, never come to an end? Our Father, which art in heavenвБ†вАФ!вАЭ
But in this moment Joh FredersenвАЩs fingers were pressing the little blue metal plate and the voice of the great Metropolis.
вАЬThank you, father!вАЭ said the mangled soul before the machine, which was like Ganesha. He smiled. He tasted a salty taste on his lips and did not know if it was from blood, sweat or tears. From out a red mist of long-flamed, drawn-out clouds, fresh men shuffled on towards him. His hand slipped from the lever and he collapsed. Arms pulled him up and led him away. He turned his head aside to hide his face.
The eye of the little machine, the soft, malicious eye, twinkled at him from behind.
вАЬGoodbye, friend,вАЭ said the little machine.
FrederвАЩs head fell upon his breast. He felt himself dragged further, heard the dull evenness of feet tramping onwards, felt himself tramping, a member of twelve members. The ground under his feet began to roll; it was drawn upwards, pulling him up with it.
Doors stood open, double doors. Towards him came a stream of men.
The great Metropolis was still roaring.
Suddenly she fell dumb and in the silence Freder became aware of the breath of a man at his ear, and of a voiceвБ†вАФmerely a breathвБ†вАФwhich asked:
вАЬShe has calledвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Are you coming?вАЭ
He did not know what the question meant, but he nodded. He wanted to get to know the ways of those who walked, as he, in blue linen, in the black cap, in the hard shoes.
With tightly closed eyelids he groped on, shoulder to shoulder with an unknown man.
She has called, he thought, half asleep. Who is thatвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ sheвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАК?
He walked and walked in smouldering weariness. The way would never, never come to an end. He did not know where he was walking. He heard the tramp of those who were walking with him like the sound of perpetually falling water.
She has called! he thought. Who is that: she, whose voice is so powerful that these men, exhausted to death by utter weariness, voluntarily throw off sleep, which is the sweetest thing of all to the wearyвБ†вАФto follow her when her voice calls?
It canвАЩt be very much further to the centre of the earthвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶
Still deeperвБ†вАФstill deeper down?
No longer any light round about, only, here and there, twinkling pocket torches, in menвАЩs hands.
At last, in the far distance, a dull shimmer.
Have we wandered so far to walk towards the sun, thought Freder, and does the sun dwell in the bowels of the earth?
The procession came to a standstill. Freder stopped too. He staggered against the dry, cool stones.
Where are we, he thoughtвБ†вАФIn a cave? If the sun dwells here, then she canвАЩt be at home nowвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ I am afraid we have come in vainвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Let us turn back, brotherвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Let us sleepвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶
He slid along the wall, fell on his knees, leant his head against the stoneвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ how smooth it was.
The murmur of human voices was around him, like the rustling of trees, moved by the windвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶
He smiled peacefully. ItвАЩs wonderful to be tiredвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶
Then a voiceвБ†вАФa voice began to speakвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶
OhвБ†вАФsweet voice, thought Freder dreamily. Tender beloved voice, your voice, Virgin-mother! I have fallen asleepвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Yes, I am dreaming! I am dreaming of your voice, beloved!
But a slight pain at his temple made him think: I am leaning my head on stoneвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ I am conscious of the coldness which comes out of the stoneвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ I feel coldness under my kneesвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ so I am not sleepingвБ†вАФI am only dreamingвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ suppose it is not a dreamвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАК? Suppose it is realityвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАК?
With an exertion of will which brought a groan from him he forced open his eyes and looked about him.
A vault, like the vault of a sepulchre, human heads so closely crowded together as to produce the effect of clods on a freshly ploughed field. All heads turned towards one point: to the source of a light, as mild as God.
Candles burnt with sword-like flames. Slender, lustrous swords of light stood in a circle around the head of a girl, whose voice was as the Amen of God.
The voice spoke, but Freder did not hear the words. He heard nothing but a sound, the blessed melody of which was saturated with sweetness as is the air of a garden of blossoms with fragrance. And suddenly there sprang up above this melody the wild throb of a heartbeat. The air stormed with bells. The walls shook under the surf of an invisible organ. WearinessвБ†вАФexhaustionвБ†вАФfaded out! He felt his body from head to foot to be one single instrument of blissfulnessвБ†вАФall strings stretched to bursting point, yet tuned together into the purest, hottest, most radiant accord, in which his whole being hung, quivering.
He longed to stroke with his hands the stones on which he knelt. He longed to kiss with unbounded tenderness the stones on which he rested his head. GodвБ†вАФGodвБ†вАФGodвБ†вАФbeat the heart in his breast, and every throb was a thank-offering. He looked at the girl, and yet he did not see her. He saw only a shimmer; he knelt before it.
Gracious one, formed his mouth. Mine! Mine! My beloved! How could the world have existed before you were? How must God have smiled when he created you! You are speaking?вБ†вАФWhat are you saying?вБ†вАФMy heart is shouting within meвБ†вАФI cannot catch your wordsвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Be patient with me, gracious one, beloved!
Without his being aware of it, drawn by an invisible unbreakable cord, he pushed himself forward on his knees, nearer and nearer to the shimmer which the girlвАЩs face, was to him. At last he was so near that he could have touched the hem of her dress with his outstretched hand.
вАЬLook at me, Virgin!вАЭ implored his eyes. вАЬMother, look at me!вАЭ
But her gentle eyes looked out over him. Her lips said:
вАЬMy brothersвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ
And stopped dumb, as though alarmed.
Freder raised his head. Nothing had happenedвБ†вАФnothing to speak of, only that the air which passed through the room had suddenly become audible, like a raised breath, and that it was cool, as though coming in through open doors.
With a faint crackling sound the swords of flame bowed themselves. Then they stood still again.
вАЬSpeak, my beloved!вАЭ said FrederвАЩs heart.
Yes, now she spoke. This is what she said:
вАЬDo you want to know how the building of the Tower of Babel began, and do you want to know how it ended? I see a man who comes from the Dawn of the World. He is as beautiful as the world, and has a burning heart. He loves to walk upon the mountains and to offer his breast unto the wind and to speak with the stars. He is strong and rules all creatures. He dreams of God and feels himself closely tied to him. His nights are filled with faces.
вАЬOne hallowed hour bursts his heart. The firmament is above him and his friends. вАШOh friends! Friends!вАЩ he cries, pointing to the stars. вАШGreat is the world and its Creator! Great is man! Come, let us build a tower, the top of which reaches the sky! And when we stand on its top, and hear the stars ringing above us, then let us write our creed in golden symbols on the top of the tower! Great is the world and its creator! And great is man!вАЩ
вАЬAnd they set to, a handful of men, full of confidence, and they made bricks and dug up to the earth. Never have men worked more rapidly, for they all had one thought, one aim and one dream. When they rested from work in the evening each knew of what the other was thinking. They did not need speech to make themselves understood. But after some time they knew: The work was greater than their working hands. Then they enlisted new friends to their work. Then their work grew. It grew overwhelming. Then the builders sent their messengers to all four winds of the world and enlisted Hands, working Hands for their mighty work.вАЭ
вАЬThe Hands came. The Hands worked for wages. The Hands did not even know what they were making. None of those building Southwards knew one of those digging toward the North. The Brain which conceived the construction of the Tower of Babel was unknown to those who built it. Brain and Hands were far apart and strangers. Brain and Hands became enemies. The pleasure of one became the otherвАЩs burden. The hymn of praise of one became the otherвАЩs curse.
вАЬвАКвАШBabel!вАЩ shouted one, meaning: Divinity, Coronation, Eternal, Triumph!
вАЬвАКвАШBabelвАЩ shouted the other, meaning: Hell, Slavery, Eternal, Damnation!
вАЬThe same word was prayer and blasphemy. Speaking the same words, the men did not understand each other.
вАЬThat men no longer understood each other, that Brain and Hands no longer understood each other, was to blame that the Tower of Babel was given up to destruction, that never were the words of those who had conceived it written on its top in golden symbols: Great is the world and its Creator! And great is man!
вАЬThat Brain and Hands no longer understand each other will one day destroy the New Tower of Babel.
вАЬBrain and Hands need a mediator. The Mediator between Brain and Hands must be the HeartвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ
She was silent. A breath like a sigh came up from the silent lips of the listeners.
Then one stood up slowly, resting his fists upon the shoulders of the man who crouched before him, and asked, raising his thin face with its fanatical eyes to the girl:
вАЬAnd where is our mediator, Maria?вАЭ
The girl looked at him, and over her sweet face passed the gleam of a boundless confidence.
вАЬWait for him,вАЭ she said. вАЬHe is sure to come.вАЭ
A murmur ran through the rows of men. Freder bowed his head to the girlвАЩs feet, His whole soul said:
вАЬIt shall be I.вАЭ
But she did not see him and she did not hear him.
вАЬBe patient, my brothers!вАЭ she said. вАЬThe way which your mediator must take is longвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ There are many among you who cry, Fight! Destroy!вБ†вАФDo not fight, my brothers, for that makes you to sin. Believe me: One will come, who will speak for youвБ†вАФwho will be the mediator between you, the Hands, and the man whose Brain and Will are over you all. He will give you something which is more precious than anything which anybody could give you: To be free, without sinning.вАЭ
She stood up from the stone upon which she had been sitting. A movement ran through the heads turned towards her. A voice was raised. The speaker was not to be seen. It was as if they all spoke:
вАЬWe shall wait, Maria. But not much longerвБ†вАФ!вАЭ
The girl was silent. With her sad eyes she seemed to be seeking the speaker among the crowd.
A man who stood before her spoke up to her:
вАЬAnd if we fightвБ†вАФwhere will you be then?вАЭ
вАЬWith you!вАЭ said the girl, opening her hands with the gesture of one sacrificing. вАЬHave you ever found me faithless?вАЭ
вАЬNever!вАЭ said the men. вАЬYou are like gold to us. We shall do what you expect of us.вАЭ
вАЬThank you,вАЭ said the girl, closing her eyes. With bowed head she stood there, listening to the sound of retiring feetвБ†вАФfeet which walked in hard shoes.
Only when all about her had become silent and when the last footfall had died away she sighed and opened her eyes.
Then she saw a man, wearing the blue linen and the black cap and the hard shoes, kneeling at her feet.
She bent down. He raised his head. She looked at him.
And then she recognised him.
(Behind them, in a vault that was shaped like a pointed devilвАЩs-ear, one manвАЩs hand seized another manвАЩs arm.
вАЬHush! Keep quiet!вАЭ whispered the voice, which was soundless and yet which had the effect of laughterвБ†вАФlike the laughter of spiteful mockery.)
The girlвАЩs face was as a crystal, filled with snow. She made a movement as if for flight. But her knees would not obey her. Reeds which stand in troubled water do not tremble more than her shoulders trembled.
вАЬIf you have come to betray us, son of Joh Fredersen, then you will have but little blessing from it,вАЭ she said softly, but in a clear voice.
He stood up and remained standing before her.
вАЬIs that all the faith you have in me?вАЭ he asked gravely.
She said nothing, but looked at him. Her eyes filled with tears.
вАЬYouвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ said the man. вАЬWhat shall I call you? I do not know your name. I have always called you just вАШyouвАЩ all the bad days and worse nights, for I did not know if I should find you again, I always called you only, вАШyou.вАЩвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Will you tell me, at last, what your name is?вАЭ
вАЬMaria,вАЭ answered the girl.
вАЬMariaвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ That should be your nameвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ you did not make it easy for me to find my way to you, Maria.вАЭ
вАЬAnd why did you seek your way to me? And why do you wear the blue linen uniform? Those condemned to wear it all their life long, live in an underground city, which is accounted a wonder of the world in all the five continents. It is an architectural wonderвБ†вАФthat is true. It is light and shining bright and a model of tidiness. It lacks nothing but the sunвБ†вАФand the rainвБ†вАФand the moon by nightвБ†вАФnothing but the sky. That is why the children which are born there have their gnome-like facesвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Do you want go down into this city under the earth in order the more to enjoy your dwelling which lies so high above the great Metropolis, in the light of the sky? Are you wearing the uniform, which you have on today, for fun?вАЭ
вАЬNo, Maria. I shall always wear it now.вАЭ
вАЬAs Joh FredersenвАЩs son?вАЭ
вАЬHe no longer has a sonвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ unlessвБ†вАФyou, yourself, give him back his son.вАЭ
(Behind them, in a vault that was shaped like a pointed devilвАЩs-ear, one manвАЩs hand was laid upon another manвАЩs mouth.
вАЬIt is written,вАЭ whispered a laugh: вАЬTherefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and cleave unto his wifeвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ)
вАЬWonвАЩt you understand me?вАЭ asked Freder. вАЬWhy do you look at me with such stern eyes? You wish me to be a mediator between Joh Fredersen and those whom you call your brothersвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ There can be no mediator between heaven and hell who never was in heaven and hellвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ I never knew hell until yesterday. That is why I failed so deplorably, yesterday, when I spoke to my father for your brothers. Until you stood before me for the first time, Maria, I lived the life of a dearly loved son. I did not know what an unrealisable wish was. I knew no longing, for everything was mineвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Young as I am, I have exhausted the pleasures of the earth, down to the very bottom. I had an aimвБ†вАФa gamble with Death: A flight to the starsвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ And then you came and showed me my brothersвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ From that day on I have sought you. I have so longed for you that I should gladly and unhesitatingly have died, had somebody told me that that was the way to you. But as it was, I had to live and seek another wayвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ
вАЬTo me, or to your brothersвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАК?вАЭ
вАЬTo you, MariaвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ I will not make myself out to you to be better than I am. I want to come to you, MariaвБ†вАФand I want youвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ I love mankind, not for its own sake, but for your sakeвБ†вАФbecause you love it. I do not want to help mankind for its own sake, but for your sakeвБ†вАФbecause you wish it. Yesterday I did good to two men; I helped one whom my father had dismissed. And I did the work of the man, whose uniform I have onвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ That was my way to youвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ God bless youвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ
His voice failed him. The girl stepped up to him. She took his hands in both her hands. She gently turned the palms upward, and considered them, looked at them with her Madonna-eyes, and folded her hands tenderly around his, which she carefully laid together.
вАЬMaria,вАЭ he said, without a sound.
She let his hands fall and raised hers to his head. She laid her fingertips on his cheeks. With her fingertips she stroked his eyebrows, his temples, twice, three times.
Then he snatched her to his heart and they kissed each otherвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶
He no longer felt the stones under his feet. A wave carried him, him and the girl whom he held clasped to him as though he wished to die of itвБ†вАФand the wave came from the bottom of the ocean, roaring as though the whole sea were an organ; and the wave was of fire and flung right up to the heavens.
Then sinkingвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ sinkingвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ endlessly gliding downвБ†вАФright down to the womb of the world, the source of the beginningвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Thirst and quenching drinkвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ hunger and satiationвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ pain and deliverance from itвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ death and rebirthвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶
вАЬYouвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ said the man to the girlвАЩs lips. вАЬYou are really the great mediatressвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ You are all that is most sacred on earthвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ You are all goodnessвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ You are all graceвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ To doubt you is to doubt GodвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ MariaвБ†вАФMariaвБ†вАФyou called meвБ†вАФhere I am!вАЭ
(Behind them, in a vault that was shaped like a pointed devilвАЩs-ear, one man leant towards another manвАЩs ear.
вАЬYou wanted to have the FuturaвАЩs face from meвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ There you have your modelвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ
вАЬIs that a commission?вАЭ
вАЬYes.вАЭ)
вАЬNow you must go, Freder,вАЭ said the girl. Her Madonna eyes looked at him.
вАЬGoвБ†вАФand leave you here?вАЭ
She turned grave and shook her head.
вАЬNothing will happen to me,вАЭ she said. вАЬThere is not one, among those who know this place, whom I cannot trust as though he were my blood brother. But what is between us is nobodyвАЩs affair; it would vex me to have to explainвБ†вАФвАЭ (and now she was smiling again)вБ†вАФвАЬwhat is inexplicableвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Do you see that?вАЭ
вАЬYes,вАЭ he said. вАЬForgive meвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ
(Behind them, in a vault that was shaped like a pointed devilвАЩs-ear, a man took himself away from the wall.
вАЬYou know what you have to do,вАЭ he said in a low voice.
вАЬYes,вАЭ came the voice of the other, idly, sleepily, out of the darkness. вАЬBut wait a bit, friendвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ I must ask you somethingвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ
вАЬWell?вАЭ
вАЬHave you forgotten your own creed?вАЭ
For one second a lamp twinkled through the room, that was shaped like a pointed devilвАЩs ear, impaling the face of the man, who had already turned to go, on the pointed needle of its brilliance.
вАЬThat sin and suffering are twin-sistersвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ you will be sinning against two people, friendвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ
вАЬWhat has that to do with you?вАЭ
вАЬNothingвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ OrвБ†вАФlittle. Freder is HelвАЩs sonвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ
вАЬAnd mineвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ
вАЬYes.вАЭ
вАЬIt is he whom I do not wish to lose.вАЭ
вАЬBetter to sin once more?вАЭ
вАЬYes.вАЭ
вАЬAnd?вАЭ
вАЬTo suffer. Yes.вАЭ
вАЬVery well, friend,вАЭ and in the voice was an inaudible laugh of mockery: вАЬMay it happen to you according to your creedвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАК!вАЭ)
The girl walked through the passages that were so familiar to her. The bright little lamp in her hand roved over the roof of stone and over the stone walls, where, in niches, the thousand-year-old dead slept.
The girl had never known fear of the dead; only reverence and gravity in face of their gravity. Today she saw neither wall nor dead. She walked on, smiling and not knowing she did it. She felt like singing. With an expression of happiness, which was still incredulous and yet complete, she said the name of her beloved over to herself.
Quite softly: вАЬFrederвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ And once more: вАЬFrederвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ
Then she raised her head, listening attentively, standing quite stillвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶
It came back as a whisper: An echo?вБ†вАФNo.
Almost inaudibly a word was breathed:
вАЬMariaвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ
She turned around, blissfully startled. Was it possible that he had come back.
вАЬFrederвБ†вАФ!вАЭ she called. She listened.
No answer.
вАЬFrederвБ†вАФ!вАЭ
Nothing.
But suddenly there came a cool draught of air which made the hair at her neck quiver, and a hand of snow ran down her back.
There came an agonized sighвБ†вАФa sigh which would not come to an endвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶
The girl stood still. The bright little lamp which she held in her hand let its gleam play tremblingly about her feet.
вАЬFrederвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАК?вАЭ
Now her voice, too, was only a whisper.
No answer. But, behind her, in the depths of the passage she would have to pass through, a gentle, gliding slink became perceptible: feet in soft shoes on rough stonesвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶
That wasвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ yes, that was strange. Nobody, apart from her, ever came this way. Nobody could be here. And, if somebody were here, then it was no friendвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶
Certainly nobody whom she wanted to meet.
Should she let him by?вБ†вАФyes.
A second passage opened to her left. She did not know it well. But she would not follow it up. She would only wait in it until the man outsideвБ†вАФthe man behind herвБ†вАФhad gone by.
She pressed herself against the wall of the strange passage, keeping still and waiting quite silently. She did not breath. She had extinguished the lamp. She stood in utter darkness, immovable.
She listened: the gliding feet were approaching. They walked in darkness as she stood in darkness. Now they were here. Now they mustвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ they must go pastвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ But they did not go. They stood quite still. Before the opening to the passage in which she stood, the feet stopped still and seemed to wait.
For whatвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАК? For herвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАК?
In the complete silence the girl suddenly heard her own heartвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ She heard her own heart, like pump-works, beating more and more quickly, throbbing more and more loudly. These loud throbbing heartbeats must also be heard by the man who kept the opening to the passage. And suppose he did not stay there any longerвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ suppose he came insideвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ she could not hear his coming, her heart throbbed so.
She groped, with fumbling hand, along the stone wall. Without breathing, she set her feet, one before the otherвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Only to get away from the entranceвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Away from the place where the other was standingвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶
Was she wrong? Or were the feet really coming after her? Soft, slinking shoes on rough stones? Now the agonised, heavy breathing, heavier still, and nearerвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ cold breath on her neckвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ ThenвБ†вАФ
Nothing more. Silence. And waiting. And watchingвБ†вАФkeeping on the lookoutвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶
Was it not as if a creature, such as the world had never seen: trunkless, nothing but arms, legs and headвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ but what a head! GodвБ†вАФGod in heaven!вБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ was crouching on the floor before her, knees drawn up to chin, the damp arms supported right and left, against the walls, near her hips, so that she stood defenceless, caught? Did she not see the passage lighted by a pale shimmerвБ†вАФand did not the shimmer come from the beingвАЩs jellyfish head?
вАЬFreder!вАЭ she thought. She bit the name tightly between her jaws, yet heard the scream with which her heart screamed it.
She threw herself forwards and feltвБ†вАФshe was freeвБ†вАФshe was still freeвБ†вАФand ran and stumbled, and pulled herself up again and staggered from wall to wall, knocking herself bloody, suddenly clutched into space, stumbled, fell to the ground, feltвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Something lay thereвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ what? NoвБ†вАФNoвБ†вАФNoвБ†вАФ!
The lamp had long since fallen from her hand. She raised herself to her knees and clapped her fists to her ears, in order not to hear the feet, the slinking feet coming nearer. She knew herself to be imprisoned in darkness and yet opened her eyes because she could no longer bear the circles of fire, the wheels of flame behind her closed lidsвБ†вАФ
And saw her own shadow thrown, gigantic, on the wall before her, and behind her was light, and before her lay a manвБ†вАФ
A man?вБ†вАФThat was not a manвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ That was the remains of a man, with his back half leaning against the wall, half slipped down, and on his skeleton feet, which almost touched the girlвАЩs knees, were the slender shoes, pointed and purple-redвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶
With a shriek which tore her throat, the girl threw herself up, backwardsвБ†вАФand then on and on, without looking round, pursued by the light which lashed her own shadow in springs before her feetвБ†вАФpursued by long, soft, feathery feetвБ†вАФby feet which walked in red shoes, by the icy breath which blew at her back.
She ran, screamed and ranвБ†вАФ
вАЬFrederвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАК! FrederвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАК!вАЭ
Her throat rattled, she fell.
There were some stairsвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Crumbling stairsвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ She pressed her bleeding hands, right and left, against the stone wall, by the stone steps. She dragged herself up. She staggered up, step by stepвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ There was the top.
The stairs ended in a stone trapdoor.
The girl groaned: вАЬFrederвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАК!вАЭ
She stretched both fists above her. She pushed head and shoulders against the trapdoor.
And one more groan: вАЬFrederвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ
The door rose and fell back with a crash.
BelowвБ†вАФdeep downвБ†вАФlaughterвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶
The girl swung herself over the edge of the trapdoor. She ran hither and thither, with outstretched hands. She ran along walls, finding no door. She saw the lustre which welled up from the depths. By this light she saw a door, which was latchless. It had neither bolt nor lock.
In the gloomy wood glowed, copper-red, the seal of Solomon, the pentagram.
The girl turned around.
She saw a man sitting on the edge of the trapdoor and saw his smile.
Then it was as though she were extinguished, and she plunged into nothingвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶